Tissue oxygenation, strength and lactate response to different blood flow restrictive pressures

• Published in: Clinical physiology and functional imaging Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 263 - 269
• Main Authors: Karabulut, Murat, Leal Jr, Jose A., Garcia, Sonio D., Cavazos, Charity, Bemben, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-07-2014; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; blood flow restriction; Constriction; Cuffs; deoxygenated haemoglobin; Haemoglobin; Health Status; Hemoglobins - analysis; Humans; Inflating; Isometric Contraction - physiology; knee extension exercises; Knees; lactate concentration; Lactates; Lactates - blood; Leg - blood supply; Leg - physiology; Male; Muscle Strength - physiology; Oxygen - metabolism; oxygenated haemoglobin; Oxygenation; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Strength; Surveys and Questionnaires; Thigh; Torque; knee extension exercises; oxygenated haemoglobin; lactate concentration; blood flow restriction; deoxygenated haemoglobin
• ISSN: 1475-0961; 1475-097X
• DOI: 10.1111/cpf.12090

Summary
This study aimed to determine whether changes in initial restrictive pressures (IRP, tightness of the cuff before inflation with air) affect tissue oxygenation, lactate production and leg strength before, during and after knee extension exercises. The cuff was positioned on the right thigh, and the IRP of either 40–45 or 60–65 mmHg were applied randomly prior to inflating the cuff to the final restrictive pressure (the pressure reached after inflating the cuff with air). Subjects performed four sets (30, 15, 15 and 15 reps) of isotonic knee extensions with 1‐min rest between sets. Tissue oxygenation and blood lactate levels were assessed prior to, during and after exercise, and leg strength was assessed pre‐ and postexercise. There were significant condition by time interactions (P<0·01) and main effects for both condition (P<0·01) and time (P<0·01) for tissue oxygenation, deoxyhaemoglobin, total haemoglobin. Significant main effects were detected for both condition (P<0·01) and time (P<0·01) for leg strength values. There was only a significant time main effect for lactate concentrations. This study is the first to show that a higher IRP had a significant impact on percent tissue oxygenation, leg strength and deoxygenated haemoglobin accumulation during exercise.