What is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training?
What is BFR ?
BFR is a training strategy involving the use of cuffs or wraps placed around a limb during exercise. Its role is to maintain arterial inflow to the muscle and minimize venous return to the rest of the cardiovascular system.
Why use BFR?
BFR increases local muscle strength, hypertrophy, volume, cross-sectional area/size (CSA) and capacity by inducing a metabolic effect onto the tissue structures. The occlusion cuffs create a local hypoxic state which builds up lactic acid in the muscles. This stimulates the release of growth hormones and a cascade of protein muscle synthesis. Due to the low load needed when using BFR to stimulate this response, chemicals that breakdown muscles are minimally signalled. This essentially creates a muscle building environment under blood flow occlusion and little to no muscle breakdown in the process.
BFR can be used in post surgical rehab where clients are unable to distribute large amounts of load onto the body, BFR minimises muscle atrophy/loss that is associated with long periods of recovery, immobilisation and inactivity. To achieve muscle gain using traditional high intensity resistance training (HIT), you need to be lifting heavier than 70% 1 repetition max (RM). Using BFR, you only need to be lifting loads a low as 20-30% to create hypertrophic (strength) gains. Lifting loads of 70% 1RM is simply not possible post-surgery, therefore using BFR is a safe and effective way to increase strength values early post operation.
Comparison of HIT training to BFR training and low intensity (LI) training
Other conditions and injuries BFR is widely used to assist in are:
- Osteoarthritis of the knee
- ACL surgery rehabilitation
- Meniscal injuries within the knee
- Cartilage injuries of knee and ankle
- Lower leg fractures
- Patellar & Achilles Tendinopathy
- Plantar Fasciopathy
From a performance setting – BFR can be used throughout your sporting season without creating hardly any DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). The limited elevation of creatine kinase, lipid peroxides, and DOMS means you can use BFR to maintain strength gains throughout your sporting season without needing to lift heavy weights. Although we know that HIT training creates significant strength gains, eccentric strength training can also create DOMs which can inhibit an athlete’s ability to lift during the season as fears of playing matches with soreness start to creep in.
Therefore using BFR training in highly condensed training and match schedules, or in deload weeks can have superior benefits. Using BFR training to further train weak body parts can be a beneficial addition to your training regime. As previously discussed, BFR training results in a huge release of growth hormone, a key hormone for protecting tendons and muscle structure. BFR can thus be used as a recovery tool or prehab tool. Using BFR is a way to augment the body’s regeneration mechanisms to avoid recurring injuries and rehabilitate injuries by minimising the loss of strength, muscle mass and increase hypertrophic gains.
It is important to note that BFR training should be supervised, programmed and discussed with a medical practitioner trained in BFR use and/or a Sports Physician. Point Health Performance specializes in BFR use and is used often in our rehabilitation setting. For more information contact us so we can discuss if BFR is beneficial for you.
