Effect of isokinetic resistance training under a condition of restricted blood flow with pressure

Background. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of isokinetic training under the condition of restricted blood flow with pressure. Methods. The subjects were 21 athletes at a university. They were classified into four training groups: group A (high speed under restricted blood flow condition with pressure); group B (low speed under restricted blood flow condition with pressure); group C (high speed without restricted blood flow condition); group D (low speed without restricted blood flow condition). The training session consisted of three sets of knee extension and flexion (repeated 10 times) using an isokinetic training machine (Biodex system 3). The training period was 4 weeks, with regular training sessions twice a week during this period. Before and after the training period, all of the subjects underwent measurements of quadriceps muscular strength of concentric contraction (CC) and eccentric contraction (EC) after isokinetic contraction as well as measurement of the thigh diameter. In addition, the group with restricted blood flow with pressure underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results. In regard to quadriceps muscular strength before and after training, there was a significant difference between groups A and C at many degrees of velocity. For the muscular volume measurements by MRI before and after training, no significant difference was seen in group A or group B. A significant increase was not seen even when comparing groups A and B. Conclusions. Isokinetic resistance training with restricted blood flow with pressure had an effect on muscular strength improvement.