NCT06621914

Is Low-load Resistance Training With Blood Flow Restriction Feasible During Rehabilitation of Military Personnel With Lower Limb Injuries? Phase One RCT.

The Effects of Different Blood Flow Restriction Training Methodologies During the Rehabilitation of Military Personnel With Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Injuries Primarily Limited by Pain: a 2 Part Randomised Controlled Trial (Phase One)

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 28 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, UK · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Pain can be one of the primary limiting factors to progress following musculoskeletal injury and may be caused by trauma or degenerative changes. There are few exercise rehabilitation interventions able to relieve pain, thereby reducing the number of military personnel fit for operations. Low load blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise has been shown to elicit an analgesic response and promote beneficial physiological changes in a variety of clinical populations. This two phase study, aims to: * Determine the most effective and feasible BFR resistance exercise protocol for reducing pain in UK military patients. * Determine the efficacy of an optimal BFR exercise protocol for reducing pain and improving rehabilitation outcomes in UK military patients. * Identify key physiological mechanisms underpinning any beneficial effect of BFR exercise on pain. Consequently, results from this study will have direct clinical application and will aid best practice guidelines for the management of pain across Defence Rehabilitation by influencing the future rehabilitation paradigm. The investigators believe the results and impact will be far reaching, providing invaluable insight and knowledge to the clinical and scientific community to not only those embedded within Defence Rehabilitation, but also those working in civilian sector organisations and professional sport also.

Conditions

• Pain
• Persistent Pain
• Musculoskeletal Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	BFR 80	The intervention involves placing a pneumatic tourniquet system over the proximal thigh. The cuff is inflated to 80% of limb occlusion pressure during lower limb strengthening exercises. These exercises include leg press and knee extensor exercises. Four sets (30,15,15,15 repetitions) performed at 20% of one repetition maximum.
DEVICE	BFR40	The intervention involves placing a pneumatic tourniquet system over the proximal thigh. The cuff is inflated to 40% of limb occlusion pressure during lower limb strengthening exercises. These exercises include leg press and knee extensor exercises. Four sets (30,15,15,15 repetitions) performed at 20% of one repetition maximum.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-10-28
• Primary completion: 2026-05-29
• Completion: 2026-06-30
• First posted: 2024-10-01
• Last updated: 2025-04-23

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom