Blood flow restriction combined with resistance training may be an economic and time-efficient alternative to High-Intensity Training to manage the risk factors of stroke and can also be useful in reducing stroke-related impairment effectively. During BFRT, the blood flow of the exercising muscle is restricted by placing the inflated tourniquets at the most proximal part of the legs or arms. By restricting the blood flow to the limbs, the desired muscle group will work in an ischemic environment and can trigger a significant increase in muscle mass, power, and strength by recruiting the fast-twitch muscle fibers. BFRT could be a promising type of exercise for high-risk groups of patients such as Cardiovascular disease, stroke, etc, and the hypertrophy responses induced by is comparable to that produced by high-intensity training. It was found that BFRT and high-intensity training produced similar effects on both systolic, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) in young individuals and older adults. Previous evidence from neurological studies showed that resistance combined with blood flow restriction can improve muscle strength, balance, walking capacity, and cognitive function in Multiple Sclerosis and spinal cord injury patients. Recent study showed that BFR combined with resistance training has improved brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and rate of perceived exertion in ischemic stroke patients. Kaatsu training society also reported a few cases in which BFRT has produced a positive effect on the recovery of stroke patients, but the evidence is insufficient to support this assertion.
Stroke is the leading neurological disease in the world that causes long-term disability. The most common cause of disability after stroke is motor impairment resulting from brain damage which ultimately causes mobility and functional limitation. Worldwide, the incidence of stroke has been increased by 30% in the last decade. In Europe, more than one million cases have been reported each year and six million stroke survivors are known to be alive till now. The annual estimated cause of stroke treatment in Europe is twenty-seven billion Euros. By 2030, it is estimated that the cost of stroke treatment will be triple the current amount and can reach up to 184 billion dollars. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an economical rehabilitation program that prevents or reduces long-term disability after stroke.