[2] In this novel training method developed in Japan by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato in 1966,[3] limb (legs or arms) venous blood flow is restricted via the occlusion cuff throughout the contraction cycle and rest period.
[6] The current approaches that focus on applying BFR during exercise consist of automatic pneumatic tourniquet systems or handheld inflatable devices.
[14] In recent years, research has demonstrated that augmentation of low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) to the active muscles can produce significant hypertrophy and strength gains,[15][16] using loads as low as 30% 1RM.
[23] In terms of timing, evidence suggests that utilizing BFR training[24] for the purpose of increasing muscle strength immediately following ACL surgery is inconsistent.
Future studies should aim to research the effects of BFR training on individuals post-ACL reconstruction after those postoperative deficiencies have resolved.
[25] When using belts and lifting straps as a tourniquet, the amount of pressure on the vasculature cannot be controlled and there are reports of rhabdomyolysis cases due to VOT (Vascular Occlusion Training).
[26] The original inventor of BFR training, Dr. Yoshiaki Sato, experimented between 1966 and 1973 to understand the precise pressure ranges for people of all ages that were safe and effective.
These ranges were later confirmed by cardiologists Toshiaki Nakajima, M.D., Ph.D. and Morita Toshihiro, M.D., Ph.D. at the University of Tokyo Hospital on over 7,000 cardiac rehabilitation subjects between 2004 and 2014.