Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction in Knee Osteoarthritis

Neuromuscular Responses, Pain Intensity and Perceived Exertion of Resistance Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction in Patients With Severe Knee Osteoarthritis

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the neuromuscular responses, pain intensity and rate of perceived exertion in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis in a preoperative setting with low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction at different levels of arterial occlusion pressure.

Inclusion Criteria:

• men and women above 55 years old.
• diagnosed with severe knee osteoarthritis.
• scheduled for unilateral TKA surgery in a local hospital during 2021- 2022.

Exclusion Criteria:

• pain in the contralateral limb (maximum pain, ≥80 of 100 mm on a VAS during daily activities).
• another hip or knee joint replacement in the previous year.
• any medical condition in which exercise was contraindicated.
• participated in exercise programs (>2 days/week, training at intensities of 10-15RM) in the 6 months prior to the study.
• history of stroke, brain surgery, major depression, or any self-perceived cognitive alterations that could affect the performance of dual tasks.