Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1-1-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Health and Kinesiology

First Advisor

Matthew B. Jessee

Second Advisor

Jeremy P. Loenneke

Third Advisor

Paul D. Loprinzi

School

University of Mississippi

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

Blood flow restriction (BFR) has been used to delay muscle atrophy, but it is unclear how this impacts the vasculature. Purpose: Determine the effect of BFR on upper body vasculature. Methods: 40 participants were randomized into control (CON) or BFR. For BFR, 80% of arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) was applied daily (5/week) for 5 cycles (5min inflation, 3min deflation) on the dominant arm. Vascular assessments occurred at baseline (Pre), week 1 (Mid), and week 2 (Post). A cuff on the forearm inflated over 110% AOP for 5min while brachial artery diameter and tissue saturation index (TSI, %) were continuously measured. Flow mediated dilation (FMD) was calculated as maximal artery diameter following cuff deflation minus resting diameter. TSI slope 1 (S1, %/s) included 60s during cuff initial inflation, S2 (%/s) included 15s immediately after deflation, and area under the curve (AUC, %∙s) included 180s after deflation. Acute muscle thickness changes (via ultrasound, MuTh, cm) and pain (via visual analog scale, VAS, A.U.) were measured on the first and last BFR sessions. Vascular variables were compared with Bayesian RMANOVAs (BF10=likelihood of the interaction model vs the null), MuTh was compared with Bayesian One-way RMANOVA and VAS was compared with Bayesian paired samples T-Test. Results presented as mean±SD. Results: Null model was most likely for all vascular variables. For the dominant arm, FMD (Pre: BFR .03±.01,CON .03±.01; Post: BFR .03±.01,CON .03±.02; BF10=.017) was similar between conditions and time points. S1 (Pre: BFR -.07±.04,CON -.07±.04; Post: BFR -.08±.03,CON -.07±.03; BF10=.064), S2 (Pre: BFR 1.66±1.07,CON 1.79±.89; Post: BFR 1.96±.68,CON 1.79±.78; BF10=.016), AUC (Pre: BFR 13330±968,CON 13348±939; Post: BFR 13509±668,CON 13470±870; BF10=.005), and minimum TSI during cuff inflation (Pre: BFR 51.6±9.8,CON 51.0±10.7; Post: BFR 50.1±8.8, CON 51.4±8.1;BF10=.006) were similar between conditions and time points. MuTh changed with time (BF10=3.952). First session (-.01±.11) was smaller than second (.09±.14; BF10=1.809) and last (.06±.08; BF10=2.393), but second and last (BF10=.319) were similar. Maximum VAS was similar across sessions (first: 3.9±2.6,last: 3.0±2.6; BF10=.552) with a similar trend for mean VAS. Conclusion: Two weeks of BFR may be tolerable, but does not alter vasculature, muscular swelling, or become less painful.

Available for download on Thursday, July 24, 2025

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