Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training on Muscle Thickness and Quality

Authors

Chadney Lim, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Julia Burke, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Jack Cadden, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Lindsey Cho, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Luke Honari, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Chadney Lim, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Todd Shoepe, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow

Abstract

By decreasing venous drainage, blood flow restriction in combination with resistance exercise (BFR), stimulates similar signals of fatigue and adaptation at much lower intensity than standard training. PURPOSE: The purpose was to study the effects of BFR on muscle thickness and muscle quality (MQ: strength/unit muscle) following an 8-week intervention. METHODS: 13 male and 17 female college students were recruited and placed in control (CON; n=13) or BFR (n=17) groups who completed training 3x/week, at 50% of occlusion pressure, using 20% of one-repetition maximum, for four compound exercises at 30, 15, 15, and 15 reps. Images captured with Terason ultrasound for biceps brachii (BB), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) were analyzed with ImageJ to obtain muscle thickness. Maximal isotonic strength for elbow flexion, knee extension, and knee flexion via a HUMAC Norm was used to calculate MQ. RESULTS: No differences were seen in muscle thicknesses of BB (CON: male -10.983±11.078, BFR: -1.062±12.910; CON: female 11.155±10.415; B2RT: female 10.145±9.796), RF (CON: male -13.407±11.334, BFR: -2.98±13.209; CON: female -9.038 ± 10.657; B2RT: female -9.842 ± 10.022), and BF (CON: male -2.356±13.509, BFR: –6.136±15.744 CON: female 10.276±12.701; B2RT: 18.067±11.946) and no differences were observed in MQ percent change over time at any site. CONCLUSIONS: The BFR training protocol in this population was ineffective at promoting discernible changes in muscular thickness or MQ. Further efforts to examine higher intensities or higher occlusion pressures in a more homogenous population are warranted to fully elucidate BFR effects on muscle morphology and performance.

Recommended Citation

Lim, Chadney; Burke, Julia; Cadden, Jack; Cho, Lindsey; Honari, Luke; Lim, Chadney; and Shoepe, Todd (2024) "Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training on Muscle Thickness and Quality," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14: Iss. 4, Article 64.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss4/64