Effectiveness of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract

To analyze the effectiveness of the blood flow restriction training in improving muscle strength and physical performance in older adults. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Sciences, PEDro, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases were systematically searched. Articles were included if participants were 60 years or older and were considered healthy. The search strategy found a total of 363 studies. Finally, 10 articles were included in the systematic review, with a total of 278 healthy older adults analyzed. The main results of the meta-analysis showed a statistical difference of muscle strength in favor of blood flow restriction training when compared with conventional training and no statistical differences when compared with high-intensity resistance training. Physical performance showed a nonstatistical difference between the blood flow restriction training, conventional training, and no training groups. Blood flow restriction training is an interesting alternative to high-intensity strength training for improving muscle strength in older individuals who cannot perform high-load exercises.