ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2013 November;172(11):877-85

Copyright © 2013 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Acute effect of strength training with blood flow occlusion in parameter related to muscle damage

Letieri R. V. ^{1, 2}, Figueiredo A. ¹, Furtado G. E. ¹, Letieri M. ³, Ribeiro Bandeira P. F. ², Carvalho Nobre G. ², Neco De Souza Filho A. ²

¹ Faculty of Sport Science and Physical Education University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; ² Regional University of Cariri – URCA Iguatu, Ceará, Brazil; ³ UNIFEG, Guaxupé, Brazil

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate serum CK activity after a single session of resistance training with and without vascular occlusion.
Methods: The groups were defined as high intensity without vascular occlusion (HI, N.=6), low intensity without vascular occlusion (LI, N.=6) and low-intensity with vascular occlusion (LIVO, N.=6). The training was performed with intensities corresponding to 20% 1RM (LIVO and LIVO groups) and 80% 1RM for AISOV group exercised in bilateral elbow extension. For subjects in the group LIVO, a sphygmomanometer was placed in the distal arm and inflated to a pressure corresponding to 130% of systolic blood pressure and maintained throughout all training session.
Results: There was no statistical difference in CK before and immediately after training between groups, statistical difference after 24 hours (P<0.05) and 48 hours (P<0.05) in favor of the group HI toward the group LI. The perception of muscle pain and discomfort was also checked and showed that individuals who had higher CK were also those with greater muscle pain.
Conclusion: In the present study it was evident that the high intensity produces higher levels of CK, especially in the exercise without occlusion, but occlusion produces relatively high intensity workout with less muscle damage. However, it is clear that it is extremely important to analyze the behavior of more variables in an attempt to express conclusive data on the muscle damage induced by strength training.