Blood Flow Restriction training, or BFR, is a new and cutting-edge rehabilitation intervention utilized by Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services. BFR training involves brief, intermittent occlusion of arterial and venous blood flow to an extremity in order to maximize exercise benefits while decreasing mechanical stress to a joint.
Our therapists are specially trained to evaluate each patient’s arterial blood pressure in order to establish your own personal and individual training threshold, measured in mmHg of arterial blood pressure. Therapists are often limited with the amount of high-intensity muscular demand they can generate simply due to the fact that most patients coming to physical therapy have a joint dysfunction that prohibits excess mechanical loading.
BFR training provides a low barrier to entry when it comes to strength training while still maintaining and even maximizing muscular strength gains.
Blood Flow Restriction training in Stevenson Ranch, CA uses a specific set and repetition scheme in order to standardize exercise routines to maximize outcomes. Our therapists are certified BFR clinicians. Our medical background combined with certification through the blood flow restriction training allows us to evaluate each patient to determine if they are appropriate for participation in our blood flow restriction training program.
As with any standard examination, we take a thorough history of past medical conditions and surgeries and also answer any questions that you may have prior to commencement. We also provide in-depth education so that you can understand the benefits and research that support incorporating blood flow restriction training into your rehabilitation.
For more specific and detailed information about methodology and also frequently asked questions concerning blood flow restriction training, please check out the videos on our website. Dr. Spencer explains how BFR can be utilized to get the best outcomes possible while making sure your rehab experience is safe and enjoyable!
How exactly does blood flow restriction work?
The compression devices used during blood flow restriction treatments are similar to blood pressure cuffs. The pressure created by these compression devices is high enough to occlude blood flow at 50-80% within the affected muscles.
Blood flow restriction is based on a popular theory that the treatments lead to a “local hypoxic event,” meaning the tissues in the affected area will be temporarily deprived of oxygen. While this may sound intimidating, the local hypoxia actually helps in accumulating more metabolites, in order to regulate the body’s anabolic response system (also known as the way in which the body gains muscle protein) during exercise. Essentially, restricting the blood flow in the affected area helps to build more muscle protein.
Additional physiological responses to blood flow restriction include:
- Increased anabolic growth factors
- Fast twitch fiber recruitment
- Muscle fiber synthesis
- Heat shock proteins
- Nitric oxide synthase
- Decreased expression of myostatin
Will blood flow restriction benefit me?
At your initial appointment, one of our physical therapists in Stevenson Ranch, CA will conduct a physical evaluation, analysis of medical history, and discussion of symptoms, in order to determine if blood flow restriction will be the best course of treatment for you.
Blood flow restriction has been known to treat almost any upper or lower body injury, and it can also be used as a form of rehabilitation following surgery. The compression device itself measures the amount of pressure that is recommended for the affected area, in order for the patient to successfully execute each targeted exercise and gain the desired effects.
When performing the exercises, the intended goal of blood flow restriction is to tire out the affected area, in order to stimulate the body’s natural healing and tissue-building processes. After treatment, muscle soreness may occur for the next day or two, and “limb fatigue” may occur for 20-30 minutes but should disappear shortly.
Contact Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services today:
If you are recovering from an injury or surgery, and you are interested in potentially participating in blood flow restriction treatments, don’t hesitate to contact our physical therapy office in Stevenson Ranch, CA.
Our licensed physical therapists are highly trained in performing this treatment and they would love to discuss how it may benefit you personally. Contact Santa Clarita Valley Therapy Services today to schedule a consultation and get started on the path toward pain relief, increased strength, and overall functional improvement!
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