What is Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR)?

Whole Health Chiropractic uses smartcuffs as it’s BFR device. Blood flow restriction training is a training in rehabilitation strategy involving the use of Cuffs or Bands places around a limb during exercise, to maintain arterial in flow to the muscles while preventing venous return (venous occlusion).

How does it work?

  • Lack of venous return creates a swelling affect of the muscle
  • Metabolites, such as lactate, accumulate and stimulate muscle growth
  • Hypoxic environment promote strength and muscle growth
  • Direct muscle fatigue forces the nervous system to recruit the largest fast twitch muscle fibers, which had the greatest capacity to grow
  • Increase growth hormone (GH) and insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1)

What are the benefits?

  • Increased muscle size or hypertrophy
  • Increase muscle strength
  • Increased cardiovascular capacity
  • Increased GH, IGF1 and maybe testosterone
  • Decreased joint/tissue stress
  • Little to no damage
  • Little to no recovery needed
  • Little to no soreness or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
  • Low intensity needed (resistance or cardio)

Who benefits?

  • Immobile or mobility restricted populations:
    • Post Surgical
    • Casted
    • elderly
  • Athletic populations
    • Active recovery
    • Decreased joint/tissue loads
    • Isolated exercises for “weak link” region
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