The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Hamstring Elasticity After Injury

Summary

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Blood Flow Restriction Training on the elasticity of the hamstring muscle after an acute injury. Therefore a group of football players with a recent hamstring strain injury (HSI) will be recruited and randomly assigned in one of the three following groups:

Experimental group: Classic rehabilitation + Blood Flow Restriction Training

Sham group: Classic rehabilitation + sham Blood Flow Restriction Training

Control group: Classic rehabilitation

The study procedure will be as followed:

1. HSI (onset) -\> recruitment via football clubs, physiotherapy practices, leaflets,…
2. MRI scan (day 0-4) -\> injury location, grade and extend (The British Athletics Medical Team Classification)
3. Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) measurement (day 0-4) of the injured site and the exact same location at the contralateral leg.
4. Rehabilitation in one of the three groups + Testing

At the first therapy session a standardized initial assessment sheet will be filled in comprising of all the necessary information regarding patient information and history (recent hamstring injury and past injuries) . Furthermore, a weekly assessment of the strongest predictors of rehabilitation duration will be conducted. Between day 12 and 16 a second shear wave elastographic measurement will be performed.
5. Return to play (RTP)

The RTP decision will be made by the head physician and the attending physiotherapist. The decision will be based on clearly predefined criteria. At moment of RTP a third shear wave elastographic measurement will be performed.
6. Follow-up

The football players will be contacted regularly by phone to inquire about possible re-injuries, this for a period of 6 months after injury onset. At week 12 after injury onset, a fourth and last shear wave elastographic measurement will be performed.

The evolution of the hamstring elasticity and other outcome measures will be compared between groups and also within groups between the injured leg and the healthy contralateral leg.

Conditions

• Hamstring Injury

Interventions

DEVICE

Blood Flow Restriction Training

Vascular occlusion of the injured limb.

DEVICE

Sham Blood Flow Restriction Training

Blood Flow Restriction material will be attached to the limb without vascular occlusion.

OTHER

Classic rehabilitation

Classic rehabilitation protocol after a hamstring injury consisiting out of stretching, strength, core stability,...

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Erik Witvrouw, Prof. dr. · Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

MALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-02-01

Primary Completion

2025-12-31

Completion

2025-12-31

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations