The Safety of Blood Flow Restriction Combined with Stepping Aerobic Exercise in Older Adults with Sarcopenia

This study aimed to explore the safety of blood flow restriction combined stepping aerobic exercise (BFR-SAE) using elastic and non-elastic cuffs at varying pressures in older adults with sarcopenia.

Older adults with sarcopenia were selected by convenience sampling method and underwent BFR-SAE using elastic and non-elastic cuffs at 20%, 40%, and 60% limb occlusion pressure (LOP). Exercise response and adverse events were recorded.

Thirty-one participants (84.81 ± 6.19 years old) completed the tests. During the non-elastic cuffs test, 31 participants completed at 20% LOP, and 4 (12.9%) dropped from 40% to 20% LOP. At 60% LOP, 19 (61.3%) and 3 (9.7%) dropped to 40% and 20% LOP, respectively. In the elastic cuffs tests all participants completed at 20% and 40% LOP. At 60% LOP, 9 (29.0%) dropped to the interface pressure corresponding to 40% LOP. General exercise responses were lower with elastic cuffs at 40% LOP (22.6% vs 45.2%) and 60% LOP (41.9% vs 51.6%), with higher completion rate than non-elastic cuffs (40% LOP: 100% vs 87.1%; 60% LOP: 71.0% vs 29.0%). Among the results of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), pulse rate (P) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂), differences were found in BP and P at different time points (P<0.05) within each pressure, but no significant difference between different pressures. Non-elastic cuffs caused significant increases in SBP, DBP, and P from rest, while only SBP and P showed significant increases in elastic cuffs group. Pain scores were 0 for both cuffs after tests, the adverse events rate was 1.1% and rating of perceived exertion all reached moderate-intensity of exercise.

Elastic cuffs for BFR-SAE induced milder exercise responses and higher completion rates, suggesting better safety and feasibility than non-elastic cuffs in older adults with possible sarcopenia.