Moderate-Intensity Treadmill Walking With Blood Flow Restriction Improves Pulmonary Volumes in Older Adults

Brief Summary

This quasi-experimental pilot study evaluated the effect of 12 months of moderate-intensity treadmill walking with blood flow restriction (BFR) on pulmonary function in 14 trained older women. Participants were allocated to either a BFR group (30-40% arterial occlusion pressure) or a control group without BFR. Both groups completed the same aerobic exercise program three times per week. The BFR group showed significant improvements in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC), along with a reduction in resting heart rate, with no adverse events reported. These findings suggest that BFR is a safe and promising strategy to optimize respiratory function in older adults.