RESUMO
Introducción: La rotura del ligamento cruzado anterior provoca atrofia y pérdida de fuerza, por lo que resulta necesaria una rehabilitación precoz y adecuada. El entrenamiento mediante restricción de flujo sanguíneo parece ser una herramienta segura y efectiva para la ganancia de fuerza y masa muscular en sujetos sanos y en población clínica. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de la rehabilitación con restricción de flujo sanguíneo sobre la fuerza, la masa muscular y la intensidad del dolor en pacientes con reconstrucción del ligamento cruzado anterior. Métodos: Se realizó la búsqueda de artículos en tres bases de datos, mediante una combinación de términos relativos a la restricción de flujo sanguíneo y rehabilitación del ligamento cruzado anterior. Los estudios seleccionados evaluaron la fuerza, la masa muscular y el dolor. La mayoría de ellos refieren efectos positivos en el uso de la restricción del flujo sanguíneo. Conclusiones: El entrenamiento con restricción de flujo sanguíneo durante la rehabilitación temprana en la reconstrucción del ligamento cruzado anterior puede ser una alternativa para mejorar la fuerza y aumentar la masa muscular. Se equipara al entrenamiento con cargas altas; además, reduce el dolor y el estrés mecánico sobre la articulación de la rodilla.
Introduction: Anterior cruciate ligament rupture causes atrophy and loss of strength, which is why early and adequate rehabilitation is needed. Blood flow restriction training is a safe and effective tool for gaining strength and muscle mass in healthy subjects and in the clinical population. Objective: To evaluate the effect of rehabilitation with blood flow restriction on strength, muscle mass, and pain intensity in patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Methods: Three databases were searched for articles using a combination of terms related to blood flow restriction and anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation. Selected studies assessed strength, muscle mass, and pain. Most of them report positive effects in the use of blood flow restriction. Conclusions: Blood flow restriction training during early rehabilitation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction may be an alternative to improve strength and increase muscle mass. It is equated to training with high loads; it also reduces pain and mechanical stress on the knee joint.
RESUMO
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in combination with blood flow restriction (BFR) enhances muscle hypertrophy and force-generating capacity. The present study aimed to investigate the acute effects of BFR and NMES, both in isolation and in combination, on muscle thickness (MT) and fatigue in the lower body of 20 young healthy subjects. Different stimuli were applied for 25â min, defined by the combination of BFR with high- and low-frequency NMES, and also isolated BFR or NMES. Changes in MT were then evaluated by ultrasound of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles at the end of the session (POST) and 15â min later (POST 15'). Lower limb fatigue was evaluated indirectly by strength performance. Results showed that RF MT was higher under the combined protocol (BFR + NMES) or isolated BFR than under NMES - regardless of the frequency - both at POST (p ≤ 0.018) and POST 15' (p ≤ 0.016). No significant changes in MT were observed under isolated NMES or BFR at POST 15' when compared with basal values (p ≥ 0.067). No significant differences were observed for VL MT between conditions (p = 0.322) or for fatigue between conditions (p ≥ 0.258). Our results indicate that a combination of BFR and NMES acutely increases MT in sedentary subjects. Also, although not significantly, BFR conditions had a greater tendency to induce fatigue than isolated NMES.HighlightsThe combination of blood flow restriction (BFR) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) produces higher acute cell swelling than the isolated application of either NMES or BFR.BFR in isolation appears to produce greater cell swelling than NMES, regardless of the frequency used.BFR conditions had a greater tendency to induce fatigue than isolated NMES.