Acute Responses to High-Intensity Back Squats with Bilateral Blood Flow Restriction

Bjoern Hornikel, Keith S. Saffold, Michael R. Esco, Jacob A. Mota, Michael V. Fedewa, Stefanie A. Wind, Tiffany L. Adams and Lee J. Winchester ()
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Bjoern Hornikel: Department of Epidemiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
Keith S. Saffold: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Michael R. Esco: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Jacob A. Mota: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Michael V. Fedewa: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Stefanie A. Wind: Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Tiffany L. Adams: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
Lee J. Winchester: Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: This study examined the acute effects of high-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) on performance and fatigue, metabolic stress, and markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6)), muscle damage (myoglobin), angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)). Thirteen resistance-trained participants (four female, 24.8 ± 4.7 years) performed four sets of barbell back-squats (75% 1RM) to failure under two conditions: blood flow restriction (BFR, bilateral 80% occlusion pressure) and control (CTRL). Completed repetitions and pre–post-exercise changes in maximal voluntary isometric contractions, countermovement jump, barbell mean propulsive velocity, and surface electromyography were recorded. Pre–post blood lactate (BLa) and venous blood samples for analysis of IL-6, myoglobin, and VEGF were collected. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and pain were recorded for each set. Fewer repetitions were performed during BFR (25.5 ± 9.6 reps) compared to CTRL (43.4 ± 14.2 reps, p < 0.001), with greater repetitions performed during sets 1, 2, and 4 ( p < 0.05) in CTRL. Although RPE between conditions was similar across all sets ( p > 0.05), pain was greater in BFR across all sets ( p < 0.05). Post-exercise fatigue was comparable between conditions. BLa was significantly greater in CTRL compared to BFR at two minutes ( p = 0.001) but not four minutes post-exercise ( p = 0.063). IL-6 was significantly elevated following BFR ( p = 0.011). Comparable increases in myoglobin ( p > 0.05) and no changes in VEGF were observed ( p > 0.05). BFR increases the rate of muscular fatigue during high-intensity resistance exercise and acutely enhances IL-6 response, with significantly less total work performed, but increases pain perception, limiting implementation.

Keywords: occlusion training; resistance exercise; blood flow restriction; metabolic stress; fatigue (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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