Blood Flow Restriction (BFR)

Blood flow restriction training involves decreasing blood flow to working muscles in order to promote hypertrophy* and prevent disuse atrophy* of muscles, with minimal stress on surgical or painful joints and tendons. Commonly used to maximize physical activity outcome and to enhance the healing process for several ailment types, this form of therapy is an ideal accompaniment to other, traditional forms of treatment. 

Definitions:

*Hypertrophy: the enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells.

*Atrophy: or muscle atrophy is the wasting or loss of muscle tissue.

Ideal for most patients, BFR has been particularly helpful in the athletic rehabilitation for several sports, including many teams at Cal State Long Beach. In addition to this level of athletics, patients are encouraged to utilize BFR as a way to promote healthy muscle function, decreasing recovery time from various injury types.