Accuracy of arterial occlusion pressure perception in practical blood flow restriction training after 6 weeks

Background and Study Aim. The low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction became a popular area of research due to its ability to promote key physiological adaptations. Nevertheless, the standard pneumatic blood flow restriction equipment was expensive and limiting its accessibility. The elastic wrap was proposed to be the effective alternative to standard pneumatic cuffs. However, the estimate occlusion pressure accuracy was questionable. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the retention of arterial occlusion pressure perception used for practical blood flow restriction training in untrained individuals after 6 weeks following acclimation. Material and Methods. Eighteen untrained participants (mean age: 21.1 years; height: 174.1 cm; body mass: 68.8 kg) were recruited. Each participant underwent assessment to determine their individual 100% arterial occlusion pressure (100%AOP) for the right leg and arm. Following this familiarization, they acclimated to a 40%AOP. After six weeks, participants returned for a reassessment of their perception of 40%AOP. Paired-samples t-tests were employed to analyze the differences between perceived and actual 40%AOP. Results. Statistically significant differences were observed between perceived and actual 40%AOP for both the right leg (p = 0.000) and the right arm (p = 0.01). The 95% confidence intervals for estimated pressure error were 11.6 – 26.5 mm Hg for the right leg and 2.5 – 16.4 mm Hg for the right arm. Conclusions. This study revealed significant differences between perceived and actual 40%AOP in both the right leg and arm after six weeks following acclimation. However, the perceived 40%AOP remained within the effective range for promoting muscle hypertrophy.