Key result
Low-intensity running with blood flow restriction elicited lower oxygen consumption (25.3 vs 39.4 ml/kg/min) and heart rate (142 vs 166 bpm) compared to high-intensity running (p<0.001).
Why the study?
Low-intensity exercise with blood flow restriction is an effective alternative to high-intensity training, but cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and perceptual responses during running in competitive female runners required evaluation.
Does low-intensity running with blood flow restriction alter cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and perceptual responses compared to high-intensity and low-intensity running in female distance runners?
RCT (n=15)
randomized
Does low-intensity running with blood flow restriction alter cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and perceptual responses compared to high-intensity and low-intensity running in female distance runners?
Absolute Event Rate: 25.3% vs 39.4%
p-value: p=<0.001
Low-intensity running with blood flow restriction elicits greater cardiovascular and metabolic responses than low-intensity running alone, but less than high-intensity running, while generating high perceived exertion.
LI-BFR may offer moderate cardiorespiratory stimulus for female runners; extends BFR evidence to running in RCT.
Sullivan, VE, Ares, AP, and Cook, SB. Cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and perceptual responses to blood flow restricted running in female distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 39(3): 318–324, 2025—Low-intensity exercise with a blood flow restriction (BFR) has been shown to be an effective alternative to high-intensity (HI) training. This study evaluated heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption ( o 2 ), blood lactate (BLa), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during blood flow restricted running and HI running in competitive female runners. Fifteen female distance runners (23 ± 4 years, 1.67 ± 0.50 m, 57.6 ± 5.7 kg) completed 3 randomized 12-minute running conditions: low-intensity (LI) control at 40% o 2 max, HI at 80% o 2 max, and low-intensity with a BFR (LI-BFR) at 40% o 2 max. o 2 , HR, RPE (6–20 scale), and BLa were measured before, during, and after exercise. Significance was set at p < 0.05. o 2 differed between the conditions ( p < 0.001), because HI (39.4 ± 3.9 ml·kg −1 ·min −1 ) was greater than LI-BFR (25.3 ± 2.6 ml·kg −1 ·min −1 ) and both were higher than LI (22.5 ± 3.1 ml·kg −1 ·min −1 ). Heart rate differed between the 3 conditions ( p < 0.001) and averaged 166 ± 8, 142 ± 13, and 124 ± 11 b·min –1 for HI, LI-BFR, and LI, respectively. Average BLa across conditions was similar in HI and LI-BFR conditions (1.76 ± 0.48 and 1.82 ± 0.48 mmol, respectively; p > 0.05), and both were higher than LI (1.06 ± 0.18 mmol; p < 0.017). Ratings of perceived exertion in the HI (11 ± 2) and LI-BFR (12 ± 2) conditions were similar ( p = 0.236), while LI (9 ± 1) was lower ( p < 0.001). High-intensity running elicits the greatest responses in HR and o 2 compared with LI and LI-BFR, suggesting more robust and effective long-term training responses could occur. Low-intensity with a BFR has more pronounced cardiovascular and metabolic effects than LI running but generated the greatest RPE values creating concerns about acceptability and compliance.
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Sullivan et al. (2024) conducted an RCT in Healthy female distance runners (n=15). Low-intensity running with blood flow restriction (LI-BFR) vs. High-intensity running (80% VO2 max) and low-intensity running (40% VO2 max) was evaluated on Oxygen consumption (VO2) in ml·kg−1·min−1 (p=<0.001). Low-intensity running with blood flow restriction elicited lower oxygen consumption (25.3 vs 39.4 ml/kg/min) and heart rate (142 vs 166 bpm) compared to high-intensity running (p<0.001).
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