The Influences of Single Chamber vs. Multi-chamber Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs on Post-exercise Arterial Stiffness, Perceptual Responses and Performance

Thirty adults aged 18-40 years old will undergo three treatment sessions (control (no BFR), SC BFR, and MC BFR) in a randomized order separated by one week. A familiarization session will also occur one week before starting the treatment period. Each subject will undergo a series of tests including anthropometry, ultrasonography of the carotid artery, applanation tonometry, ultrasonography of the vastus lateralis, blood pressure acquisition, body composition, and maximal strength assessments (1RM). The exercise trial will consist of sets of dumbbell wall squats performed to failure with a 2-seconds concentric and 2-seconds eccentric cadence, at 20% of their 1RM using 60% of the supine limb occlusion pressure (LOP) with 1-minute rest intervals. Assessments will be performed immediately before and after the exercise bout during each treatment session. Two-way ANOVAs will be used to examine the main effects of treatment and treatment-order interaction on pulse wave velocity, muscle cross-sectional area, and perceptual response.