Sustained Compression with a Pneumatic Cuff on Skeletal Muscles Promotes Muscle Blood Flow and Relieves Muscle Stiffness

Masaaki Nakajima, Tomoka Tsuro and Akemi Endo
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Masaaki Nakajima: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Science and Social Welfare, Kibi International University, Takahashi City 716-9508, Japan
Tomoka Tsuro: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Science and Social Welfare, Kibi International University, Takahashi City 716-9508, Japan
Akemi Endo: Medical Concierge Co., Ltd., Okayama City 700-0024, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-6

Abstract: (1) Purpose: This study aimed to examine whether a pneumatic cuff could promote muscle blood flow and improve muscle stiffness by continuously compressing muscles with air pressure in healthy college students. (2) Method: Twenty-one healthy collegiate students participated in this study. The probe of the near-infrared spectrometer was attached to the upper surface of the left gastrocnemius muscle, and a cuff was wrapped around the left lower leg. The cuff was inflated to 200 mmHg. After 10 min, the cuff was deflated, and the patient rested for 10 min. Muscle stiffness and fatigue were assessed before and after the intervention. (3) Results: During 10 min of continuous compression, StO 2 continued to decrease until seven min of compression. After 10 min of continuous compression, StO 2 was 30.8 ± 10.4%, which was approximately half of 69.2 ± 6.1% at rest. After the release of the pneumatic cuff compression, the StO 2 remained higher than that at rest from 1 to 10 min. Muscle hardness was 19.0 ± 8.0 before intervention was 8.7 ± 4.8 after the intervention. Muscle fatigue was 6.6 ± 1.7 cm before the intervention and 4.0 ± 1.6 cm after the intervention. (4) Conclusions: This study suggests that sustained muscle compression using a pneumatic cuff can promote muscle blood flow and improve muscle stiffness and fatigue.

Keywords: muscle blood flow; sustained compression; pneumatic cuff; near-infrared spectroscopy (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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