The Impact of Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction on Rectus Femoris and Vastus Intermedius Muscle Layer Thickness Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective This pilot randomised controlled trial assessed the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating blood flow restriction (BFR) training into the rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and evaluated its preliminary impact on muscle layer thickness (MLT) of the vastus intermedius (VI) and Rectus Femoris (RF) muscles. Methods Sixteen male participants who underwent ACLR with hamstring graft participated in a single-center, single-blinded pilot randomised controlled trial. Participants were randomly allocated into either a BFR group (28 ± 7 years) or a control group (23 ± 6 years). Both groups participated in a matching rehabilitation program (two sessions per week); the BFR group received BFR training, while the control group received a sham procedure. Ultrasonography was used to assess MLT of RF and VI pre-operatively, at 14 days, and 4 weeks post-operatively. Results Preliminary findings indicate that after 4 weeks, there were no significant differences in VI and RF MLT ( p >0.05) following ACLR between the BFR and control groups. Conclusion Preliminary findings suggest that the addition of BFR training to rehabilitation following ACLR did not increase RF and VI MLT 4 weeks post-operatively. Future research should employ larger sample sizes and a longer intervention period to determine the effect of BFR training on VI and RF MLT following ACLR.