Effect of Blood Flow Restriction on Functional, Physiological and Structural Variables of Muscle in Patients with Chronic Pathologies: A Systematic Review

Álvaro Jesús Reina-Ruiz, Alejandro Galán-Mercant, Guadalupe Molina-Torres, Jose Antonio Merchán-Baeza, Rita Pilar Romero-Galisteo and Manuel González-Sánchez
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Álvaro Jesús Reina-Ruiz: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Málaga, Arquitecto Francisco Peñalosa, 3, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Alejandro Galán-Mercant: MOVE-IT Research Group, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, Sciences University of Cádiz, 11002 Cádiz, Spain
Guadalupe Molina-Torres: Department of Nursing Science, Physiotherapy and Medicine, Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Almeria, 04120 Almeria, Spain
Jose Antonio Merchán-Baeza: Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Research Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M3O), Faculty of Health Science and Welfare, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC), C. Sagrada Família, 7, 08500 Vic, Spain
Rita Pilar Romero-Galisteo: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Málaga, Arquitecto Francisco Peñalosa, 3, 29071 Málaga, Spain
Manuel González-Sánchez: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Málaga, Arquitecto Francisco Peñalosa, 3, 29071 Málaga, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-27

Abstract: The main objective of this systematic review of the current literature is to analyze the changes that blood flow restriction (BFR) causes in subjects with neuro-musculoskeletal and/or systemic pathologies focusing on the following variables: strength, physiological changes, structural changes and cardiocirculatory variables. The search was carried out in seven databases, including randomized clinical trials in which therapeutic exercise was combined with the blood flow restriction tool in populations with musculoskeletal pathologies. Outcome variables are strength, structural changes, physiological changes and cardiocirculatory variables. Twenty studies were included in the present study. Although there is a lot of heterogeneity between the interventions and evaluation instruments, we observed how the restriction of blood flow presents significant differences in the vast majority of the variables analyzed. In addition, we observed how BFR can become a supplement that provides benefits when performed with low intensity, similar to those obtained through high-intensity muscular efforts. The application of the BFR technique can provide benefits in the short and medium term to increase strength, muscle thickness and cardiovascular endurance, even improving the physiological level of the cardiovascular system. In addition, BFR combined with low-load exercises also achieves benefits comparable to high-intensity exercises without the application of BFR, benefiting patients who are unable to lift high loads.

Keywords: blood flow restriction; musculoskeletal disease; controlled tourniquet; chronic pathologies; occlusion resistance training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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