Low Load Resistance Exercises With Blood Flow Restriction Versus High Load Resistance Exercises

The Acute Effect of Low Load Resistance Exercises With Blood Flow Restriction Versus High Load Resistance Exercises on Growth Hormone and Blood Lactate

Practical blood flow restriction (PBFR) is a new technique of reducing the venous return using a band with a pressure that is applied using a perceived pressure scale. The studies that investigate the acute effect of using PBFR and regular high intensity exercises on the level of growth hormone (GH) and blood lactate (BL) after lower extremity training in collegiate athletes are scarce.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Athletes
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Resistance exercise

Detailed Description

Practical blood flow restriction (PBFR) is a new technique of reducing the venous return using a band with a pressure that is applied using a perceived pressure scale. The studies that investigate the acute effect of using PBFR and regular high intensity exercises on the level of growth hormone (GH) and blood lactate (BL) after lower extremity training in collegiate athletes are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the acute effect of a single session low load resistance exercises with PBFR compared to a high load resistance exercises without PBFR on the levels of GH and BL. A convenience sample of collegiate athletes were allocated to either an experimental group that performed low resistance exercises with PBFR or a control group that performed high resistance exercises without PBFR. The levels of GH and BL were examined in 3 time points: pre-training, immediate post-training, and 15 minutes post-training for both groups. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the main and interaction effects of the groups.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 22
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Jordan
  • Amman, Jordan, 11942
    • The University of Jordan

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Student collegiate athletes.
• Age of 18 years and older.
• Free from any cardiovascular or respiratory disorders and did not have any injuries during the previous 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Students who were taking any medications for chronic conditions.
• Student who were taking any supplements.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Screening
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low load resistance exercises with Practical blood flow restriction (PBFR); Participants in the experimental group performed one session of 30% 1RM with Practical blood flow restriction training. The number of repetitions in every set was 15 times with PBFR.19 Participants in the experimental group used the elite band (occlusion training bands) for both thighs during the training session. The width of the thigh band was 5cm, which would produce a pressure between 160-240 mmHg. This pressure range is appropriate for most of the individuals who used PBFR.27 The perceived pressure scale (PPS) was used to estimate the appropriate pressure (7 out of 10) in training before performing the exercises.28,29 The blood flow restriction bands booklet was used30 along with previous studies to design the training session. Participants removed the BFR band immediately after the end of the training session.	Other: Resistance exercise; The training session included leg curl and leg extension exercises with 4 sets each. Participants started with leg extension exercise for 4 sets with a 30-second rest periods between the sets. Then, participants took a rest for 60 seconds. Afterward, participants performed leg curl exercise for 4 sets with a 30-second rest periods between the sets. Exercises in each set were performed continuously (uninterrupted) with a speed of 2 seconds for each repetition and a medium exercise performance speed.
Active Comparator: High resistance exercises; Participants in the control group performed one session of 80% 1RM without PBFR. The number of repetitions in every set was 10 times.	Other: Resistance exercise; The training session included leg curl and leg extension exercises with 4 sets each. Participants started with leg extension exercise for 4 sets with a 30-second rest periods between the sets. Then, participants took a rest for 60 seconds. Afterward, participants performed leg curl exercise for 4 sets with a 30-second rest periods between the sets. Exercises in each set were performed continuously (uninterrupted) with a speed of 2 seconds for each repetition and a medium exercise performance speed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Growth Hormone	Blood test of the level of growth hormone	Before intervention.
Growth Hormone	Blood test of the level of growth hormone	Immediately post intervention.
Growth Hormone	Blood test of the level of growth hormone	15 minutes after the end of intervention.
Blood lactate	Blood test of the level of Blood lactate	Before intervention.
Blood lactate	Blood test of the level of Blood lactate	Immediately post intervention.
Blood lactate	Blood test of the level of Blood lactate	15 minutes after the end of intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Jordan
• Collaborators: The Hashemite University
• Investigators: Study Director: Alia Alghwiri, PhD, The University of Jordan

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 14, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 14, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): July 24, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 16, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 15, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Blood lactate; Growth hormone; blood flow restriction
• Other Study ID Numbers: 4/2019

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No