Blood-flow restriction resistance exercise promoted lower ratings of perceived exertion and pain compared with high- or low-intensity resistance exercise to muscular failure (P<.05).
RCT (n=12)
Randomized crossover
Does blood-flow restriction resistance exercise reduce ratings of perceived exertion and pain compared to high- or low-intensity resistance exercise to muscular failure in men?
Blood-flow restriction resistance exercise results in lower ratings of perceived exertion and pain compared to conventional high- or low-intensity resistance exercise performed to muscular failure.
p-value: p=<.05
CONTEXT: Given the comparable muscle hypertrophy constantly observed between blood-flow restriction exercise (BFR-RE) and conventional resistance exercise, understanding their particular rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and pain may help to better prescribe exercise at a low-discomfort level, thus increasing its feasibility. DESIGN: Randomized crossover study. OBJECTIVE: To compare the RPE and pain response between conventional high- (HI-RE) and low-intensity resistance exercise (LI-RE) protocols to failure with a nonmuscular failure LI-RE associated with BFR-RE. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 12 men (age: 20 3 y; body mass: 73.5 9 kg; height: 174 6 cm). INTERVENTIONS: Four sets of 45° leg-press exercises in 3 different conditions: (1) BFR-RE (15 repetitions; 30% 1-repetition maximum), (2) HI-RE (80% 1-repetition maximum to muscular failure), and (3) LI-RE (30% 1-repetition maximum to muscular failure). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: RPE and pain were assessed immediately before exercise session and after the end of each of the 4 sets. RESULTS: RPE and pain levels increased throughout the exercise sets for all RE protocols (all, Ps < .05). HI-RE and LI-RE protocols showed similar increase in RPE and pain levels during all exercise sets (P < .05); however, both protocols demonstrated higher RPE and pain response compared with BFR-RE after each of the 4 sets (all Ps < .05 between-group comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that both HI-RE and LI-RE to muscular failure resulted in similar and significant increases in RPE and pain levels, regardless of exercise intensity. In addition, nonmuscular failure BFR-RE also increased RPE and pain response, however, to a lower extent compared with either HI-RE or LI-RE.
Lixandrão et al. (Tue,) reported a rct. Blood-flow restriction resistance exercise (BFR-RE) vs. High-intensity (80% 1RM) and low-intensity (30% 1RM) resistance exercise to muscular failure was evaluated on Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and pain (p=<.05). Blood-flow restriction resistance exercise promoted lower ratings of perceived exertion and pain compared with high- or low-intensity resistance exercise to muscular failure (P<.05).