Physiological and perceptual responses to acute arm cranking with blood flow restriction
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-24-2023
Department
Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology; Health Research Institute
Abstract
Introduction: Lower-body aerobic exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) offers a unique approach for stimulating improvements in muscular function and aerobic capacity. While there are more than 40 reports documenting acute and chronic responses to lower-body aerobic exercise with BFR, responses to upper-body aerobic exercise with BFR are not clearly established. Purpose: We evaluated acute physiological and perceptual responses to arm cranking with and without BFR. Methods: Participants (N = 10) completed 4 arm cranking (6 × 2 min exercise, 1 min recovery) conditions: low-intensity at 40%VO2peak (LI), low-intensity at 40%VO2peak with BFR at 50% of arterial occlusion pressure (BFR50), low-intensity at 40%VO2peak with BFR at 70% of arterial occlusion pressure (BFR70), and high-intensity at 80%VO2peak (HI) while tissue oxygenation, cardiorespiratory, and perceptual responses were assessed. Results: During exercise, tissue saturation for BFR50 (54 ± 6%), BFR70 (55 ± 6%), and HI (54 ± 8%) decreased compared to LI (61 ± 5%, all P < 0.01) and changes in deoxyhemoglobin for BFR50 (11 ± 4), BFR70 (15 ± 6), and HI (16 ± 10) increased compared to LI (4 ± 2, all P < 0.01). During recovery intervals, tissue saturation for BFR50 and BFR70 decreased further and deoxyhemoglobin for BFR50 and BFR70 increased further (all P < 0.04). Heart rate for BFR70 and HI increased by 9 ± 9 and 50 ± 15b/min, respectively, compared to LI (both P < 0.02). BFR50 (8 ± 2, 1.0 ± 1.0) and BFR70 (10 ± 2, 2.1 ± 1.4) elicited greater arm-specific perceived exertion (6–20 scale) and pain (0–10 scale) compared to LI (7 ± 1, 0.2 ± 0.5, all P < 0.05) and pain for BFR70 did not differ from HI (1.7 ± 1.9). Conclusion: Arm cranking with BFR decreased tissue saturation and increased deoxyhemoglobin without causing excessive cardiorespiratory strain and pain.
Publication Title
European Journal of Applied Physiology
Recommended Citation
Cockfield, B.,
Wedig, I. J.,
Vinckier, A.,
McDaniel, J.,
&
Elmer, S.
(2023).
Physiological and perceptual responses to acute arm cranking with blood flow restriction.
European Journal of Applied Physiology.
http://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-023-05384-0
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/326