Older adults and patients with chronic disease presenting with muscle weakness or musculoskeletal disorders may benefit from low-load resistance exercise (LLRE) with blood flow restriction (BFR). LLRE-BFR has been shown to increase muscle size, strength, and endurance comparable to traditional resistance exercise but without the use of heavy loads. However, potential negative effects from LLRE-BFR present as a barrier to participation and limit its wider use. This study examined the perceptual, affective, and cardiovascular responses to a bout of LLRE-BFR and compared the responses to LLRE and moderate-load resistance exercise (MLRE). Twenty older adults (64.3 ± 4.2 years) performed LLRE-BFR, LLRE and MLRE consisting of 4 sets of leg press and knee extension, in a randomised crossover design. LLRE-BFR was more demanding than LLRE and MLRE through increased pain ( ≤ 0.024, = 0.8-1.4) and reduced affect ( ≤ 0.048, = -0.5–0.9). Despite this, LLRE-BFR was enjoyed and promoted a positive affective response ( ≤ 0.035, = 0.5-0.9) following exercise comparable to MLRE. This study supports the use of LLRE-BFR for older adults and encourages future research to examine the safety, acceptability, and efficacy of LLRE-BFR in patients with chronic disease.
- Membership
- Publications
- Resources
- Education
- Events
- Outreach
- Global Year
- Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-Income Settings
- Sex and Gender Disparities in Pain
- Integrative Pain Care
- Translating Pain Knowledge to Practice
- Back Pain
- Prevention of Pain
- Pain in the Most Vulnerable
- Pain Education
- Joint Pain
- Pain After Surgery
- Global Year Campaign Archives
- My Letter to Pain
- IASP Statements
- ICD-11 Pain Classification
- Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy (GAPPA)
- National, Regional, and Global Pain Initiatives
- International Pain Summit
- Pain Awareness Month
- Global Year
- Careers
- About
- For Pain Patients and Professionals