(425) 512-8695

Owen’s Recovery Personalized Blood Flow Restriction

Jan 11, 2021 | Performance Physical Therapy, Sports Performance Training, Sports Physical Therapy Education, Tactical Performance Training, Work Conditioning, Work Hardening

owens recovery blood flow restriction

Owen’s Recovery Personalized Blood Flow Restriction (PBFR) program has been used for many people around the world. From elite athletes, military personnel, elderly people, and everyone in between; PBFR therapy is a great addition to your post-injury recovery plan and can get you back into your life and into the game quicker.

 

What is PBFR?

Owen’s Recovery Partial Blood Flow Restriction is a series of exercises and activities you do while blood flow to your injury is being restricted. The exercises can last anywhere from 6-30 minutes and focus on muscle and strength building in the affected limb. 

 

PBFR is accomplished using a surgical grade tourniquet applied above the injury. For example, if your knee was injured, the tourniquet would be placed on your thigh. Next, trained practitioners will tighten the tourniquet the correct and specific amount associated with your injury to achieve partial blood flow restriction that is safe and effective for muscle activation and growth.

 

After the tourniquet is set up you will begin completing specific exercises to strengthen the affected limb. These exercises will be instructed and monitored by a trained practitioner. You may do the exercises with no additional weight or very light weights to gently increase the load on your muscles, which in turn increases the strength and recovery of your body. 

What Can I Gain Using PBFR Therapy?

  • Research has shown that it can greatly increase muscle tone, muscular endurance, and muscle activation without the difficulty of high-load exercises.
  • Can shorten time waiting to start therapy after surgery or injury because of using no or very light weights with prescribed exercises.
  • Can lessen overall time spent in therapy getting you back into the game or back to your daily activities quicker.

 

What are Some At-Home Options for PBFR Therapy?

If you have tried blood flow restriction therapy before or at Engineered Sports and decide you want to make the investment in an at-home kit, there are many options on the market to choose from. Personal BFR bands are a great option to increase your strength and muscular endurance but without the need for large, heavy weights that get in the way and can be difficult to use.

 

 Below are two options we recommend to take your recovery and fitness to the next level.

 

  • B Strong BFR Bands– With the ability to buy arm and leg-only sets you can target the muscles you want to grow while keeping the equipment minimal. The kit comes with all you need to get started, including access to their guidance app to ensure safety and effectiveness of your new bands. 

 

  • SmartCuffs- If you do not want a manual pump, the Smart Cuffs include a digital pump along with an automatic safety shut-off if the band gets too inflated. SmartCuffs also come in separate arm and leg kits and includes a free consultation on their SmartCuffs Academy app.

 

Engineered Sports is a sports physical therapy facility. We are dedicated to helping athletes and people who lead active lifestyles train their bodies and improve their health. Contact us or visit one of our locations for assistance with performance physical therapy, work conditioning, and more.

Talk to a therapist at Engineered Sports today to see if this PBFR therapy is right for you!