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Safely Restore Muscle Strength
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy supports the healing process after a sports injury or surgery. It can also be utilized to manage joint pain and help patients regain strength and function.
What Is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Therapy?
Blood Flow Restriction Therapy promotes safe and effective muscle strengthening for injured and post-operative patients. When muscles have weakened, it’s important not to rush back to your former level of activity and risk further injury.
A physical therapist certified in Blood Flow Restriction Therapy can help you regain function and maximize athletic performance, without aggravating injured or post-operative tissues. This form of training works similar to a healthy person lifting heavy weights but uses less resistance/stress to strengthen muscles, while reducing risk of strain.
BFR Training Devices
During a BFR therapy session, a device similar to a blood pressure cuff will be applied to your injured extremity. The FDA-approved device is then inflated to a specific amount of external pressure, so arterial blood still flows to the muscle. At the same time, venous return is reduced, which lessens overall stress on the injured arm or leg.
While blood flow is restricted, the patient performs strengthening exercises with less resistance. Decreased weight and limited blood flow allow you to work at a similar intensity to heavy resistance with less stress placed on the limb.
Performing these rehabilitation exercises while wearing a BFR cuff creates muscle burn to increase size and accelerate strengthening. Other benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy include:
- Reduced muscle pain
- Improved aerobic performance
- Restored movement patterns
- Improved bone healing
What to Expect During BFR Therapy
After a physical assessment determines BFR is the appropriate treatment for you, a cuff will be fitted to the natural contour of your affected limb. Low-intensity resistance exercises will be performed while the limb is hypoxic. Swelling is normal, as the cuff prevents blood from leaving the limb. A Doppler ultrasound can be used to determine blood flow to the limb for safe application and monitoring.
Over time, your muscle strength and function will be restored and you can safely return to a normal level of physical activity!
To learn more about working with our certified physical therapists,
Contact Integrated Rehab today