Blood Flow Restriction Therapy
Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR), sometimes called Tourniquet or Occlusion training, is a safe and effective method that helps physical therapy patients build muscle strength and reduce pain while putting less stress on the injured or weakened limb.
Our physical therapists apply the right amount of external pressure to an extremity. They combine low-intensity exercise with blood flow occlusion, which produces similar results to high-intensity training. Most patients recover from surgery or injury, regaining strength more quickly and with less work.
At ValePT, we offer state-of-the-art and research-supported conservative interventions with Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFR) with the Delfi Personalized Tourniquet System by Owens Recovery Science.
Physiological responses to blood flow restriction include:
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy enables patients to make greater strength gains while lifting lighter loads, thereby reducing the overall stress placed on the limb. The patient receives the benefits of a high intensity metabolic environment to their muscles, without a heavy load or too much stress to tissues that may be healing from a recent injury or surgery.
During BFR therapy, a patient is fitted with a specially designed tourniquet that partially restricts venous blood flow but allows arterial blood flow to the extremity. This produces a systemic response by which the body channels energy to the larger muscle fibers.
The most established benefit is adaptations in muscle quantity and quality. According to research, BFR can minimize loss of muscle mass, decrease bone healing time, and allow patients to improve both muscle size and strength.
People of various ages and fitness levels can benefit from BFR therapy. It can be performed as part of a regular fitness routine, or to treat patients in the acute phase of rehabilitation following upper or lower extremity surgeries, including ACL Reconstruction, Meniscectomy, Hip/Knee Replacement, Rotator Cuff, and Tendon Repair. BFR is particularly suited for patients with Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteopenia, or Osteoporosis. Your Scerbo therapist will do an individual assessment to determine if BFR is right for you.
It is very important to be screened by a professional healthcare specialist. At ValePT, you will be in the hands of a licensed therapist who is trained and experienced in using the BFR method, if appropriate, to safely meet your individual needs.
BFR helps athletes with their recovery by flushing out that heavy feeling in their legs after a particularly hard training session, as well as rehabbing a muscle to prevent atrophy after an injury or surgery. Additionally, pro and collegiate athletes, use it as low-load resistance training to enhance muscle growth as a supplement to high-load training.
We also use BFR in other non-athlete patients like dancers, painters, musicians, or any physically active individuals who may be suffering from osteoarthritic knees or knee injuries, rotator cuff, shoulder or Achilles tendon injuries, and post-op patients following knee or shoulder injuries. After injury or surgery, a patient’s affected muscles can’t tolerate weight bearing or lifting, but BFR can be used early on in recovery, speeding recovery time and limiting atrophy.
