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Published (Version of Record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Bilateral blood flow restriction of the legs worsens acute walking balance of older adults – a full factorial randomised experiment
Gait & posture, Vol.124, 110022
2026
PMID: 41187574
Abstract
Background
Multiple sessions of walking with blood flow restriction (BFR) of the legs can improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and hypertrophy in older adults. However, it is unclear whether BFR impairs walking balance acutely, potentially increasing falls risk during BFR training for this at-risk population.
Research Question
Does bilateral BFR of the legs acutely worsen walking balance of older adults?
Methods
Ten older adults (mean age: 73, SD: 3 y) walked for 10 min on a treadmill at 50 %, 60 % and 70 % of their fast walking speed, with 10 cm-wide cuffs on the proximal thigh of both legs inflated to 0 % (no cuff), 40 % or 60 % of arterial occlusion pressure. We measured four characteristics of walking balance which were selected a priori and combined into a gait quality index predictive of future falls in older adults: autocorrelation of vertical accelerations; magnitude and harmonicity of sideways accelerations; and magnitude of the dominant period of forwards accelerations.
Results
Walking balance worsened with BFR, independent of walking speed, for all outcomes except the magnitude of the dominant period of forwards accelerations, with worse balance observed with increasing cuff pressure. Compared to no BFR, gait quality declined 12 % when walking with 50 % occlusion and declined 20 % with 60 % occlusion (p < 0.001).
Significance
Our findings suggest that BFR results in poorer acute walking balance, with a dose-response relationship for cuff pressure. Supervised walking trials are warranted to further assess the safety of BFR training in community settings and whether these balance-related changes may stimulate beneficial chronic balance adaptations.
Details
- Title
- Bilateral blood flow restriction of the legs worsens acute walking balance of older adults – a full factorial randomised experiment
- Authors/Creators
- Brook Galna - PHysical Activity, Sport and Exercise (PHASE) Research Group, School of Allied Health (Exercise Science), Murdoch University, Western Australia, AustraliaKieran J. Marston - The University of Notre Dame AustraliaMorteza Ghayomzadeh - School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaPaul S.R. Goods - PHysical Activity, Sport and Exercise (PHASE) Research Group, School of Allied Health (Exercise Science), Murdoch University, Western Australia, AustraliaKeith D. Hill - Monash UniversityJeremiah J. Peiffer - Murdoch UniversityBrendan R. Scott - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Gait & posture, Vol.124, 110022
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V.; CLARE
- Number of pages
- 5
- Identifiers
- 991005828144707891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Authors
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch Applied Sports Science Laboratory; Research and Innovation Office; Centre for Healthy Ageing; School of Allied Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.82 Gait & Posture
- 1.82.263 Gait and Balance
- Web Of Science research areas
- Neurosciences
- Orthopedics
- Sport Sciences
- ESI research areas
- Clinical Medicine