Effects of low load exercise with and without blood‐flow restriction on microvascular oxygenation, muscle excitability and perceived pain

Compared to free flow (FF), neuromuscular fatigue mechanisms are accelerated during blood flow restricted (BFR) training. This can be observed as changes in microvascular oxygenation and muscle excitability occurring at a ∼43% faster mean rate during BFR compared to FF.BFR exercise seems to elicit the same level of neuromuscular fatigue as FF training within a shorter timeframe. This reduces total joint load and may be especially helpful in cases where high training volumes may be contraindicated (e.g. recovering from a sports injury or orthopedic surgery).