Blood Flow Restriction Therapy
Are you recovering from an injury? 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. Treatments are usually done during exercise, using 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 blood flow restriction and how it may benefit you, contact Gulf Shore Physical Therapy Center today!
What is Blood Flow Restriction Therapy and How Does it Work?
A surgical-grade cuff is used to partially impede blood flow to a given limb, which essentially tricks the brain into thinking it is under a heavy load, allowing you to achieve strength gains while training at much lower, safer loads. When our muscles work hard under heavy load or in explosive activities, our bodies prioritize type 1, endurance-type muscles first. As a result, we only recruit type 2 strength and endurance muscle fibers after we’ve exhausted the type 1 fibers.
One of the ways our brain knows to kick in the type 2 fibers is to deplete the oxygen needed to feed the type 1 muscles. Type 2 muscles run on an anaerobic energy system, which doesn’t rely as much on oxygen, so they get kicked in once the body sensors recognize a decrease in available oxygen to the muscles.
Using a BFR cuff to partially and temporarily occlude oxygen to the training muscles allows us to prioritize the activation of type 2, fast-twitch muscle fibers without heavier loads. The restricted blood flow will enable us to get a jump on strength gains in our patients without exposing them to loads that might otherwise impede healing. This is especially beneficial for patients with (OA) osteoarthritis.
In addition to being able to recruit and activate more muscles, the use of BFR triggers a physiologic healing response that not only reduces inflammation in tendons but also facilitates muscle growth and healing in muscles, bones, and ligaments.
Will blood flow restriction benefit me?
At your initial appointment, one of our Sarasota, FL physical therapists will conduct a physical evaluation, analysis of medical history, and discussion of symptoms, in order to determine if it restriction will be the best course of treatment for you.
It restriction has been known to treat almost any upper or lower body injury, and it can also be used as a form of rehabilitation following surgery. The compression device itself measures the amount of pressure that is recommended for the affected area, in order for the patient to successfully execute each targeted exercise and gain the desired effects.
When performing the exercises, the intended goal of blood restriction is to tire out the affected area, in order to stimulate the body’s natural healing and tissue-building processes. After treatment, muscle soreness may occur for the next day or two, and “limb fatigue” may occur for 20-30 minutes but should disappear shortly.
Contact Gulf Shore Physical Therapy Center today:
If you are recovering from an injury or surgery, and you are interested in potentially participating in blood flow restriction treatments, don’t hesitate to contact our Sarasota, FL physical therapy office today. Our licensed physical therapists are highly trained in performing this treatment and they would love to discuss how it may benefit you personally. Contact Gulf Shore Physical Therapy Center today to schedule a consultation and get started on the path toward pain relief, increased strength, and overall functional improvement!
