Acute and chronic effects produced by the combination of blood flow restriction and lower limb electrostimulation. A systematic review
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https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2025.11.3.11093Abstract
Blood flow restriction training (BFR) and neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) are effective rehabilitation therapies. However, the combination of these therapies is already used in rehabilitation and sports. With the aim of finding out the acute and chronic effects of this combination, a literature search was carried out in PubMed, Web of Science and PEDro databases. Randomized clinical trials (RCT) applying the combination of BFR and NMES in the lower limb in humans were included. A total of 6 RCTs were included. The included studies used different BFR and EENM protocols with heterogeneous outcome measurements, therefore, a qualitative analysis was performed. Three of the six articles analyzed quadriceps strength and demonstrated a significant improvement after combining BFR and NMES. Muscle mass was analysed in two studies, although only one showed significant increases following the combination of BFR and NMES. Fatigue was analysed in two articles, with fatigue being greater when BFR was combined with NMES in the intervention. In conclusion, the results of this review indicate that combined BFR and NMES training may be beneficial for quadriceps strength and preventing muscle mass loss during immobilisation.
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