Bilateral muscle strength symmetry and performance are improved following walk training with restricted blood flow in an elite paralympic sprint runner: Case study.
OBJECTIVE
Investigate the influence of 4 weeks of walk training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle strength, metabolic responses, 100-m and 400-m performances in an athlete with cerebral palsy.


METHODS
An elite Paralympic sprinter (20 years, 176 cm, 64.8 kg) who presented with moderate hemiplegic cerebral palsy (right side impaired) completed four visits before and after 4 weeks of the BFR training: 1) anthropometric measurements, familiarization of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and an incremental test; 2) MVC measurements; 3) 400-m performance, and 4) 100-m performance. The walk training with BFR consisted of four bouts of 5 min at 40% of maximal aerobic speed with 1 min of passive rest with complete reperfusion.


RESULTS
All performance times were lower with training (100-m: 1%; 400-m: 10%), accompanied by adaptations in aerobic variables (V˙O2max: 6%; OBLA: 24%) and running economy (9-10%). Lactic acid energy metabolism was reduced (25-27%), even in the presence of a higher lactate efflux from the previously active muscles after training. MVC (right leg: 19%; left leg: 9%) increased in both legs unevenly, decreasing the muscle strength asymmetry between limbs.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that cardiovascular and neuromuscular adaptations can be simultaneously induced following BFR training in a paralympic sprinter.
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil. Electronic address: amadeofelixsalvador@gmail.com.
Amadeo Félix
AF
Salvador
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Karla Rochana
KR
Schubert
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Rogério Santos de Oliveira
RS
Cruz
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Rogério Bulhões
RB
Corvino
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Kayo Leonardo
KL
Pereira
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Fabrizio
F
Caputo
Human Performance Research Group, Center for Health and Sport Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Mariana Fernandes Mendes
MF
de Oliveira
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D019415:Torque; D055815:Young Adult
D019344:Lactic Acid
Cerebral palsy; Lactate removal ability; Rate of force development; Running economy