Key result
Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction increased pain (d=0.8-1.4, p≤0.024) and reduced affect (d=-0.5 to -0.9, p≤0.048) compared to exercise without restriction in older adults.
Why the study?
Potential negative effects from low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction present a barrier to participation and limit its wider use in older adults.
Does low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction alter perceptual, affective, and cardiovascular responses compared to LLRE and MLRE in older adults?
RCT (n=20)
crossover
Does low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction alter perceptual, affective, and cardiovascular responses compared to LLRE and MLRE in older adults?
Effect estimate: d = 0.8-1.4
p-value: p=≤ 0.024
Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction is more demanding but yields comparable post-exercise enjoyment and positive affect to moderate-load exercise in older adults.
Clinicians should monitor pain and affect with BFR in older adults; extends evidence on its perceptual demands versus low-load training alone.
Older adults and patients with chronic disease presenting with muscle weakness or musculoskeletal disorders may benefit from low-load resistance exercise (LLRE) with blood flow restriction (BFR). LLRE-BFR has been shown to increase muscle size, strength, and endurance comparable to traditional resistance exercise but without the use of heavy loads. However, potential negative effects from LLRE-BFR present as a barrier to participation and limit its wider use. This study examined the perceptual, affective, and cardiovascular responses to a bout of LLRE-BFR and compared the responses to LLRE and moderate-load resistance exercise (MLRE). Twenty older adults (64.3 ± 4.2 years) performed LLRE-BFR, LLRE and MLRE consisting of 4 sets of leg press and knee extension, in a randomised crossover design. LLRE-BFR was more demanding than LLRE and MLRE through increased pain (p ≤ 0.024, d = 0.8–1.4) and reduced affect (p ≤ 0.048, d = −0.5–−0.9). Despite this, LLRE-BFR was enjoyed and promoted a positive affective response (p ≤ 0.035, d = 0.5–0.9) following exercise comparable to MLRE. This study supports the use of LLRE-BFR for older adults and encourages future research to examine the safety, acceptability, and efficacy of LLRE-BFR in patients with chronic disease.
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Parkington et al. (2022) conducted an RCT in Older adults (n=20). Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (LLRE-BFR) vs. Low-load resistance exercise (LLRE) and moderate-load resistance exercise (MLRE) was evaluated on perceptual, affective, and cardiovascular responses (including pain and affect) (d = 0.8-1.4, p=≤ 0.024). Low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction increased pain (d=0.8-1.4, p≤0.024) and reduced affect (d=-0.5 to -0.9, p≤0.048) compared to exercise without restriction in older adults.
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