Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Training on Lower Limb Function in Patients with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Li Yongxue
Xu Xueliang
Xu Chuanwei
Zhang Ming
Abstract：Objective To investigate the effect of blood flow restriction training(BFRT)on lower limb function in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury.Methods A prospective analysis was conducted on 80 patients with incomplete spinal cord injury treated at Lianyungang hospital of traditional Chinaese medicine from August 2022 to Decement 2024,including 56 males and 24 females,aged 18 to 78 years[mean(54.40±14.08)years].They were randomly divided into a control group(27 cases),experimental group A(26 cases)and experimental group B(27 cases).All subjects in the three groups received routine symptomatic support treatment,rehabilitation treatment and basic rehabilitation nursing.On this basis,the control group was given routine muscle strength training of both lower limbs;experimental group A and experimental group B were applied with BFRT on the basis of the control group,among which the application frequency of BFRT in experimental group A was 2 times/week,and that in experimental group B was 4 times/week.The key muscle strength of both lower limbs,modified Barthel index,muscle thickness of rectus femoris,muscle thickness of tibialis anterior,as well as the latency and amplitude of motor evoked potential(MEP)of tibialis anterior were compared among the three groups before treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment.Results Compared with before treatment,the key muscle strength of both lower limbs,modified Barthel index,muscle thickness of rectus femoris and tibialis anterior of the three groups were significantly improved after treatment(P＜0.05);the latency of tibialis anterior MEP was significantly decreased,and the amplitude was significantly increased(P＜0.05).After treatment,the key muscle strength of both lower limbs,modified Barthel index,muscle thickness of rectus femoris and tibialis anterior,as well as the latency and amplitude of tibialis anterior MEP in experimental group A and experimental group B were all superior to those in the control group(P＜0.05).There were no statistically significant differences in the key muscle strength of both lower limbs,modified Barthel index,muscle thickness of tibialis anterior,and the latency and amplitude of tibialis anterior MEP between experimental group A and experimental group B(P＞0.05);the muscle thickness of rectus femoris in experimental group B was superior to that in experimental group A(P＜0.05).Conclusion BFRT can improve the motor function and muscle thickness of both lower limbs,as well as the neurological function and activities of daily living in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury.
Keywords：blood flow restriction trainingincomplete spinal cord injurymuscle thicknessmotor evoked potential
Publication Date：2026-01-25
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-04(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：7( 20-25,30 )