LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – One of the newest treatments to hit both the rehab and performance worlds, Blood Flow Restriction training allows patients to effectively exercise their injured or healing muscles without using heavy weights. BFR training has been a longstanding countermeasure of the U.S. military for injured soldiers and more recently used with hurt professional athletes.
Now Arkansans have access to the same restorative therapy at Baptist Health therapy centers located at Bowman Curve in Little Rock, Maumelle and Bryant.
When people are injured they start to lose muscle mass through a process called anabolic resistance. Basically the muscle slows its ability to synthesize protein. This results in significant amounts of muscle loss in the injured limb. Previously, the only known way to reverse this process was through lifting heavy weights. Unfortunately, when you’ve just had surgery or a recent injury, you can’t exercise with heavy weights. However, research has shown that lifting light weights, which is possible when healing, while under BFR can reverse this process.
BFR therapy works by placing a pneumatic restriction cuff (similar to a blood pressure cuff) near the targeted muscle. The muscle is then trained at a low intensity. This type of training shows increased muscle growth, increased strength, and increased endurance.
In order to protect the exercising muscle from nerve damage during BFR training, reduced oxygen and the buildup of metabolites in the muscle stimulate fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Fast twitch muscle fibers are the ones that produce strength and power. Research shows that BFR poses no greater risk to the cardiovascular system, muscles, oxidation and nerve conduction velocity when compared to regular high intensity resistance exercise.
Baptist Health is an Arkansas-based, locally owned and managed, not-for-profit, and faith-based healthcare organization. Baptist Health is also Arkansas’ most comprehensive healthcare organization with more than 9,100 employees operating nine hospitals. For more information about Baptist Health or BFR therapy, call Baptist Health HealthLine at 1-888-BAPTIST or visit the website at baptist-health.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.