The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series
# Background Traumatic shoulder instability is a common injury in athletes and military personnel. Surgical stabilization reduces recurrence, but athletes often return to sport before recovering upper extremity rotational strength and sport-specific abilities. Blood flow restriction (BFR) may stimu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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North American Sports Medicine Institute
2022-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.37865 |
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| author | John H. McGinniss John S. Mason Jamie B. Morris Will Pitt Erin M. Miller Michael S. Crowell |
| author_facet | John H. McGinniss John S. Mason Jamie B. Morris Will Pitt Erin M. Miller Michael S. Crowell |
| author_sort | John H. McGinniss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | # Background
Traumatic shoulder instability is a common injury in athletes and military personnel. Surgical stabilization reduces recurrence, but athletes often return to sport before recovering upper extremity rotational strength and sport-specific abilities. Blood flow restriction (BFR) may stimulate muscle growth without the need for heavy resistance training post-surgically.
# Hypothesis/Purpose
To observe changes in shoulder strength, self-reported function, upper extremity performance, and range of motion (ROM) in military cadets recovering from shoulder stabilization surgery who completed a standard rehabilitation program with six weeks of BFR training.
# Study Design
Prospective case series
# Methods
Military cadets who underwent shoulder stabilization surgery completed six weeks of upper extremity BFR training, beginning post-op week six. Primary outcomes were shoulder isometric strength and patient-reported function assessed at 6-weeks, 12-weeks, and 6-months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included shoulder ROM assessed at each timepoint and the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), the Upper Extremity Y-Balance Test (UQYBT), and the Unilateral Seated Shotput Test (USPT) assessed at the six-month follow-up.
# Results
Twenty cadets performed an average 10.9 BFR training sessions over six weeks. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful increases in surgical extremity external rotation strength (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, .049; 95% CI: .021, .077), abduction strength (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, .079; 95% CI: .050, .108), and internal rotation strength (*p \<* 0.001; mean difference, .060; CI: .028, .093) occurred from six to 12 weeks postoperatively. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements were reported on the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, 17.7; CI: 9.4, 25.9) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, -31.1; CI: -44.2, -18.0) from six to 12 weeks postoperatively. Additionally, over 70 percent of participants met reference values on two to three performance tests at 6-months.
# Conclusion
While the degree of improvement attributable to the addition of BFR is unknown, the clinically meaningful improvements in shoulder strength, self-reported function, and upper extremity performance warrant further exploration of BFR during upper extremity rehabilitation.
# Level of Evidence
4, Case Series |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8a5ad4e0a10a49b8a7a9e55d1f97f29f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2159-2896 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | North American Sports Medicine Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-8a5ad4e0a10a49b8a7a9e55d1f97f29f2025-02-11T20:27:55ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962022-10-01176The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case SeriesJohn H. McGinnissJohn S. MasonJamie B. MorrisWill PittErin M. MillerMichael S. Crowell# Background Traumatic shoulder instability is a common injury in athletes and military personnel. Surgical stabilization reduces recurrence, but athletes often return to sport before recovering upper extremity rotational strength and sport-specific abilities. Blood flow restriction (BFR) may stimulate muscle growth without the need for heavy resistance training post-surgically. # Hypothesis/Purpose To observe changes in shoulder strength, self-reported function, upper extremity performance, and range of motion (ROM) in military cadets recovering from shoulder stabilization surgery who completed a standard rehabilitation program with six weeks of BFR training. # Study Design Prospective case series # Methods Military cadets who underwent shoulder stabilization surgery completed six weeks of upper extremity BFR training, beginning post-op week six. Primary outcomes were shoulder isometric strength and patient-reported function assessed at 6-weeks, 12-weeks, and 6-months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included shoulder ROM assessed at each timepoint and the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), the Upper Extremity Y-Balance Test (UQYBT), and the Unilateral Seated Shotput Test (USPT) assessed at the six-month follow-up. # Results Twenty cadets performed an average 10.9 BFR training sessions over six weeks. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful increases in surgical extremity external rotation strength (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, .049; 95% CI: .021, .077), abduction strength (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, .079; 95% CI: .050, .108), and internal rotation strength (*p \<* 0.001; mean difference, .060; CI: .028, .093) occurred from six to 12 weeks postoperatively. Statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements were reported on the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, 17.7; CI: 9.4, 25.9) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (*p* \< 0.001; mean difference, -31.1; CI: -44.2, -18.0) from six to 12 weeks postoperatively. Additionally, over 70 percent of participants met reference values on two to three performance tests at 6-months. # Conclusion While the degree of improvement attributable to the addition of BFR is unknown, the clinically meaningful improvements in shoulder strength, self-reported function, and upper extremity performance warrant further exploration of BFR during upper extremity rehabilitation. # Level of Evidence 4, Case Serieshttps://doi.org/10.26603/001c.37865 |
| spellingShingle | John H. McGinniss John S. Mason Jamie B. Morris Will Pitt Erin M. Miller Michael S. Crowell The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| title | The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series |
| title_full | The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series |
| title_short | The Effect of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy on Shoulder Function Following Shoulder Stabilization Surgery: A Case Series |
| title_sort | effect of blood flow restriction therapy on shoulder function following shoulder stabilization surgery a case series |
| url | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.37865 |
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