Research Article

Acute impact of autoregulation of applied blood flow restriction pressures on bilateral single-joint upper limb resistance exercise

Published: N/A

Journal: Journal of Sports Sciences

DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2416793

Abstract

ABSTRACT To investigate the acute effects of 4 sets of autoregulated (AR-BFR) versus non-autoregulated (NAR-BFR) applied pressures during blood flow restriction (BFR) resistance exercise to volitional failure compared with low-load exercise without BFR. A randomized crossover design study was conducted on 32 healthy adults (20.8 ± 2.3 years; 11 females). Outcome measures were as follows: (1) arterial stiffness, (2) peak perceptual responses and likelihood to perform again, and (3) performance. Results: Post-exercise changes in central and brachial diastolic blood pressure were decreased in all groups. Post-exercise supine systolic blood pressure in no-BFR increased (mean difference (MD) = -4 ± 1 mmHg, 95% CI (1–7), p = 0.003, η2 = 0.13). Total repetitions performed and volume workload were similar between BFR conditions but less than no-BFR. AR-BFR reported significantly higher exertion (MD = -0.53 ± 0.2, 95% CI (0.04–1.0), p = 0.03, η2 = 0.19) than other conditions, and induced greater discomfort (MD = -2.50 ± 0.36, 95% CI (1.63–3.37), p < 0.001, η2 = 0.28) than no-BFR. Conclusion: Biceps curl exercise to volitional failure appears to induce negligible arterial stiffness or blood pressure changes regardless of the application of autoregulation, yet autoregulation appears to enhance the perceptual response to BFR exercise compared to NAR-BFR without impacting exercise performance. KEYWORDS: BFR therapy, central stiffness, pulse wave velocity. Acknowledgments We wish to thank Delfi Medical for loaning the devices used within this study for research purposes. Delfi Medical did not have any role in the experimental design, data collection, or conclusions drawn from this investigation. No funding has been received for this work. Disclosure statement Nicholas Rolnick is the founder of the BFR PROS and teaches BFR training workshops to fitness and rehabilitation professionals using a variety of BFR training devices. The other authors report no potential conflict of interests. The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. Additional information Funding The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Faculty Members

  • Susannah Taylor - Department of Exercise Science, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA
  • Victor S. De Queiros - Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal-RN, Brazil
  • Jessica Walters - Department of Exercise Science, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA
  • Masoud Moghaddam - Department of Physical Therapy, University of Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, USA
  • Lisa Marquette - Department of Exercise Science, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA
  • Nicholas Rolnick - Department of Exercise Science and Recreation, CUNY Lehman College, New York, NY, USAThe Human Performance Mechanic, New York, NY, USA
  • Brent Fedorko - Department of Exercise Science, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA
  • Timothy Werner - Department of Exercise Science, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA

Themes

  • Resistance training
  • Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise
  • Physiological responses to exercise
  • Perceptual responses to exercise
  • Arterial stiffness

Categories

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