Table 2 Resistance training with BFR in older adults
Article | Subject characteristics | Exercise Frequency | Rest duration | Exercise Intensity | Number of sets x reps | Blood flow restriction method | Side effects | Research outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[57] | 8♀, (63.8 ± 11.6 yo) Hypertensive & sedentary | 8 weeks, 2 x/ week Wrist flexion 1.5 sec concentric, 1.5 sec eccentric | 30 sec between sets | 30% 1RM | 3 sets 12, 10, 8 reps | 70% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | SBP 11.0% ↓ DBP 12.1% ↓ MAP 11.6% ↓ HR, Cortisol and IL-6 ↔ |
[54] | Mixed (5♂, 7♀), (76.5 (72.3–80.7) yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Leg curl Leg extension 3 sec concentric, 3 sec eccentric | 60 sec rest between sets 3 min rest between exercises | 30% 1RM Leg press 50% 1RM | 1st week 1 set to failure 2nd week 2 sets to failure 3rd week onwards 3 sets to failure | 150% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Quadriceps CSA 4.3% ↑ Leg extension strength (1RM) 24% ↑ Leg press strength (1RM) 12% ↑ Walking speed 4% ↑ Short Physical Performance Battery, Quality of life ↔ Leg curl strength (1RM) ↔ |
[29] | Mixed (5♂, 6 ♀), (63.3 ± 4.1 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 4 x/ week Concurrent training: i) 2 days Endurance training (ET) ii) 2 days low-intensity resistance exercise with BFR | Not mentioned | 1st 6 weeks 20% 1RM 7th week onwards 30% 1RM | 1 set × 30 reps 3 sets × 15 reps | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Quadriceps CSA 7.3% ↑ Leg press strength (1RM) 35.4% ↑ V̇O2peak 10.3% ↑ C reactive protein ↑ IL-6 25% ↑ IL-10 ↔ |
[100] | Mixed (6♂,10♀), (67.2 ± 5.2 yo) Healthy, non-clinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 3 x/ week Leg press Leg extension Leg curl Calf flexion | Not mentioned | 20% 1RM | To failure | Equation (pressure mm Hg = 0.5 (SBP) + 2 (thigh circumference) + 5) | 21 were deemed related or possibly related to the study (6 BFR; 15 moderate intensity resistance training (MIRT)) The majority of these were related to knee pain (n = 14), & the BFR group had less of these reports (n = 3) than the MIRT group (n = 11) A total of five serious adverse events were observed (2 BFR; 3 MIRT), with only one (BFR group) deemed related or possibly related to the study | Knee extensor strength ~ + 18.1% Gait speed + 8.6% Short physical performance battery ~ + 0.1% Lean mass ~ + 0.5% |
[30] | 13♂, (55.9 ± 1.0 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & recreationally active | 6 weeks 3 x/ week Upper body (latissimus pull down, shoulder press & biceps curl) 3 sets, 8 rep, 80% 1RM, followed by BFR Leg press & Leg extension for three sets | 1 min rest between sets, 5–10 min rest between exercises | 20% 1RM | 30, 15, 15 reps | Start with 160 mmHg, Increase by 20 mmHg if rate of perceived exertion (RPE) was lower than 16 | Not mentioned | Lat pulldown ~ 15.9% ↑ Shoulder press ~ 9.6% ↑ Bicep curl ~ 19.3% ↑ Leg press 19.3% ↑ Leg extension 19.1% ↑ |
[31] | Mixed (n = 10), no mention of gender proportion, (64 ± 4 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 4x/ week Concurrent training: i) BFR 2 x/ week Leg press ii) ET 2 x/ week: walk/run 30–40 min, 50–80% V̇O2peak | 60 sec rest between sets | 1st 6 weeks 20% 1RM 30% 1RM for next 6 weeks | 30, 15, 15, 15 reps | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Quadricep CSA 7.6% ↑ Leg press (1RM) 35.4% ↑ V̇O2peak 10.3% ↑ |
[102] | Case study (n = 1, ♂, 91 yo) Hypertensive Sarcopenic Cardiovascular disease Sedentary | 8 weeks, 3 x/ week Treadmill walking, 30% heart rate reserve Elbow flexion Elbow extension Leg press Leg extension | 1 min rest between sets and exercises | 30% 1RM | 3 sets of 10 RM. No report on the number of reps. | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | No clinical interference during exercise. No reports of discomfort or pain during low-intensity BFR | Lean mass − 3.6% Hand grip + 17.9% Isokinetic strength Peak torque extension + 4.6% Total work + 1.5% Work fatigue + 27.5% |
[103] | Mixed (8♂, 2♀), (67 ± 3 yo) Healthy, nonclinical, physically active but not resistance-trained | 4 weeks 3 x/ week Plantar flexion with one leg BFR; Control leg without BFR on same person | 1 min rest between sets 3 min rest legs | 25% 1RM | 3 sets Exercise to failure in BFR limb Control limb follows similar reps | 110 mmHg | 100% free of injury or complications | Calf girth ~ 1.17% ↑ SBP ↔ DBP ↔ Plantar flexor 1RM ~ 13.5% ↑ MVC ~ 17.6% ↑ Isokinetic torque 0.52 N/m ~ 15.7% 1.05 N/m ↔ 2.09 N/m ↔ Resting limb blood flow ↔ Blood flow after 5 min circulatory occlusion ~ 38.9% ↑ |
[32] | 10♀, (64 ± 4 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 4 x/ week Concurrent training: i) 2 days Resistance training: Leg press ii) 2 days ET 50–80% V̇O2peak, 30–40 min | 60 sec rest between sets | 1st 6 weeks 20% 1RM 2nd 6 weeks 30% 1RM | 30, 15, 15, 15 reps | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | V̇O2peak ~ 10.3% ↑ Leg press (1RM) ~ 35.4% ↑ Quadriceps CSA ~ 7.6% ↑ |
[74] | Mixed (16♂, 4♀), (72 ± 4 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 4 weeks, 3 x/ week Leg extension Leg press Rowing Chest press | 30 sec between sets | 20% 1RM | 3 × 20 reps | 100% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Acute effects HR 33.8% ↑ SBP ~ 38.4% ↑ DBP ~ 45.2% ↑ Blood markers Lactate ~ 500% ↑ NE ~ 55.0% ↑ VEGF ~ 42.3% ↑ GH ~ 244.0% ↑ EPI ↔ Long-term effect RHI ~ 16.7% ↑ vWF ~ 4% ↓ TM ↔ tcPO2 ~ 16.7% ↑ Muscle strength- leg extension (1RM) ~ 19.0% ↑ Muscle strength- leg press (1RM) ~ 11.3% ↑ Muscle strength- rowing (1RM) ~ 9.18% ↑ Muscle strength chest press (1RM) ↔ |
[55] | Mixed (3♂, 2♀), (59 ± 2 yo) Postmenopausal, healthy & recreationally active | Upper body exercises (seated chest press, seated row, seated shoulder press) followed by lower body exercises (knee extension, knee flexion, hip flexion, hip extension) | 30 sec between sets 30–120 sec between exercises | Resistance band estimated ~ 10–30% 1RM | 30, 15, 15 reps | Upper body exercise with BFR 120 mmHg Lower body without BFR | Not mentioned | Chest press strength ~ 8.0% ↑ Seated row ~ 5.4% ↑ Shoulder press ~ 5.0% ↑ Leg press ~ 7.6% ↑ Right hip extension ~ 9.7% ↑ Left hip extension ~ 8.9% ↑ Right hip flexion ~ 27.3% ↑ Left hip flexion ~ 39.6% ↑ Right knee extension ~ 12.8% ↑ Left knee extension ~ 7.9% ↑ Right knee flexion ~ 22.1% ↑ Left knee flexion ~ 12.8% ↑ Muscle thickness pectoralis major 17.4% ↑ Other muscle thickness ↔ |
[52] | Mixed (n = 8), no mention of gender proportion (65.0 ± 2.0 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Leg press 2 sec concentric, 2 sec eccentric | 1 min rest between sets | 1st 6 weeks 20% 1RM 30% 1RM for following weeks | 30, 15, 15, and 15 reps | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Leg press (1RM) p = 0.067, ~ 15.8% ↑ Muscle CSA quadriceps ~ 5.93% ↑ |
[53] | Mixed (3♂, 2♀), (64 ± 3 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & physically active | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Leg press | 1 min rest between sets | 1st 6 weeks 20% 1RM 2nd 6 weeks 30% 1RM | 30, 15, 15, 15 reps | 50% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Leg press (1 RM) # ↑ Muscle CSA quadriceps # ↑ # The magnitude of increase in strength and size were not provided Enriched 159 gene ontology pathways as compared to control Enriched 2 gene ontology pathways as compared to HI |
[50] | Mixed (3♂, 6♀), (71.3 ± 7.1 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Leg press 1.3 sec concentric, 1.3 sec eccentric Knee extension 1.0 sec concentric, 1.0 sec eccentric | 30 sec rest between sets 90 sec rest between exercises | 20–30% 1RM | 30, 20, 15, and 10 reps | full- first day set 120 mmHg, subsequently increase 10-20 mmHg until 270 mmHg | Not mentioned | Muscle CSA quadriceps 8.0% ↑ Muscle CSA adductors 6.5% ↑ Muscle CSA gluteus maximus 4.4% ↑ Leg extension (1RM) 26.1% ↑ Leg press (1RM) 33.4% ↑ Chair stand test (reps) 18.3% ↑ HR, blood pressure, FMD, CAVI, ABI, FDP, D-dimer, CK ↔ |
[51] | Mixed (2♂, 7 ♀), (71.8 ± 6.2 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Bilateral arm curl Triceps press down 1.2 sec concentric, 1.2 sec eccentric | 30 sec rest between sets 90 sec rest between exercises | “Heavy (Green)” resistance band for men “Thin (Yellow)” resistance band for women | 30, 15, 15, 15 reps | full- first day set 120 mmHg, subsequently increase 10-20 mmHg until 270 mmHg | Not mentioned | Muscle thickness elbow flexor ~ 17.6% ↑ Muscle thickness elbow extensor ~ 17.4% ↑ Muscle strength elbow flexor MVC ~ 7.8% ↑ Muscle strength elbow extensor MVC ~ 16.1% ↑ HR, blood pressure, CAVI, ABI ↔ |
[56] | 10♀, (70 ± 6 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & physically active but not resistance trained | 12 weeks, 2 x/ week Squat 1.3 sec concentric, 1.3 sec eccentric Knee extension 1.0 sec concentric, 1.0 sec eccentric | 30 sec rest between sets 90 sec rest between exercises | One gold resistance band for squat One black resistance band for knee extension Considered low-intensity bands as compared with bands used in HI protocol in the same study. | 30, 15, 15, 15 reps | full- first day set 120 mmHg, subsequently increase 10–20 until 200 mmHg | Not mentioned | Acute effect Anterior mid-thigh 10.6% ↑ Chronic effect Quadricep CSA 6.9% ↑ Knee extension (MVC) 13.7% ↑ Leg press (1RM) 16.4% ↑ Knee extension (1RM) ↔ c-SBP, c-Aix, CAVI, and ABI ↔ |
[67] | Mixed (11♂, 5 ♀), (55 ± 7 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 6 weeks, 3 x/ week Lateral knee extension one limb with BFR one limb without BFR 1.5 sec concentric, 1.5 sec eccentric | 1 min rest between sets | 30% 1RM | Volitional fatigue | 1st week 150 mmHg or 50% of arterial occlusion pressure (whichever was lower) 2nd week onwards 80% arterial occlusion pressure but no higher than 240 mmHg | Not mentioned | Knee extension 1RM ~ 10.9% ↑ Anterior thigh muscle thickness ~ 5.1% ↑ Lateral thigh muscle thickness ~ 4.0% ↑ Pulse wave velocity ~ 6.7% ↑ Cardiovascular vascular conductance ↔ |
[104] | 16 ♀, (64.7 ± 3.7 yo) Healthy, nonclinical & sedentary | 14 weeks, 2 x/ week Wrist flexion 1.5 sec concentric, 1.5 sec eccentric | 40 sec rest between sets | 40% 1RM | 3 × 15 reps | 70% of arterial pressure occlusion | Not mentioned | Wrist flexion strength (1RM) 55.3% ↑ Quality of life ↑ Chair stand test ↔ |