What Is It?
Blood flow restricted (BFR) rehabilitation is the brief and intermittent occlusion of venous (veins) blood flow using a tourniquet while exercising. Using this technique you can exercise with significantly lighter weight while still creating a hypertrophy (growth) and strength response. Traditionally to get a hypertrophy and strength response in your muscles you would need to lift a heavy load.
Application
The goal is to reduce just enough blood flow to create positive changes. However, the amount of pressure used varies between individuals. The size of the limb, density of the soft tissue in the limb, blood pressure, placement of the tourniquet cuff and the width of the tourniquet cuff all must be taken into account when determining the personalized pressure.
Results with PBFR
Personalized blood flow restriction rehabilitation training (PBFR) is a gamechanging
injury recovery therapy that is producing dramatically positive results:
- Diminish atrophy and loss of strength from disuse and non-weight bearing
after injuries - Increase strength with only 30% loads
- Increase hypertrophy with only 30% loads
- Improve muscle endurance in 1/3 the time
- Improve muscle protein synthesis in the elderly
- Improve strength and hypertrophy after surgery
- Improve muscle activation
- Increase growth hormone responses
