Blood Flow Restriction Training for Subacromial Pain: Two Case Reports

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) is recognized for its potential in muscle strengthening.
• Current clinical applications of BFRT primarily focus on lower extremity rehabilitation.
• The efficacy of BFRT for upper extremity conditions like subacromial pain remains less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of BFRT as an adjunct therapy for subacromial pain in recreational athletes.
• To evaluate changes in shoulder function, range of motion, and muscle strength following BFRT.

Main Methods:

• Two female recreational athletes with subacromial pain participated in the study.
• Participants underwent BFRT with 50% occlusion during upper extremity isotonic exercises.
• Strength progression was monitored weekly using a handheld dynamometer.

Main Results:

• Both participants completed their BFRT sessions without adverse events.
• Significant improvements were observed in patient-reported function, shoulder range of motion (flexion, external rotation), and isometric strength.
• Increases in supraspinatus and infraspinatus cross-sectional area and upper extremity performance were noted.

Conclusions:

• BFRT may serve as a beneficial addition to standard rehabilitation protocols for managing subacromial pain conservatively.
• Preliminary findings suggest BFRT is a safe and effective intervention for improving shoulder function.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is warranted to confirm these promising results.