Cardiovascular Responses During Light-intensity Aerobic Exercise with Varying Levels of Limb Occlusion Pressures

William R Vanwye; Alyssa M Weatherholt; Lee J Winchester; Johnny G Owens; Micah Spears

Cardiovascular Responses During Light-intensity Aerobic Exercise with Varying Levels of Limb Occlusion Pressures

Int J Exerc Sci. 2023 May 1;16(2):676-687. eCollection 2023.

Authors

William R Vanwye¹, Alyssa M Weatherholt², Lee J Winchester³, Johnny G Owens⁴, Micah Spears⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Therapy, Florida Southern College, Lakeland, FL, USA.
² Department of Kinesiology and Sport, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN, USA.
³ Department of Kinesiology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.
⁴ Owens Recovery Science, San Antonio, TX, USA.
⁵ Department of Physical Therapy, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, USA.

PMID: 37622157
PMCID: PMC10446952

Abstract

The study aimed to assess cardiovascular responses to low-intensity aerobic exercise with varying levels of limb occlusion pressures (LOP) in a healthy population of men and women 30 to 60 years. The study was a single-session repeated measures design. Thirty individuals completed the study. All subjects participated in a single bout of low-intensity cycling (30-39% HRR) with bilateral lower extremity (LE) BFR for four 5-minute stages [0% (No BFR), 40%, 60%, and 80% LOP] with a 2-minute active rest between stages (BFR pressure released). The subjects' systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured at rest, peak, immediately post, post-15 minutes, and post-30 minutes. Peak SBP (no BFR 160.7 ±19.1 mmHg; 40% LOP 173.6 ± 18.7 mmHg; 60 % LOP; 182.5 ± 21.1 mmHg; 80% LOP 193.5± 23.3 mmHg ; p<0.001; $η_{P}^{2} = .747$ ), DBP (no BFR 74.9 ± 8.5 mmHg; 40% LOP (83.0 ± 9.0 mmHg;60 % LOP 90.4 ± 8.7 mmHg; 80% LOP 97.7 ± 9.5 mmHg ;p<0.001; $η_{P}^{2} = .924$ ), MAP (no BFR 103.5 ± 10.1 mmHg; 40% LOP 113.2 ± 10.5 mmHg; 60% LOP 121.1 ± 11.7 mmHg; 80% LOP 129.7 ± 12.9 mmHg; p<0.001; $η_{P}^{2} = .960$ ), and RPE (No BFR 10.0 ± 2.0; 40 % LOP 11.5 ± 2.3; 60% LOP 13.2 ± 2.6; 80% LOP 14.5 ± 3.; p<0.001; $η_{P}^{2} = .826$ ) were significantly higher with each progressing stage. The results indicate that low-intensity cycling with bilateral LE BFR for each LOP stage resulted in elevated SBP, DBP, MAP, and RPE despite maintaining a fixed HR.

Keywords: Cycling; blood pressure; cardiovascular; electrocardiogram; endurance; exercise pressure reflex.