EFFECT OF BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION TRAINING ON UPPER LIMB MUSCLE STRENGTH AND TROPHISM IN INDIVIDUALS WITH OR WITHOUT MUSCULOSKELETAL DYSFUNCTIONS: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Blood flow restriction training. Kaatsu. Occlusion training. Vascular ucclusion upper extremity. Clinical Trial.
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training is a low-load resistance exercise modality, being widely used in several clinical trials, which have upper limb strength and trophism as outcomes, but with a limited number of systematic reviews working on summarizing their results. To carry out a systematic review taking into account the muscle strength and trophism outcomes in RFS training in upper limbs of individuals with or without musculoskeletal disorders. This is a systematic review, conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The databases used were Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Scientific electronic library online (SciELO), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), SCOPUS, Science Direct and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Eighteen studies were included, among which 13 studies had an uncertain to high risk of bias and another 5 studies had a low risk of bias. In isotonic and/or isometric muscle strength, there was a difference between the experimental and control groups in 4 studies, including 1 with a high load control group and another 3 with control groups with an identical protocol without BFR, with no significant differences being observed between the groups of 12 studies, 5 of which used high loads in their control group and another 7, an identical protocol without BFR. Among the studies, 8 evaluated trophism and there were no differences between the groups, with 3 of them using loads ranging from 75 to 80% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in their control group and another 5, an identical protocol without BFR. When it comes to upper limbs, low load training with BFR can promote gains in strength and trophism similar to high-intensity protocols without BFR, and protocols with BFR do not present significant differences in strength and trophism outcomes compared to protocols identical without the BFR. However, the application of BFR in the upper limbs can provide gains in strength in the shoulder, superior to low load protocols without BFR, as long as at least two exercises for the shoulder muscles (agonists) are used.