Vol 16, Issue 2

Blood Flow Restriction Attenuates Muscle Damage in Resistance Exercise Performed Until Concentric Muscle Failure.

Authors

Victor Magalhães CurtyFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Paulo Vinicios Camuzi ZovicoFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
Rafael Barrera SalgueiroFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Leonardo Carvalho CaldasFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Richard Diego LeiteFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Nuno Manuel Frade SouzaFaculty of Estacio de Sa, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
Lucas Guimaraes-FerreiraCoventry University, Coventry, UK
Valério Garrone BaraunaFederal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria, ES, Brazil
International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 469-481, 2023.
DOI: 10.70252/IRZF8928

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate whether blood flow restriction (BFR) can prevent exercise-induced muscle damage in resistance exercise (RE) performed until concentric muscle failure (CMF). Twenty healthy volunteers (25 ± 4 years, 80.4 ± 11.8 kg, 175 ± 8 cm) performed three sets of unilateral biceps curl exercise (40% of 1RM) with (RE + BFR) and without (RE) BFR until CMF. A third condition was to perform the same number of repetitions as RE + BFR without using BFR (matched). Performing fewer repetitions, RE + BFR caused muscle fatigue post-exercise as high as that caused by RE. In addition, the range of motion, upper arm circumference, pressure pain threshold, and maximal voluntary contraction were immediately affected by our exercise protocol with BFR, returning rapidly to basal values within 24 h, while in RE, muscle damage markers remained elevated until 48 h post-exercise. The same results were observed concerning serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activity. Thus, BFR + RE performed until CMF attenuated muscle damage following similar metabolic stress to RE alone performed until CMF, with less work volume.

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