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Blood Flow RestrictionNCT07438535

High-Load, Low-Load, and Passive Blood Flow Restriction in Competitive Sprinters

A study testing High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR), Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR) and Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR) in people with Blood Flow Restriction, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

This randomized clinical trial will include competitive male and female sprinters aged 16-30 years, recruited through purposive sampling. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (A) HL-BFR (70-85% 1RM with BFR during sets), (B) LL-BFR (20-30% 1RM with BFR), or (C) Passive BFR (BFR applied… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Blood Flow Restriction
What is being tested?
High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR), Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR) and Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
18 participants
Where
1 sitePakistan
Study dates
1 Dec 2025to 1 Sep 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 30 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age between 16-30 years
  • Competitive sprinters with at least 2 years of sprint-specific training
  • Healthy individuals without cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, or neurological disorders
  • Willingness to participate in a 6-week training program

Who cannot join

  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Cardiovascular, vascular, pulmonary, renal or metabolic disorders
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Recent significant weight loss
  • Use of performance-enhancing drugs within past 2 months
  • Any medical condition preventing safe participation

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Punjab Sports Board

    Lahore, Punjab Province, 547000

    Danish Hassan, PhD, 03457946009, danish.hassan009@gmail.com

    Muhammad Mubarak Janjua, MSPT*

    Recruiting

Other trials in Pakistan

About this study

Official title: Comparative Effects of High-Load, Low-Load, and Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training on Strength and Sprint Performance in Competitive Sprinters

This randomized clinical trial will include competitive male and female sprinters aged 16-30 years, recruited through purposive sampling. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (A) HL-BFR (70-85% 1RM with BFR during sets), (B) LL-BFR (20-30% 1RM with BFR), or (C) Passive BFR (BFR applied between sets). The intervention will consist of a 6-week sprint-specific resistance training program performed thrice weekly, incorporating resisted sprints, barbell step-ups, hip thrusts, Nordic curls, and bounding exercises. Strength will be measured using 1RM testing, explosive power through countermovement and standing broad jumps, and sprint performance via 10m, 30m, and 100m timed sprints. Subjective exertion will be tracked using the sRPE scale.

The study aims to determine whether HL-BFR, LL-BFR, or passive BFR produces superior improvements in sprint performance and neuromuscular strength. It is hypothesized that HL-BFR may yield greater adaptations due to combined mechanical and metabolic stress, though LL-BFR and passive BFR may offer practical, low-impact alternatives.

Read the detailed description

Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training characterized by applying external pressure to occlude venous return during exercise has gained prominence in both rehabilitation and athletic conditioning due to its ability to stimulate muscle hypertrophy and strength gains with lighter mechanical loads. The physiological basis includes metabolic accumulation, cellular swelling, and increased motor unit recruitment, mimicking high-intensity training effects even with low loads .

Elite sprint performance demands a finely tuned combination of explosive strength, neuromuscular power, and sprint-specific endurance across different phases of the race (acceleration, maximal velocity, deceleration). While high-load resistance training (≥ 70% 1RM) has long been the gold standard for developing muscular strength and power , blood flow restriction (BFR) training-particularly in low-load protocols (20-40% 1RM)-has emerged as a low-stress alternative capable of eliciting comparable hypertrophy and strength gains.

A growing body of literature now highlights the capacity of both high- and low-load BFR training to improve explosive performance metrics, such as vertical jump, sprint speed, and rate of force development. A systematic review found that athletes undergoing BFR training experienced small to moderate yet significant improvements in jumps (SMD ≈ 0.36), sprints (SMD ≈ 0.54), and power output (SMD ≈ 0.72), surpassing traditional resistance training outcomes.

High-load resistance training (≥ 70 % 1RM) is the established standard for enhancing neuromuscular strength and power. Recent investigations have examined adding BFR to high-load protocols (high-load BFR), aiming to amplify metabolic stress and post-activation performance enhancement. Though the evidence is mixed-a systematic review of ≥ 60 % 1RM BFR protocols concluded that only some studies showed additional strength or hypertrophy benefits compared to non-BFR controls emerging data suggest that high-load BFR may offer acute increases in lifting velocity and small improvements in jump and sprint outcomes.

Among BFR strategies, low-load BFR (LL-BFR)-typically at 20-40% of one-repetition maximum (1RM)-has the most robust evidence base. Systematic reviews demonstrate that LL-BFR training can induce similar muscle hypertrophy and near-equivalent strength improvements compared to traditional high-load training . These benefits, coupled with lower mechanical stress, have made LL-BFR a preferred method in both clinical and performance settings. Meta-analyses report that while maximum strength gains are slightly lower than high-load training, power, jump, and sprint performance show no significant differences between low-load BFR and high-load resistance training.

Being tested
High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR), Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR), Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)
Keywords
Blood Flow Restriction, Competitive Sprinters, High-Load, Low-Load, Passive Blood Flow Restriction

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR)Other

    In the High-Load BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied during exercise sets.

  • Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR)Other

    In the Low-Load BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 20-30% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied during exercise sets.

  • Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)Other

    In the Passive BFR group, participants will perform resistance exercises at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) with BFR applied only during rest intervals between sets.

Study groups in NCT07438535
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR)ExperimentalParticipants will perform resistance training at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) combined with blood flow restriction applied using pneumatic cuffs during exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Receives: Other: High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR)
Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR)ExperimentalParticipants will perform resistance training at 20-30% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) combined with blood flow restriction applied using pneumatic cuffs during exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Receives: Other: Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR)
Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)ExperimentalParticipants will perform resistance training at 70-85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) while blood flow restriction will be applied only during rest intervals between exercise sets for a period of 6 weeks (3 sessions per week).
Receives: Other: Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR)

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Lower Limb Muscle Strength (1RM Test)

    Maximum voluntary strength of lower limb muscles will be assessed using one repetition maximum (1RM) testing protocol for resistance training exercises.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Vertical Jump Height

    Explosive lower limb power will be assessed using vertical jump performance test measured in centimeters.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

  2. 10-Meter Sprint Time

    Sprint performance over short distance will be measured using timing gates in seconds.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

  3. 30-Meter Sprint Time

    Sprint acceleration and performance will be measured using electronic timing system in seconds.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

  4. 100-Meter Sprint Time

    Overall sprint performance will be assessed using timing system in seconds.

    Measured: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)

  5. Participant-reported exertion during training sessions using Borg CR-10 Scale.

    Participant-reported exertion during training sessions using Borg CR-10 Scale.

    Measured: Throughout Intervention Period (Week 1-6)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted27 Feb 2026
  2. Study start1 Dec 2025
  3. Primary completion1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
18 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07438535
Sponsor's protocol ID
Mubarak Janjua REC/25/0417
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
23 Feb 2026
Last updated
27 Feb 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Herrera E, Osorio-Fuentealba C. Impact of warm-up methods on strength-speed for sprinters in athletics: a mini review. Front Sports Act Living. 2024 Feb 27;6:1360414. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1360414. eCollection 2024.

    PubMed 38476581
  • Richard P, Billaut F. Time-Trial Performance in Elite Speed Skaters After Remote Ischemic Preconditioning. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018 Nov 1;13(10):1308-1316. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2018-0111.

    PubMed 29745735
  • Chen YT, Hsieh YY, Ho JY, Lin JC. Effects of Running Exercise Combined With Blood Flow Restriction on Strength and Sprint Performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Nov 1;35(11):3090-3096. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003313.

    PubMed 31453935
  • Salvador AF, Schubert KR, Cruz RS, Corvino RB, Pereira KL, Caputo F, de Oliveira MF. Bilateral muscle strength symmetry and performance are improved following walk training with restricted blood flow in an elite paralympic sprint runner: Case study. Phys Ther Sport. 2016 Jul;20:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.10.004. Epub 2015 Oct 21.

    PubMed 27325532
  • Zhang J, Zhou R, Zhao N, Li Y, Liu H, Zhang W, Guo W. Acute effects of blood flow restriction with whole-body vibration on sprint, muscle activation and metabolic accumulation in male sprinters. Front Physiol. 2023 Mar 16;14:1149400. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1149400. eCollection 2023.

    PubMed 37035675

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing High-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (HL-BFR), Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training (LL-BFR) and Passive Blood Flow Restriction Training (PBFR) in people with Blood Flow Restriction, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Danish Hassan, PhD (+92 345 7946009, danish.hassan009@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Lower Limb Muscle Strength (1RM Test) (time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and Post-Intervention (Week 6)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07438535, which also lists 5 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Feb 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 30 Oct 2026.

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