Journal Article

Elbow flexion training with blood flow restriction improves strength, proprioception, and performance in healthy individuals: a randomized controlled trial

Yeşilyaprak, Sevgi Sevi, Dere, Deniz

2025

Overview

Background Evidence on the effects of exercise training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on upper extremity proprioception and performance is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of low-load elbow flexion exercise training with BFR on upper extremity strength, joint position sense (JPS), and functional performance. Methods Sixty healthy individuals were randomized into the experimental group ( n  = 30) which received low-load training with BFR or the control group ( n  = 30) which received no training. Elbow muscle strength, shoulder and elbow JPS, and upper extremity functional motor performance [Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), Functional Throwing Performance Index (FTPI), Single Arm Shot Put Test (SASPT), and Modified Pull-Up Test (MPUT)] were assessed. For normally distributed data, Two-way ANOVA [2 × 2, group (between-participant) X time (within-participant), repeated measures] was used to determine the intervention effects on dependent variables. F value was used based on sphericity assumed. We considered the time-group interaction term in analyses. For non-normally distributed data, we used the Wilcoxon Signed-rank Test to examine the changes in individual groups for the relevant results and the Mann-Whitney U Test to compare changes between two-time intervals between the groups. Results Time by Group showed significant effects for the results of flexor strength, CKCUEST, FTPI, and MPUT in favor of the experimental group (all p  < 0.001). The extensor strength, JPS, and SASPT results also improved in the experimental group compared to the control group ( p  < 0.05). The only change in the control group was a decrease in the FTPI percentile ( p  = 0.017). Conclusions This study adds new information about the effects of BFR on proprioception and performance. Six-week low-load elbow flexion training with BFR improves elbow muscle strength, shoulder and elbow proprioception, and upper extremity functional motor performance. Clinical trial registration NCT03401567 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier) (Registration Date:23/12/2017).

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Blood flow / Blood Flow Restriction Therapy - methods / Blood pressure / Clinical trials / Elbow / Elbow - blood supply / Elbow - physiology / Elbow Joint - blood supply / Elbow Joint - physiology / Epidemiology / Exercise / Female / Fitness training programs / Healthy Volunteers / Humans / Injury prevention / Internal Medicine / Male / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Medicine, Experimental / Motor task performance / Muscle strength / Muscle Strength - physiology / Orthopedics / Physical training / Physiological aspects / Position sense / Proprioception / Proprioception - physiology / Range of Motion, Articular - physiology / Rehabilitation / Resistance training / Resistance Training - methods / Rheumatology / Shoulder / Shoulder and elbow pathologies / Sports Medicine / Testing / Upper extremity / Weight training / Young Adult