Abstract

Low-intensity aerobic training combined with blood flow restriction (LI + BFR) has resulted in increases in aerobic and neuromuscular capacities in untrained individuals. This strategy may help cyclists incapable of training with high intensity bouts or during a rehabilitation program. However, there is a lack of evidence about the use of LI + BFR in injured trained cyclists. Thus, we investigated the effects of LI + BFR on aerobic capacity, maximal isometric strength, cross-sectional area of vastus lateralis (CSA(VL)), time to exhaustion test (TTE), and 20 km cycling time-trial performance (TT20 km) in a male cyclist with knee osteoarthritis (OA). After a 4-week control period, a 9-week (2 days/week) intervention period started. Pre- and post-intervention TT20 km, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), power output of the 1st and 2nd ventilatory thresholds (1st W-VT and 2nd W-VT), maximum power output (W-max), TTE, muscle strength and CSA(VL) of both legs were measured. Training intensity was fixed at 30% of W-max while the duration was progressively increased from 12 min to 24 min. There was a reduction in time to complete TT20 km (-1%) with increases in TT20 km mean power output (3.9%), VO2peak (11.4%), 2nd W-VT (8.3%), W-max (3.8%), TTE (15.5%), right and left legs maximal strength (1.3% and 8.5%, respectively) and CSA(VL) (3.3% and 3.7%, respectively). There was no alteration in 1st W-VT. Based on the results, we suggest that LI + BFR may be a promising training strategy to improve the performance of knee-injured cyclists with knee OA.