Ren Meiling, Xian Guangshen, Tan Xiangchao, Sun Shaocheng, Zhang Ming
China Volleyball College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Front Physiol. 2025 Apr 28;16:1587876. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1587876. eCollection 2025.
Older adults are experiencing a gradual decline in physical function as they age. Previous studies have shown that blood flow restriction (BFR) combined with low-intensity training can improve muscle strength and maintain cardiovascular fitness in older adults. However, it remains unclear which training regimen is the most effective. This study aims to investigate the effects of different BFR regimens combined with low-intensity training on muscle strength and cardiovascular safety in older adults.
PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and CNKI were searched up to March 2025 to select eligible studies. The randomized controlled trials that explored the effects of BFR training on muscle strength and cardiovascular safety in older adults were included.
A total of 18 studies with 626 participants were included. The results of this network meta-analysis showed that: 1) in terms of improving muscle strength: compared to the controls, low-frequency, low-pressure, and low-intensity BFR training regimen was significantly related to one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength [weighted mean difference (WMD) = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.81-1.08 < 0.05]. Moreover, high-frequency, high-pressure, and low-intensity BFR training was associated with increased muscle cross-sectional area [WMD = 0.50,95% CI (-0.10,1.11), > 0.05] and isometric muscle strength [WMD = 1.44,95% CI (0.75,2.12), < 0.05]; 2) in terms of cardiovascular health: compared to the controls, BFR training regimens at different pressures and frequencies were not linked to changes in heart rate in older adults ( > 0.05). Moreover, low-frequency, low-pressure, and low-intensity BFR training regimen was associated with increased systolic blood pressure [WMD = 3.40, 95%CI (0.61,6.19), < 0.05] and diastolic blood pressure [WMD = 13.40, 95%CI (8.96,17.84), < 0.05] in older adults.
Based on the results, high-frequency, high-pressure, and low-intensity BFR training may serve as the optimal regimen to improve muscle strength and maintain cardiovascular fitness in older adults. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, and protocol CRD42024534387.
随着年龄增长，老年人的身体机能逐渐下降。先前的研究表明，血流限制（BFR）与低强度训练相结合可以提高老年人的肌肉力量并维持心血管健康。然而，哪种训练方案最有效仍不清楚。本研究旨在探讨不同的BFR方案与低强度训练相结合对老年人肌肉力量和心血管安全性的影响。
检索截至2025年3月的PubMed、Web of Science、Embase、Cochrane图书馆、Scopus、EBSCOhost和中国知网，以选择符合条件的研究。纳入探讨BFR训练对老年人肌肉力量和心血管安全性影响的随机对照试验。
共纳入18项研究，626名参与者。该网络荟萃分析的结果表明：1）在提高肌肉力量方面：与对照组相比，低频、低压和低强度BFR训练方案与一次重复最大重量（1RM）力量显著相关[加权平均差（WMD）=0.58，95%可信区间：0.81 - 1.08 ＜0.05]。此外，高频、高压和低强度BFR训练与肌肉横截面积增加[WMD = 0.50，95%可信区间（-0.10，1.11），＞0.05]和等长肌肉力量增加[WMD = 1.44，95%可信区间（0.75，2.12），＜0.05]相关；2）在心血管健康方面：与对照组相比，不同压力和频率的BFR训练方案与老年人心率变化无关（＞0.05）。此外，低频、低压和低强度BFR训练方案与老年人收缩压升高[WMD = 3.40，95%可信区间（0.61，6.19），＜0.05]和舒张压升高[WMD = 13.40，95%可信区间（8.96，17.84），＜0.05]相关。
基于研究结果，高频、高压和低强度BFR训练可能是提高老年人肌肉力量和维持心血管健康的最佳方案。https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/，方案编号CRD42024534387。
