Therefore, this Current Opinion article aims to critically and chronologically examine the techniques used to prescribe the pressure exerted by the elastic wrap during pBFR training in an attempt to suggest a valid and safe standard technique for pBFR training in a practical and scientific context. In this sense, several studies have investigated the acute and chronic effects of pBFR training, but unlike traditional BFR training which seems to present a consensus regarding the prescription of BFR pressure based on AOP, pBFR training studies have used different techniques to apply the pressure/tension exerted by the elastic wrap. Thinking about this logic, Loenneke and Pujol created the practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) training in 2009, suggesting the use of a 7.6-cm-wide elastic knee wrap (Harbinger Red-Line, Fairfield, CA, USA) as an alternative to the traditional BFR, as it is low cost, affordable and practical. Even though knowing the amount of pressure in mmHg applied to the limbs is very important, especially for clinical and research environments, this may not be a viable option for the general population who exercise in gyms, squares and sports centers.

Then afterward in considering individualized pressure prescription, researchers began to use a hand-held Doppler probe together with a pneumatic cuff to find the arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) at rest (“maximum pressure” = 100%) and then prescribed the BFR for physical training based on this value (i.e., 50% of the AOP). The researchers in the first BFR training studies arbitrarily used restriction pressures with fixed or progressive values for all subjects. Most studies with BFR training have been conducted using devices capable of regulating the restriction pressure, such as pneumatic cuffs. This type of training has shown an increase in muscle mass, strength and performance in different populations when combined with strength or aerobic training (e.g., older adults, athletes, injured patients). Therefore, we reinforce that applying the pressure exerted by the elastic for pBFR training based on the circumference of the limbs is an excellent, valid and safe technique.īlood flow restriction (BFR) training is characterized by using a relatively light and flexible wrap (i.e., pneumatic cuff, elastic wraps) placed in the proximal region of the upper or lower limbs in order to apply adequate pressure to the limbs capable of restricting blood flow in the muscle due to occlusion of venous blood flow and restricting the arterial blood flow. Several studies have shown that limb circumference seems to be the greatest predictor of AOP. In summary, several techniques were found to apply the elastic wrap during pBFR training, using the following as criteria: application by a single researcher stretching of the elastic (absolute and relative overlap of the elastic) the perceived tightness scale and relative overlap of the elastic based on the circumference of the limbs.

Therefore, this Current Opinion article aims to critically and chronologically examine the techniques used to prescribe the pressure exerted by the elastic wrap during pBFR training. However, unlike traditional BFR training which seems to present a consensus regarding the prescription of BFR pressure based on arterial occlusion pressure (AOP), studies on pBFR training have used different techniques to apply the pressure/tension exerted by the elastic wrap. Thinking about this logic, practical blood flow restriction (pBFR) training was created in 2009, suggesting the use of elastic knee wraps as an alternative to the traditional BFR, as it is low cost, affordable and practical.

However, this may not be a viable option for the general population who exercise in gyms, squares and sports centers. Most studies with blood flow restriction (BFR) training have been conducted using devices capable of regulating the restriction pressure, such as pneumatic cuffs.

Bfr training before and after