Is Low-load Resistance Training With Blood Flow Restriction More Effective Than Traditional Rehabilitation of Military Personnel With Lower Limb Injuries

NCT ID: NCT06621953

Last Updated: 2025-04-23

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 26 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-06-30
• Study Completion Date: 2026-06-30

Brief Summary

Pain can be one of the primary limiting factors to progress following musculoskeletal injury and may be caused by trauma or degenerative changes. There are few exercise rehabilitation interventions able to relieve pain, thereby reducing the number of military personnel fit for operations. Low load blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise has been shown to elicit an analgesic response and promote beneficial physiological changes in a variety of clinical populations.

This two phase study, aims to:

• Determine the most effective and feasible BFR resistance exercise protocol for reducing pain in UK military patients.
• Determine the efficacy of an optimal BFR exercise protocol for reducing pain and improving rehabilitation outcomes in UK military patients.
• Identify key physiological mechanisms underpinning any beneficial effect of BFR exercise on pain.

Consequently, results from this study will have direct clinical application and will aid best practice guidelines for the management of pain across Defence Rehabilitation by influencing the future rehabilitation paradigm. The investigators believe the results and impact will be far reaching, providing invaluable insight and knowledge to the clinical and scientific community to not only those embedded within Defence Rehabilitaion, but also those working in civilian sector organisations and professional sport also.

Conditions

Pain; Persistent Pain; Musculoskeletal Pain

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

BFR

The intervention involves placing a pneumatic tourniquet system over the proximal thigh. The cuff will be inflated to either 40% or 80% of limb occlusion pressure during lower limb strengthening exercises, as determined by Phase One (2318/MODREC/24a). These exercises include leg press and knee extensor exercises. Four sets (30,15,15,15 repetitions) performed at 20% of one repetition maximum.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

BFR

Intervention Type: DEVICE

The intervention involves placing a pneumatic tourniquet system over the proximal thigh. The cuff is inflated to either 80% or 40% of limb occlusion pressure during lower limb strengthening exercises, as determined by Phase One (2318/MODREC/24a). These exercises include leg press and knee extensor exercises. Four sets (30,15,15,15 repetitions) performed at 20% of one repetition maximum in Week 1, 25% in Week 2 and 30% in Week 3.

Control

Standard residential rehabilitation consists of; (1) exercise-based therapy delivered in group settings and individually to address a variety of physical components relating to their pathology (e.g., balance and co-ordination, cardiovascular endurance, mobility and flexibility, motor control and dynamic stability, and muscular strength), (2) patient education sessions (e.g., activity modification, behavioural change, and focusing on pain management), and (3) one-on-one support sessions (e.g., dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, prosthesis/orthosis specialists, social workers, and speech and language therapists).

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

control group

Intervention Type: OTHER

Standard residential rehabilitation consists of; (1) exercise-based therapy delivered in group settings and individually to address a variety of physical components relating to their pathology (e.g., balance and co-ordination, cardiovascular endurance, mobility and flexibility, motor control and dynamic stability, and muscular strength), (2) patient education sessions (e.g., activity modification, behavioural change, and focusing on pain management), and (3) one-on-one support sessions (e.g., dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, prosthesis/orthosis specialists, social workers, and speech and language therapists).

Interventions

BFR

The intervention involves placing a pneumatic tourniquet system over the proximal thigh. The cuff is inflated to either 80% or 40% of limb occlusion pressure during lower limb strengthening exercises, as determined by Phase One (2318/MODREC/24a). These exercises include leg press and knee extensor exercises. Four sets (30,15,15,15 repetitions) performed at 20% of one repetition maximum in Week 1, 25% in Week 2 and 30% in Week 3.

Intervention Type: DEVICE

control group

Standard residential rehabilitation consists of; (1) exercise-based therapy delivered in group settings and individually to address a variety of physical components relating to their pathology (e.g., balance and co-ordination, cardiovascular endurance, mobility and flexibility, motor control and dynamic stability, and muscular strength), (2) patient education sessions (e.g., activity modification, behavioural change, and focusing on pain management), and (3) one-on-one support sessions (e.g., dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, prosthesis/orthosis specialists, social workers, and speech and language therapists).

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

blood flow restriction training; occlusion training

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Serving UK military personnel,
• Aged 18-55,
• Has unilateral lower limb injury whereby pain is the primary limiting factor hindering progression, as diagnosed by relevant consultant and team,
• Reduced occupational employability and function,
• Scheduled to attend DMRC Stanford Hall for 3 week residential rehabilitation course.

Exclusion Criteria

• Any medical contraindication related to BFR*
• Non-musculoskeletal or serious pathological condition (i.e. Inflammatory arthropathy, infection or tumour)
• Spinal or referred pain from non-local pain source
• Any pre-diagnosed physical impairment or co-morbidities (including cardio-vascular disease) precluding the safe participation in the rehabilitation programme and/or assessment procedures
• Corticosteroid or analgesic injection intervention to the affected area within the previous 7 days
• Currently pregnant, or have not yet completed a return to work assessment following the birth of your child.

• History of cardiovascular disease (hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, thrombosis/embolism, ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infarction),
• History of the following musculoskeletal disorders: rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis, severe osteoarthritis
• History of the following neurological disorders: Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, severe traumatic brain injury,
• Varicose veins in the lower limb,
• Acute viral or bacterial upper or lower respiratory infection at screening, Known or suspected lower limb chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) (tourniquet raises intra-compartmental muscle pressure),
• Surgical insertion of metal components at the position of cuff inflation,
• History of any of the following conditions or disorders not previously listed:

diabetes, active cancer,

• History of elevated risk of unexplained fainting or dizzy spells during physical activity and/or exercise that causes loss of balance,
• Increased risk of haemorrhagic stroke, exercise induced rhabdomyolysis,
• Currently pregnant.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Northumbria University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, UK

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Peter Ladlow

Exercise Physiology Lead for UK Defence Rehabilitation

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Peter Ladlow, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, UK

Locations

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall

Loughborough, , United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Central Contacts

Peter Ladlow, PhD

Role: CONTACT

peter.ladlow100@mod.gov.uk

+44 1509 251 500 ext. 3407

Luke Hughes, PhD

Role: CONTACT

luke4.hughes@northumbria.ac.uk

Facility Contacts

Peter Ladlow, PhD

Role: primary

peter.ladlow100@mod.gov.uk

+44 1509 251 500 ext. 3407

References

Gray L, Coppack RJ, Barker-Davies R, Cassidy RP, Bennett AN, Caplan N, Atkinson G, Bradshaw L, Chauhan J, Lunt KM, Hughes L, Ladlow P. Efficacy and acceptability of different blood flow restriction training interventions during the rehabilitation of military personnel with lower limb musculoskeletal injuries: protocol for a two-phase randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2025 May 26;15(5):e096643. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-096643.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 40425246 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2318/MODREC/24b

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id