Hi Everyone!
One of the toughest challenges of being sidelined by an injury is the frustration of not being able to maintain your regular exercise routine. But what if there was a way to continue building muscle even when your usual workouts are off the table? Enter Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training—a game-changer in the realm of rehabilitation and muscle development. But what exactly is BFR, and how does it work? In this post, we'll delve into the science behind BFR, explore its applications for injury recovery, and uncover why it's becoming a great method for maximizing gains even in the face of physical limitations. So, if you've ever wondered how to keep those muscles firing on all cylinders, even when injury strikes, read on to discover the power of BFR.
What is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)?
BFR is a training technique that uses a blood pressure cuff to decrease blood flow to a certain muscle group while exercising. Through using BFR during low intensity exercises (like walking or lifting light weights) you can produce similar muscle gains as exercising at higher intensities.
Can I use BFR training if I'm injured?
YES! BFR is especially useful when combined with physiotherapy in treating injuries. This is because it can help increase muscle strength even when the injured area is being exercised at a lower intensity.
For example, when patients undergo knee surgeries, they run the risk of losing muscle in the surgical leg due to decreased exercise of that leg. However, in patients who've undergone knee surgery (, BFR training in combination with physiotherapy has been shown to increase the muscle size of the surgical leg compared to the patient's non-surgical leg 16 weeks post-surgery. This means patients who use BFR as post-surgery treatment are better able to keep/maintain their muscles.
What's the science behind BFR?
During exercise, because your muscles are working hard to keep you moving, they will create waste products in your body. When blood delivers oxygen to your muscles, it helps get rid of these waste products. Additionally, in order to help with muscle recovery, your body will release muscle growth hormones which also help increase muscle strength. The harder you exercise, the more waste products you create, so you release more hormones to help with recovery, which means more increases in muscle strength.
When you use BFR during exercise, the cuff lowers the amount of blood flow to your muscles. This causes less oxygen to be delivered to them, resulting in an increased build-up of waste products in your muscles than usual. Because more waste products are building up at the muscle, your body will release more muscle growth hormones to help with muscle recovery. In short, BFR creates the same muscle build-up response, as it does to exercising at a higher intensity.
When can I get started with BFR Therapy?
You can get started as soon as you'd like! With our new online booking portal it's easier than ever before to book an appointment at Physical Edge. Just click the button below and you'll be directed to our booking portal where you can book an appointment with one of our physiotherapists at your convenience.
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