By Dr. Owen Johnston, Advanced Physical Therapy & Wellness – Sorrento Valley, San Diego
At Advanced Physical Therapy & Wellness in Sorrento Valley, we’re always looking for innovative ways to help our patients recover faster, get stronger, and stay active. One of the tools we love using is Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training - a powerful and research-backed technique that allows patients to build strength and endurance without overloading their joints or tendons.
“Why blood flow restriction?” It’s a question I get a lot — and it’s a great one.
BFR works by gently constricting blood flow while you exercise. “When it constricts the blood flow and you start exercising and using the muscles, more lactic acid starts building up quicker,” explains Dr. Johnston. “It puts the muscle into an anaerobic state, which forces the person to fire the fast twitch fibers, the medium twitch fibers, and the slow twitch fibers — even at lighter weights.”
In other words, you can get the benefits of a challenging workout — strength, muscle growth, and endurance — without needing to lift heavy or risk joint irritation.
BFR helps people:
“It also sends a little spurt of growth hormone with the flushing of the blood forwards and backwards,” says Dr. Johnston, “helping promote recovery and muscle growth.”
BFR can be used in a wide range of situations — from rehabilitation to performance training.
“It’s good for people recovering from any injury, particularly those with tendinitis or joint issues,” says Dr. Johnston. “It’s also great for people who love lifting heavy but their muscles or joints can’t tolerate that load — like CrossFitters, bodybuilders, or anyone who wants to maintain or improve their gains without overdoing it.”
And it’s not just for active adults or athletes. “Even without exercise, just inflating and releasing the blood flow restriction creates a flushing effect that increases cellular growth in the muscle tissue,” making it valuable before or after surgery to help preserve muscle mass and speed recovery.
In short, blood flow restriction training helps people recover, grow stronger, and stay active - all while being gentle on the body.
At Advanced Physical Therapy & Wellness, our team uses BFR as part of personalized treatment plans to help you get back to doing the activities you love — stronger and faster than before.