Effect of Blood Flow Restriction on Gait and Mobility in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Katherine L. Hsieh (), Andrew Foster, Logan MacIntyre and Reagan Carr
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Katherine L. Hsieh: Department of Physical Therapy, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
Andrew Foster: Department of Physical Therapy, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
Logan MacIntyre: Department of Physical Therapy, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
Reagan Carr: Department of Physical Therapy, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: Older adults demonstrate gait impairments that increase their risk for falls. These age-related mobility impairments are in part due to declines in muscle mass and strength. High-intensity exercise can improve muscle strength and mobility but may not be tolerable for older adults due to musculoskeletal injury and pain. Blood flow restriction (BFR) with lower-intensity exercise offers a strategy that may be more tolerable for older adults, but whether BFR improves gait and mobility in older adults is unclear. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of BFR on gait and mobility in healthy older adults. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL were systematically searched for articles utilizing BFR in older adults. Articles were included if adults were over 60 years, did not have chronic health conditions, had undergone randomized controlled trials, and presented objectively measured gait outcomes. The search identified 1501 studies, of which 9 were included in the systematic review and 8 studies in the meta-analysis. Outcome measures included the Timed Up and Go (TUG), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 400 m walk test, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and 10 m walk test. Meta-analyses found improvements in the TUG (mean difference (MD) = −0.71; 95% CI = −1.05, −0.37; p < 0.001) and SPPB (MD = −0.94; 95% CI = −1.48, −0.39; p < 0.001) in BFR compared to no BFR. There were no differences in gait speed (MD = 0.59; 95% CI = −0.22, 1.41; p = 0.16). BFR may be effective for gait and mobility tasks over shorter distances. Clinicians may consider incorporating BFR to improve mobility and gait function in older adults.

Keywords: aging; physical performance; walking; fall risk; occlusion training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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