Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Lower Extremity Strength, Power, and Athletic Performance: A Scoping Review

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is increasingly being utilized as an alternative or supplement to traditional training methods to enhance performance adaptations while minimizing mechanical stress.The goal of BFR training is to reduce venous outflow while maintaining partial arterial inflow to the working muscle.This scoping review examines the relationship between BFR exercise modalities and lower extremity outputs such as strength, power, and explosive measures.A scoping review of 25 articles from the PubMed and ProQuest databases evaluated the effects of BFR on strength and hypertrophy, explosiveness, endurance/aerobic/sports-specific outcomes, and neuromuscular/vascular responses in athletic, healthy, and clinical populations.44 of 77 reports sought for retrieval were not retrieved, limiting comprehensiveness of findings.Current findings indicate that BFR combined with low-load resistance training consistently improves lower extremity strength and muscle hypertrophy compared with low-load or non-BFR training in diverse populations.Effects are less consistent in some conditions, as published BFR research has not shown improved outcomes over rehabilitation approaches or prevented muscle loss during inactivity.BFR-based protocols may enhance post-activation enhancement, increase muscle activation and metabolic stress, and improve aerobic capacity, aerobic performance, and agility.However, its effects on maximal sprint performance and vascular responses remain inconsistent, with outcomes having high variation due to different pressure methods.Overall, the available literature suggests that BFR has been investigated across a broad range of lower extremity outcomes, with improvements more consistently reported for strength and hypertrophy, while findings for explosive performance, endurance, and vascular outcomes remain variable.