Have you ever wondered, how do professional athletes heal from injury so fast?
Well other than having insane genes, top rehab and sports medicine at their beck and call, they most likely used Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training to get them back as soon as physically possible.
How did Blood Flow Restriction Training Start?
Blood Flow Restriction Training started in the the 1960s in Japan. Throughout the years, the technique was developed and used to help the US Military recover from post-traumatic injury. In 2012, Johnny Owens, a PT at the Center for the Intrepid, started using Blood Flow Restriction training to assist hundred of injured service members at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Owen’s took his years of research and started Owens Recovery Science, the only company that makes a FDA approved BFR device.
After seeing the success of BFR, the sports performance world quickly adopted the technique to help the body build strength and rehab quickly.
How Does Blood Flow Restriction Training Work?
The BFR unit uses a tourniquet system to block 80% of the lower body or 50% of the upper extremity while you do normal exercise. This creates a stressful, hypoxic environment (without oxygen) for muscle hypertrophy and cellular swelling. This mimics the same hypoxic environment that arises from heavy, strenuous workouts.
Blood Flow Restriction basically ‘tricks’ your muscles and body into thinking you are maximally working out, even at low loads. Short duration, low intensity BFR training of around 4-6 weeks has been shown to cause a 10-20% increase in muscle strength. These increases were similar to gains obtained as a result of high-intensity exercise without BFR.
Is Blood Flow Restriction Right For Me?
BFR is a safe, effective device for rehab in helping you build strength even in early stages in injury or post-op recovery. Patients can rehabilitate confidently without fear of re-injuring themselves due to strain.
BFR therapy is extremely beneficial when treating surgeries and injuries of the upper and lower extremities. These include:
- ACL Reconstruction
- Hip Replacement
- Knee Replacement
- Rotator Cuff Repair
- Tommy John (UCL) Reconstruction
- Cartilage repairs
- etc.
The technique is also useful in preventing injury, and has been used to prevent ankle instability in Basketball Players.
BFR can also be a game changer if you’re not injured and just want to perform better- either in running, cycling, weight lifting, or team sports to build endurance or strength.
Where Can I Get Blood Flow Restriction Training?
From being an exclusive treatment for America’s Heroes, to a luxury service for Professional Athletes, Blood Flow Restriction Training has evolved to become available to almost everyone. With FX Physical Therapy, you can receive Blood Flow Restriction Therapy at our multiple Maryland clinics including: Baltimore, Columbia, Elkridge, Hunt Valley, Pikesville, Mount Washington, Federal Hill, Hampstead, and more!
Fill out the form below or call us at 443-241-2867 to schedule your appointment today.
-Faith Reilly PT, DPT
ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, EXOS Performance Specialist
