What is Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR)?
BFR uses a surgical tourniquet to limit blood flow to the upper arm or upper leg either passively or while performing exercise. It has been used extensively at the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, Texas primarily for war veterans recovering from amputation and limb salvage procedures. Since that time, it has become mainstream in professional and collegiate athletics. It has recently gained popularity in clinical settings with a wide variety of uses.
How does it work?
BFR allows individuals to perform low intensity exercise with reduced oxygen, simulating the stress a muscle undergoes with significant workloads within a small amount of time (typically 6 minutes). This fuels pathways in the body to achieve comparable benefits to heavy exercise including changes in strength and muscle size (hypertrophy). Ultimately, speeding up the recovery process without adding undue stress to the injured tissues!
Is it safe?
Yes. Your Physical Therapist will appropriately screen you for potential concerns. The system used is a class 1 FDA approved device that actively monitors and adjusts pressure during the session. It is individualized for every patient every treatment to make sure the pressure is within an appropriate range.
Who can benefit?
Anyone of any age looking to improve their strength and overall fitness, especially those recovering from injury or struggling to perform day-to-day tasks like getting up from a chair. Starting soon after injury will result in better outcomes and a faster recovery!
Pre and Post-Operative:
- ACL reconstruction
- Knee and hip replacement
- Foot and ankle
- Knee arthroscopy
- Rotator cuff repair
- Hand, wrist, and elbow
Non-Operative Injuries:
- Ankle sprain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Hamstring strain
- Knee pain
- Muscle injuries
- Multiple sclerosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Fractures
