Blood flow restriction walking and physical function in older adults: A randomized control trial

The progressive age-related declines in muscle health and physical function in older adults are related to muscle size and strength. Walking with an applied blood flow restriction is an alternative to maintain muscle volume in older adults to increase the value for time spent walking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of adding blood flow restriction to low-intensity walking on clinical measures of physical function.

Sedentary older men and women were randomised to either a low-intensity blood flow restriction walking group (BFRW; n=10), or a non-blood flow restriction walking control group (CON; n=9). Participants were assessed at baseline, three-weeks and six-weeks for the 30second sit to stand, six-minute walk test, timed up and go, and a modified Queen's College step test. While a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) for training sessions at baseline, three-weeks and six-weeks.

BFRW typically resulted in a 2.5-4.5 fold greater improvement in performance on all measures of physical function compared with CON among these older adults. However, RPE was greater for BFRW at all time points (for baseline, three-weeks, six-weeks: 14±0; 11±0; 11±0) compared with CON (8±0; 7±0; 8±0), despite declining across the study for BFRW.

The greater improvement in physical function with blood flow restriction demonstrates how this addition can increase the quality of simple walking exercise for populations that may be contraindicated to heavy-load resistance training.