BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION
Are you recovering from an injury or surgical procedure? If so, you may be a candidate for blood flow restriction treatments. This may seem counterintuitive – you might ask yourself, “Why would I want to restrict my blood flow? Isn’t it good for blood to circulate?” While these are valid points, blood flow restriction treatments can actually pose several benefits, especially in athletes and/or those recovering from surgical procedures. Blood flow restriction isn’t just therapeutic – in fact, research proves it helps strengthen muscles, using significantly less loads with similar outcomes.
At Valir Physical Therapy, we are happy to say that we have special equipment to help assist in personal blood flow restriction (PBFR). Treatments are usually done during exercise, using personalized compression to restrict circulation in the affected area(s). This is done in order to promote hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass) and prevent disuse atrophy (decrease in muscle mass). If you are interested in learning more about our personal blood flow restriction equipment, and how it may benefit you, contact Valir Physical Therapy today!
As part of the H2 Health national network of therapists, we have the resources to ensure you find the best fit for reaching your goals! Learn more about our partnership.
How exactly does blood flow restriction work?
The compression devices used during blood flow restriction treatments are similar to blood pressure cuffs. The pressure created by these compression devices is high enough to occlude blood flow at 50-80% within the affected muscles. Research has proven the safety of this device.
Blood flow restriction is based on a popular theory that the treatments lead to a “local hypoxic event,” meaning the tissues in the affected area will be temporarily deprived of oxygen. While this may sound intimidating, the local hypoxia actually helps in accumulating more metabolites, in order to regulate the body’s anabolic response system (also known as the way in which the body gains muscle protein) during exercise. Essentially, restricting the blood flow in the affected area helps to build more muscle protein.
With personalized blood flow restriction devices, such as the Personalized Tourniquet System (PTS) that we offer, you are actually able to safely regulate the amount of tourniquet pressure for your specific needs. According to the Owens Recovery Science website, personalized blood flow restriction comes with several benefits, including but not limited to:
- Diminishing atrophy and loss of strength from disuse and non-weight bearing after injuries
- Increasing strength with only 30% loads
- Increasing hypertrophy with only 30% loads
- Improving muscle endurance in 1/3 the time
- Improving muscle protein synthesis in the elderly
- Improving strength and hypertrophy after surgery
- Improving muscle activation
- Increasing growth hormone responses
