Blood Flow Restriction Training

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training utilizes a personalized tourniquet system (PTS) to partially restrict blood flow to the working muscle while fully restricting blood flow back to the heart for a short period of time during low-intensity exercise.

In order to gain strength and muscle size (known as hypertrophy), a person must lift heavy weights and train at a high intensity. People who are injured, cannot lift heavy weights, or train at high intensity can benefit from blood flow restriction training by exercising with significantly less weight at a lower intensity while still creating strength and hypertrophy gains.

What can I expect?
Your health care professional will set up a training program with exercises and parameters specific to your needs. Training sessions range from 10-20 minutes depending on your tolerance and activity level. When utilizing BFR, you will most likely feel some discomfort from the tourniquet. You will also feel your muscles working extremely hard. Your health care professional will be monitoring and advising you throughout this exercise.

Who can use it?
Blood flow restriction training can be helpful for individuals recovering from an injury or surgery (often to the lower extremities) who are unable to lift heavier weights or exercise at a higher intensity. It’s also beneficial for healthy individuals seeking additional strength gains.

Blood flow restriction training is not for everyone. People with heart, circulation, clotting, cancer, and those who are pregnant should not use BFR. There are many precautions that your health care professional will discuss with you, including any risks and side effects.

Scheduling
To make an appointment or to find out if blood flow restriction training it right for you, please contact the Institute for Athletic Medicine at 612-672-6697 and choose option #2. Referrals are not needed to make an appointment.