Can you imagine going through the whole process of training for a bodybuilding competition, only to suffer an injury just TWO short weeks away of the competition???? Enter today’s BFR anecdote!

Two for one special – BFR can increase muscle mass AND bone density, but how if it’s such low loads?

What is progressive overload in BFR? Here’s a protocol that our very own Dr. Nick Rolnick designed that will be implemented in a future case study on an individual with cerebral palsy.

Today we are showcasing a study out of Japan that put the phrase, “think outside the box” to a whole new level. This case study involved a 2-year-old baby boy with Lissencephaly, West Syndrome, and flaccid quadriplegia. Basically, the little boy was severely physically and mentally challenged.

One of the themes here at The BFR Pros is that we never look at a patient and think, “How can I use BFR with this person?” Rather, we think, “Can BFR be a tool that can help this person get back to his/her specific goals?” This paradigm was foundational to the treatment of the gentleman featured in this BFR success story.

A recent paper by The BFR Pros’ very own Nick Rolnick proposed a funnel-based thought process algorithm that gives BFR trained providers some guidelines and encourages relevant thought processes when making the decision to include BFR into the plan of care.

This case study involves a 17-year-old high school football player who underwent an ACL reconstruction with patellar graft and medial meniscus repair after suffering a non-contact ACL rupture in week two of his senior year.

What happens when you are short on time, but need to explain BFR in a professional way, but also not dive too deeply into the details?

Today, we are highlighting how BFR training played an integral role in getting a hardworking grandfather of three back to his most important role…being a grandfather!

We at the BFR Pros get asked all the time, “What are reasons to integrate BFR into a program?” You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Here are our top four evidence- based reasons (and the articles cited!) to include BFR training into your training regimen.

In order to have a successful BFR training experience, there are 3 common hurdles that every BFR practitioner must be overcome.

A guest post by Kristian Brun

I began treating the patient about 2 weeks post operatively. His brace was locked in full extension and he was non-weight bearing. I reached out to the surgeon and asked if he would be on board with blood flow restriction (BFR) training. He agreed, and off we went!

Can a pulse ox be used to safely and effectively measure LOP?

Dan Marino is now 60 years old and finds himself dealing with many of the same issues that we all face as we age. During 2020, Dan reportedly gained 20-25 pounds and had two knee replacements. Talk about a rough year! Dan Marino has since made an astonishing comeback and his story is featured in a recent Men’s Health article.

In order for BFR training to be deemed as safe, it should not pose a significantly higher ability to change central hemodynamics over heavy-load alternatives. This systematic review attempts to synthesize the current level of evidence on central hemodynamic changes with BFR training.

This case study involves a 39-year old woman who was gravida 5 para 3 (5 pregnancies and 3 live births). She presented to physical therapy with complaints of a “falling out”–type feeling particularly with increased physical activity. She also reported stress incontinence with coughing, sneezing, and running.

Limb occlusion pressure (LOP) has been recommended as a standard approach to administering BFR training in clinical populations. However, despite prior research showing LOP does not change much over the course of 4-8 weeks in healthy participants, other studies show LOP can change based on the time of day, position, cuff width, and even cuff bladder positioning on the limb.

Today we’re talking about why pain and discomfort, or simply put, effort, are so important for muscle growth.

Today we are showcasing an actual thunder god! That’s right! Today we are talking about none other than Thor himself!