Necdet Eray PİŞKİN, Gönül YAVUZ, Zait Burak AKTUĞ
Turkish Journal of Kinesiology - 2026;12(1):8-18
The study aimed to compare the acute effects of two different cuff types used in the blood flow restriction (BFR) method on subjective perception of comfort, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and performance (total repetitions). The study included 20 male athletes mean aged 20.55 +/- 0.60 years, their mean height was 176.10 +/- 6.17 cm, and their mean body weight was 76.50 +/- 6.96 kg who had been licensed athletes for at least two years. Participants performed four sets of a multi-joint and single-joint exercise targeting (30% 1RM, failure reps) the lower extremity, using a pneumatic cuff and an elastic band, at different times. Participants completed a lower extremity muscle soreness scale 48-72 hours after using both cuffs. The number of successful repetitions performed during the exercise was recorded. Finally, a visual analog scale (VAS) was completed to compare the comfort levels of the cuffs. Data were tested for normality using the Shapiro Wilk test, which determined the data were normally distributed. A Paired T-test was used to compare cuff types. When the study findings were examined, significant differences were observed across all parameters. Subjective perception of comfort (p=0.001; d=1.91) and DOMS levels (p=0.001; d=1.94) were found to be higher with pneumatic cuffs compared to elastic bands, while the average repetition rate for squat (p=0.001; d=1.66) and leg extension (p=0.001; d=0.93) exercises was lower with pneumatic cuffs compared to elastic bands. Participants found elastic bands more comfortable in terms of comfort, while pneumatic cuffs were found to be more time-efficient compared to elastic bands in terms of repetition rate. Given that DOMS levels are related to muscle damage and this mechanism's connection to hypertrophy, this suggests that pneumatic cuffs may further stimulate the developmental mechanisms used in the BFR method.
