Blood Flow Restriction Exercise-induced Hypoalgesia

Summary

The goal of this crossover randomized clinical trial is to compare the acute effect on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) between isometric exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) and isometric exercise alone in adults undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. It is presumed that the addition of BFR to isometric exercises induces a greater effect in EIH.

Patients who agree to participate in this research will be randomly assigned to two intervention sequences (AB or BA), where intervention A (experimental) corresponds to isometric exercises with BFR, and intervention B (control) corresponds to isometric exercises alone. For one week, each participant attended two sessions, separated by a 72-hours wash-out period. The primary variables will be the pressure pain threshold (PPT) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Secondary variables will be the pain intensity and distribution, kinesiophobia, upper extremity disability, and quality of life. Results will be measured before intervention (T1, pre-intervention), immediate after intervention (T2, post-intervention 1) and 10 minutes after intervention (T3, post-intervention 2).

Conditions

• Rotator Cuff Injury
• Rotator Cuff Tear
• Rotator Cuff Repair

Interventions

OTHER

Isometric exercises

The three isometric exercises were performed without the addition of BFR following the best evidence recommendations. Each exercise was performed for 10 repetitions, with isometric contraction of 15 seconds followed by a rest period of 15 seconds, intensity with a load at 20-25% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), rest period after each exercise of 2 minutes, and pain level below 5 on the verbal Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS).

DEVICE

Isometric exercises with BFR

Participants will perform three isometric exercises with BFR. An auto-regulated portable BFRT SmartCuffs® 3.0 Pro system with a 17-inch long and 5-inch-wide cuff (Smart Tools Plus, United States), placed on the most proximal part of the arm, will be used. The session will begin with a maximal occlusion test to personalize the occlusion pressure to the participant. The limb occlusion pressure (LOP) will be set at 60% of the maximum occlusion pressure. Each exercise was performed for 10 repetitions, with isometric contraction of 15 seconds followed by a rest period of 15 seconds, intensity with a load at 20-25% of the MVIC, rest period after each exercise of 2 minutes with cuff deflated (reperfusion), and pain level below 5 on the NPRS.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Valencia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Felipe Ponce-Fuentes, MSc · Universidad Mayor

• Jose Casaña, PhD · University of Valencia

• Joaquin Calatayud, PhD · University of Valencia

• Filip Struyf, PhD · Universiteit Antwerpen

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-05-01

Primary Completion

2025-08-29

Completion

2025-09-30

Countries

• Chile

Study Locations