• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.393-401
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• 2020

Purpose: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in using blood flow-restricted exercise (BFRE) or KAATSU training. The KAATSU training method, which partially restricts arterial inflow and fully restricts venous outflow in the working musculature during exercise at reduced exercise intensities, has been proven to result in substantial increases in both muscle hypertrophy and strength. The purpose of this study was to investigate the proper level of pressure for KAATSU training using compound muscle action potential (CMAP) analysis. Methods: Twenty-two healthy adults voluntarily participated in this study. CMAP was conducted by measuring the terminal latency and amplitude using a motor nerve conduction velocity test. For reference-line, supramaximal electrical stimulation was applied to the median nerves of the participants to obtain CMAP for the abductor pollicis brevis. For baseline, the intensity of the electrical stimulation was decreased to a level at which the CMAP amplitude was about a third of the CMAP amplitude obtained by the supramaximal electrical stimulation. The pressure levels for the KAATSU were set as a systolic blood pressure (strong pressure), the median values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (intermediate pressure), and diastolic blood pressure (weak pressure). In the KAATSU condition, CMAP was performed under the same conditions as baseline after low-intensity thumb abduction exercises were performed at the subjects' own pace for one minute. Results: As the pressure increased, the CMAP amplitude was significantly increased, signifying that more muscle fibers were recruited. Conclusion: This study found that KAATSU training recruited more muscle fibers than low-intensity exercise without the restriction of blood flow.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.261-269
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to determined the converge effects of Kaatsu treatment on body compositions, physical fitness and dynamic and static balance during unmilled rice dumbbell exercise in older women. They are divided into three groups(Kaatsu treatment+exercise, n=12, non-Kaatsu treatment+exercise, n=11, Control, n=12). In this study, there were a no significant differences on body weight and lean body mass and body mass index between the group, but there was a significant differences on percent of body fat between the group(P<.001). There was a significant differences on left grip strength between the group, and significant differences on flexibility and agility after the unmilled rice dumbbell exercise training. There were a significant differences on the dynamic and static balance between the group after the unmilled rice dumbbell exercise training(respectively P<.001, P<.05).

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.447-454
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical effects of blood flow regulation exercise for improving patients' health care and its usefulness as a rehabilitation model for various diseases by analyzing and examining the existing literature. A literature review of Korean academic journals published over a 10-year period, from 2010 to 2019, was conducted using words such as "blood flow regulation," "blood flow restriction," "low-intensity exercise," and "Kaatsu." Kaatsu is a blood flow regulation exercise developed in 1966 by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato of Japan. It is an efficient and effective exercise method that uses blood flow regulation bands that increase the secretion of growth hormones to develop muscles within a short time, improves blood circulation and metabolism to prevent and improve adult diseases, shortens the rehabilitation period, and improves cardiovascular function. The study participants consisted of 10 patients, of whom four were elderly, four had obesity, one was a stroke patient, and one was a trauma patient. The results of this study show that the blood flow regulation exercise, which is a low-intensity exercise, has the same effect as high-intensity exercise, which supports the evidence that it is a highly efficient exercise method for muscle development and rehabilitation of the elderly, adolescents, and patients with injuries who have difficulty in general exercising. For future studies, further reviews are necessary to verify the effectiveness of the exercise method according to blood flow regulation site and type of disease.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Objectives: Exercise with partially restricted blood flow is a low-load, low-intensity resistance training regimen which may have the potential to increase muscle strength in the obese, elderly and frail who are unable to do high-load training. Restricted blood flow exercise has also been shown to affect blood vessel function variably and can, therefore, contribute to blood vessel dysfunction. This pilot study tests the hypothesis that unilateral resistance training of the leg extensors with partially restricted blood flow increases muscle strength and decreases vascular autoregulation. Methods: The subjects were nine normotensive, overweight, young adult African-Americans with low cardiorespiratory fitness who underwent unilateral training of the quadriceps' femoris muscles with partially restricted blood flow at 30% of the 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) load for 3 weeks. The 1-RM load and post-occlusion blood flow to the lower leg (calf) were measured during reactive hyperemia. Results: The 1-RM load increased in the trained legs from $77{\pm}3$ to $84{\pm}4 kg$ (P < 0.05) in the absence of a significant effect on the 1-RM load in the contralateral untrained legs (P > 0.1). Post-occlusion blood flow decreased significantly in the trained legs from $19{\pm}2$ to $13{\pm}2mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P < 0.05) and marginally in the contralateral untrained legs from $18{\pm}2$ to $16{\pm}1mL{\cdot}min^{-1}{\cdot}dL^{-1}$ (P = 0.09). Changes in post-occlusion blood flow to the skin overlying the trained and the contralateral untrained muscles were not significant. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that restricted blood flow exercise, which results in significant gains in muscle strength, may produce decrements in endothelial dysfunction and vascular autoregulation. Future studies should determine whether pharmacopuncture plays a role in treatments for such blood vessel dysfunction.