Electromyographic Response to Blood Flow Restriction Exercise in Healthy Adults

NCT07654608 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 13
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated the immediate neuromuscular response to low-load knee extension exercise performed with and without blood flow restriction in healthy young adults. Blood flow restriction is a training method in which a pressure cuff is applied to the upper part of a limb to partially reduce blood flow during exercise. In this study, each participant completed the same knee extension exercise protocol under two conditions: with blood flow restriction and without blood flow restriction. The blood flow restriction pressure was individualized according to each participant's arterial occlusion pressure. Surface electromyography was used to record the activity of the vastus lateralis muscle during the exercise protocol. Muscle activation was mainly assessed using the root mean square amplitude normalized to a maximal voluntary isometric contraction measured before exercise. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction was also recorded before and after the protocol to explore immediate changes in maximal muscle activation. The study was conducted in healthy adults and aimed to compare the electromyographic response between the blood flow restriction and non-restriction conditions during a standardized low-load exercise task.

Conditions

Electromyographic Response to Blood Flow Restriction Exercise in Healthy Adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Vastus Lateralis Electromyographic Amplitude Normalized to Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction

  Surface electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis was assessed during the low-load knee extension exercise protocol. The root mean square amplitude was normalized to the maximal voluntary isometric contraction recorded before exercise and expressed as percentage of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Measurements were extracted at predefined time points across the four exercise sets in both experimental conditions.

  During the exercise protocol, within a single experimental session.

Study Arms (2)

Low-load knee extension exercise with blood flow restriction

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants performed a low-load knee extension exercise protocol with blood flow restriction applied to the proximal thigh. The blood flow restriction pressure was individualized and set at 80% of the participant's arterial occlusion pressure. Surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis was recorded throughout the exercise protocol.

Other: Low-load knee extension exercise with blood flow restriction

Low-load knee extension exercise without blood flow restriction

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants performed the same low-load knee extension exercise protocol without blood flow restriction. Surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis was recorded throughout the exercise protocol.

Other: Low-load knee extension exercise without blood flow restriction

Interventions

Low-load knee extension exercise with blood flow restriction OTHER

Participants completed a low-load knee extension exercise protocol consisting of 75 repetitions distributed across four sets: 30, 15, 15, and 15 repetitions. During this condition, a pressure cuff was placed on the proximal thigh and inflated to 80% of the participant's individualized arterial occlusion pressure. Surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis was recorded continuously during the protocol.

Low-load knee extension exercise with blood flow restriction

Low-load knee extension exercise without blood flow restriction OTHER

Participants completed the same low-load knee extension exercise protocol consisting of 75 repetitions distributed across four sets: 30, 15, 15, and 15 repetitions, without application of blood flow restriction. Surface electromyography of the vastus lateralis was recorded continuously during the protocol.

Low-load knee extension exercise without blood flow restriction

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older. Healthy adults. Absence of active pain or musculoskeletal injury in the lower limbs at the time of assessment.
• Ability to understand the study procedures. Voluntary agreement to participate and provision of written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• History of neuromuscular disease. History of cardiovascular disease. History of peripheral vascular disease. History of thromboembolic events. Uncontrolled hypertension. Skin lesions or skin conditions preventing placement of the blood flow restriction cuff or surface electromyography electrodes.
• Recent lower limb surgery. Pregnancy. Any other contraindication to blood flow restriction exercise.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad de Extremadura: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Extremadura

Badajoz, Badajoz, 06006, Spain

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 12, 2026
• First Posted: June 17, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 15, 2026
• Study Completion: April 15, 2026
• Last Updated: June 17, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Locations

ES (1)