As we approach our 15^th year of serving the Kansas City area, we would like to thank medical providers and patients for  entrusting us and for giving us the opportunity to help improve movement, function, and quality of life.  As always during our one-on-one  sessions, Summit Strength’s therapists provide high level movement and mechanical analysis and treatments that are guided by evidence and clinical experience in order to meet the needs of our orthopedic, neurological, and pediatric clients.

In order to stay at the front of relevant and evidence-based therapy, we have recently obtained certification to provide blood flow restriction therapy (BFR). Scientific literature is showing that BFR is a powerful clinical tool that can be used to help our patients reach their goals more quickly. In recent years, physical therapists including those involved with the US Department of Defense, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and collegiate athletic programs have begun integrating BFR with outstanding results; however, the concept of BFR is not new. It has appeared in physiological journals for decades, and current US Department of Defense BFR trials are receiving approximately $6.1 million in funding, although there are many non-Department of Defense related trials being conducted presently.

Why BFR?

• FDA listed device for clinical use
• Built in Doppler for safety
• Results in increased collagen strength (Boessen 2014)
• Increases protein synthesis w/ no markers present for muscle damage(Fry 2010) (Gundermann 2014) (Kumar 2009)
• Increases VO2max (Abe 2010)
• Reduction in myostatin levels leads to inhibition/reversal of fibrosis(Bo 2012) (Santos 2014)
• Increased tPA antigen—no signs of increased clotting factors (Clark 2011)
• No increase in arterial stiffness (Loenneke 2011)

We have begun to use BFR on several selected patients, and we are seeing very exciting, positive results.

We believe the scientific evidence may support this modality more than most of the passive modalities currently being used. Please call if you have questions, and we encourage you to stop by to observe the process!

Links to More Information:

Owens Recovery Science

References:

Abe, T., Nakajima, T., Sakamaki, M., Ozaki, H., Ogasawara, R., Ishii, N. (2010). Effects of Low-Intensity Cycle Training with Restricted Leg Blood Flow on Thigh Muscle Volume and VO2max in Young Men. J Sports Sci Med, 9(3), 452-458.

Bo, Li Z1, Zhang, J., Wagner, K.R. Inhibition of myostatin reverses muscle fibrosis through apoptosis. J Cell Sci. 2012 Sep 1: 125(Pt17);3957-65. doi: 10.1242/jcs.090365.

Boessen A.P., Dideriksen, K., Couppe, C., Magnusson, S.P., Schjerling, P., Boessen, M., Langberg, H. (2014). Effect of growth hormone on aging connective tissue in muscle and tendon gene expression, morphology, and function following immobilization and rehabilitation. J Appl Physiol. (1985), 116(2), 192-203. doi:10.11521japplphysiol.01077.2013.

Clark, B.C., Manini, T.M., Hoffman, R.L., Williams, P.S., Guiler, M.K., Knutson, M.H., Kushnick, M.R. (2011). Relative safety of 4 weeks of blood flow-restricted resistance exercise in young, healthy adults. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 21(5), 653-662.

Fry, C.S., Glynn, E.L., Drummond, M.J., Timmerman, K.L., Fujita, S., Abe, T., Rasmussen, B.B. (2010). Blood flow restriction exercise stimulates mTORC1 signlaing and muscle protein synthesis in older men.  J Appl Physiol  (1985), 108(5), 1199-1209.

Gundermann, D.M., Walker, D.K., Reidy, P.T., Borack, M.S., Dickinson, J.M., Volpi, E., Rasmussen, B.B. (2014). Activation of mTORC1 signaling and protein synthesis in human muscle following blood flow restriction exercise is inhibited by rapamycin. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 306(10), E1198-1204.

Kumar, V., Selby, A., Rankin, D., Patel, R., Atherton, P., Hildebrandt, W., Williams, J., Smith, K., Seynnes, O., Hiscock, N., Rennie, M.J. Age-related differences in the dose-response relationship of muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise in young and old men. J Physiol 587: 2110217, 2009.

Loenneke, J.P., Wilson, J.M., Wilson, G.J., Pujol, T.J., Bemben, M.G. (2011). Potential safety issues with blood flow restriction training. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 21(4), 510-518. doi: 10.111/j.1600-0838.2010.01290.x

Santos, A.R., Neves, M.T., Jr., Gualano, B., Laurentino, G.C., Lancha, A.H., Jr., Ugrinowitsch, C., Aoki, M.S., (2014). Blood flow restricted resistance training attenuates training myostatin gene expression in a patient with inclusion body myositis. Biol Sport, 21(2), 121-124.