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Blood flow restriction in the upper and lower limbs is predicted by limb circumference and systolic blood pressure

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To determine what factors should be accounted for when setting the blood flow restriction (BFR) cuff pressure for the upper and lower body.

Methods

One hundred and seventy one participants visited the laboratory for one testing session. Arm circumference, muscle (MTH) and fat (FTH) thickness were measured on the upper arm. Next, brachial systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure measurements were taken in the supine position. Upper body arterial occlusion was then determined using a Doppler probe. Following this, thigh circumference and lower body arterial occlusion were determined. Models of hierarchical linear regression were used to determine the greatest predictor of arterial occlusion in the upper and lower body. Two models were employed in the upper body, a Field (arm size) and a Laboratory model (arm composition).

Results

The Laboratory model explained 58 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with SBP (β = 0.512, part = 0.255), MTH (β = 0.363, part = 0.233), and FTH (β = 0.248, part = 0.213) contributing similarly to explained variance. The Field model explained 60 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with arm circumference explaining the greatest amount (β = 0.419, part = 0.314) compared to SBP (β = 0.394, part = 0.266) and DBP (β = 0.147, part = 0.125). For the lower body model the third block explained 49 % of the variance in arterial occlusion with thigh circumference (β = 0.579, part = 0.570) and SBP (β = 0.281, part = 0.231) being significant predictors.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that arm circumference and SBP should be taken into account when determining BFR cuff pressures. In addition, we confirmed our previous study that thigh circumference is the greatest predictor of arterial occlusion in the lower body.

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Abbreviations

Arm circ:

Arm circumference

AOP:

Arm occlusion pressure

BFR:

Blood flow restriction

BMI:

Body mass index

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

FTH:

Fat thickness

MTH:

Muscle thickness

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

Thigh circ:

Thigh circumference

TOP:

Thigh arterial occlusion pressure

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Acknowledgments

The authors are not aware of any affiliations, memberships, funding, or financial holdings that might be perceived as affecting the objectivity of this manuscript. This study was not supported by any funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, P.O. Box 1848, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA

    Jeremy P. Loenneke & Takashi Abe

  2. Department of Health and Exercise Science, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    Kirsten M. Allen, J. Grant Mouser, Daeyeol Kim & Michael G. Bemben

  3. Department of Kinesiology, Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, TX, USA

    Robert S. Thiebaud

Authors
  1. Jeremy P. Loenneke
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  2. Kirsten M. Allen
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  3. J. Grant Mouser
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  4. Robert S. Thiebaud
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  5. Daeyeol Kim
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  6. Takashi Abe
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  7. Michael G. Bemben
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Correspondence to Jeremy P. Loenneke.

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Massimo Pagani.

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Loenneke, J.P., Allen, K.M., Mouser, J.G. et al. Blood flow restriction in the upper and lower limbs is predicted by limb circumference and systolic blood pressure. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 397–405 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3030-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-3030-7

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