Key result
While both BStrong (at ≥350 mmHg) and Hokanson (at ≥40% arterial occlusion pressure) cuffs significantly reduced resting limb blood flow, neither system accurately modulated blood flow in a linear dose-response manner.
Why the study?
Determining the optimal occlusion level is a key parameter in blood flow restriction, motivating a comparison of how elastic versus nylon cuffs affect limb blood flow.
Does the type of blood flow restriction cuff (elastic vs. nylon) differentially affect limb blood flow in healthy participants?
Does the type of blood flow restriction cuff (elastic vs. nylon) differentially affect limb blood flow in healthy participants?
Both elastic and nylon cuffs elicit blood flow restriction but fail to accurately modulate blood flow, with nylon cuffs being more appropriate for research and elastic cuffs for practical, safe application.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Pilot findings in healthy volunteers warrant caution before clinical use; leaves open validation in patients and outcome trials.
Introduction: The determination of the optimal occlusion level is a key parameter in blood flow restriction (BFR). This study aimed to compare the effects of elastic (BStrong) vs. nylon (Hokanson) BFR cuffs on blood flow in the lower and upper limbs. Methods: Eleven healthy participants undertook several BFR sessions with 2 different cuffs of similar width on their lower and upper limbs at different pressures [200, 250, 300, 350, and 400 mmHg for BStrong and 0, 40, and 60% of the arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) for Hokanson]. Doppler ultrasound recorded blood flows through the brachial and femoral artery at rest. Results: With BStrong, only 350 and 400 mmHg pressures were significantly different from resting values (0% AOP). With Hokanson, both 40% and 60% of the AOP were significantly different from resting values ( p < 0.05). Discussion: While both cuffs elicited BFR, they failed to accurately modulate blood flow. Hokanson is appropriate for research settings while BStrong appears to be a convenient tool for practitioners due to its safety (i.e., the impossibility of completely occluding arteries) and the possibility of exercising freely detached from the pump.
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Citherlet et al. (2022) studied Healthy participants (n=11). BStrong elastic cuffs vs Hokanson nylon cuffs vs. Resting values (0% AOP) was evaluated on Limb blood flow at rest (p=<0.05). While both BStrong (at ≥350 mmHg) and Hokanson (at ≥40% arterial occlusion pressure) cuffs significantly reduced resting limb blood flow, neither system accurately modulated blood flow in a linear dose-response manner.
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