Key result
Blood flow restriction plus visual feedback improves lower limb function, balance, and BDNF/VEGF vs control.
Why the study?
The effects of blood flow restriction training combined with visual feedback training on lower limb function and serum BDNF and VEGF levels in stroke patients were not well established.
Does blood flow restriction training combined with visual feedback training improve lower limb function and neurovascular plasticity biomarkers in patients with stroke?
RCT (n=40)
randomized
No
Does blood flow restriction training combined with visual feedback training improve lower limb function and neurovascular plasticity biomarkers in patients with stroke?
p-value: p=<0.05
The addition of blood flow restriction training to visual feedback and conventional rehabilitation significantly improves physical function and upregulates neurovascular plasticity biomarkers in stroke survivors.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of blood flow restriction training (BFRT) combined with visual feedback training (VFT) on lower limb function and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with stroke. METHODS: Forty patients with stroke who were hospitalized at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between July 2025 and May 2026 were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the VFT group (control group) or the BFRT combined with VFT group (experimental group). The control group received VFT in addition to conventional rehabilitation, whereas the experimental group received BFRT combined with VFT on the basis of conventional rehabilitation. After 4 weeks of treatment, manual muscle testing (MMT), the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (FMA-LE), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), the Pro-Kin balance test, and serum levels of BDNF and VEGF were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, MMT, FMA-LE, MBI, and FAC scores significantly increased in both groups after 4 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05), with greater improvements observed in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05). TUGT performance also improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline (P < 0.05), with the experimental group demonstrating significantly greater improvement than the control group (P < 0.05). Following treatment, Pro-Kin balance test performance improved significantly in both groups (P < 0.05), and the experimental group achieved better results than the control group (P < 0.05). Serum levels of BDNF and VEGF increased significantly in both groups after the intervention (P < 0.05), with significantly greater increases observed in the experimental group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: BFRT combined with VFT can significantly improve balance, lower limb function, and activities of daily living in patients with stroke. It also effectively increases serum levels of BDNF and VEGF, thereby promoting neurovascular plasticity.
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Jiang et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in stroke (n=40). Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) combined with visual feedback training (VFT) vs. Visual feedback training (VFT) and conventional rehabilitation was evaluated on Lower limb function, balance, and serum levels of BDNF and VEGF (p=<0.05). Blood flow restriction training combined with visual feedback training significantly improved lower limb function, balance, and serum BDNF and VEGF levels compared to control (P<0.05).
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