Table 2. Participant and study characteristics, and physiological adaptations and main findings.

Article, year	Country	Participants characteristics (mean±SD age, activity level, % women)	Sample size),	Duration of intervention	Exercise(s)	BFRT group exercise parameters	Control group exercise parameters	Progression for BFRT group	Progression for Control group	Main findings in physiological adaptations in strength and muscle size
Bowman et al., 2020	USA	total age:26.2±3.4 Trained young adults 58% women	BFR-RT, n = 14 LL-RT, n = 10	2 sessions per week for6 weeks	External rotation Internal rotation Biceps curl Triceps extension Prone horizontal abduction	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 30% 1RM 60% LOP (Delfi system©)	Same training parameters without BFR	Weight was increased as needed to accomplish 7–8 RPE	Weight was increased as needed to accomplish 7–8 RPE	↑30%, 23%, 22%, and 13% in scaption, flexion, abduction, and grip strength in favour of the BFRT group, respectively ↑arm and forearm circumferences in favour of the BFRT group (p<0.01)
Brumitt et al., 2020	USA	total age:25.0±2.2 53% reported resistance training for the shoulders more than once per week 43.5% women	BFR-RT, n = 24 LL-RT, n = 22	2 sessions per week for 8 weeks	External rotation	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 30% 1RM 50% LOP (Delfi system©)	Same training parameters without BFR	NA	NA	Significant within-group supraspinatus and external rotators strength gains for both BFR and LL-RT group (p<0.001) No between-group differences in supraspinatus (p = 0.750) and external rotator strength (p = 0.708) and supraspinatus tendon thickness (p = 0.610)
Green et al., 2020	USA	range 20–29 years Trained young adults 0% women	BFR-RT, n = 6 HL-RT, n = 5	2 sessions per week for4 weeks	Bench press Scapular retraction External rotation Bent over row	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions Each exercise was performed within 7 min 1 minute rest between-exercise 20% 1RM 50% LOP (Delfi system©)	Same exercises without BFR 3 sets 10/10/10 repetitions 70% 1RM	NA	NA	No between-group significant strength differences (p>0.05) ↑within-BFRT strength for pectoralis major, lower trapezius, and 1RM for prone rows (p<0.05) ↑within-control group strength for pectoralis major, lower trapezius, external rotators, and 1RM for scapula retraction (p<0.05)
Lambert et al., 2021	USA	BFRT age:27.6±4.3 Control age:25.8±4.1 Untrained young adults 28% women	BFR-RT, n = 16 LL-RT, n = 16	2 sessions per week for8 weeks	Internal rotation External rotation Side lying external rotation Scaption	4 sets 30/15/15/fatigue repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 2 minutes rest between-exercise 20% of isometric max 50% LOP (Delfi system©)	Same training parameters without BFR	1 lb per week per exercise if 75 reps achieved for both weekly sessions	1 lb per week per exercise if 75 reps achieved for both weekly sessions	↑shoulder region lean mass in the arm in favour of the BFRT group (p<0.05) ↑isometric strength (p<0.001) and strength endurance (p<0.01) for IR at 0° of ABD in favour of the BFRT group
Salyers, 2017	USA	total age:22.1±1.5 Trained young adults 0% women	BFR-RT, n = 4 HL-RT, n = 4	3 sessions per week for 4 weeks	Bench press	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions 45 secs between-set rest 20% 1RM LOP: RPE 7/10 with elastic band	Same exercises without BFR 3 sets 15/15/15 repetitions 90 secs between-set rest Started with 65% 1RM	Weekly increased over 4 weeks 20% 1RM 25% 1RM 30% 1RM 32.5% 1RM	Weekly modified over 4 weeks 65% 1RM/15 repetitions 75% 1RM/10 repetitions 80% 1RM/8 repetitions 85% 1RM/6 repetitions	No significant between-group differences in body composition and strength measurements (p<0.05)
Thiebaud et al., 2013	USA	BFRT age:59.0±2.0 Control age:62.0±2.0 Untrained older adults 100% women	BFR-RT, n = 6 HL-RT, n = 8	3 sessions per week for 8 weeks	Chest press Seated row Seated shoulder press	3 sets 30/15/15 repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 30 secs to 2 minutes between-exercise rest 10–30% 1RM based on 7–9 RPE on OMNI-RES AM scale 80-120mmHg LOP (KAATSU-Master device©)	3 sets 10/10/10 repetitions 2 min between-set rest 30 secs to 2 minutes between-exercise rest 70–90%1RM based on 7–9 RPE on OMNI-RES AM scale	Weekly increased LOP over 4 weeks 80mmHg 90mmHg 100mmHg 110-120mmHg	Exercise modified to reach a 7–9 RPE on OMNI-RES AM scale	↑within-group strength increases in chest press, seated row, shoulder press (p<0.05) and pectoralis major thickness in both groups (p<0.05) No between-group differences in lean body mass, strength, and muscle thickness (p>0.05)
Yamanaka et al., 2012	USA	total age 19.2±1.8, Trained young adults 0% women	BFR-RT, n = 16 LL-RT, n = 16	3 sessions per week for4 weeks	Bench press	4 sets 30/20/20/20 repetitions 45 secs between-set rest 20% 1RM LOP restricted by elastic band (pulled to overlap 2 inches)	Same training parameters without BFR	NA	NA	↑within-group strength and girth measures for both groups (p<0.05) ↑bench press 1RM (7% within-group), upper and lower chest girths (within-group 3% and 3%, respectively), and left upper arm girth in favour of the BFRT group (p<0.05)
Yasuda et al., 2010	Japan	BFRT age:25.8±6.3 Control age:25.6±3.2 Trained young adults (no resistance training for a year) 0% women	BFR-RT, n = 5 LL-RT, n = 5	6 sessions per week for2 weeks	Bench press	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 30% 1RM LOP using an elastic band: The training air pressure started at 100mmHG	Same training parameters without BFR	Training pressure started at 100mmHG and was increased by 10 mmHg each day until 160 mmHg (Day 7)	NA	Significant increase in triceps brachii (8%) and pectoralis major muscle (16%) thickness in favour of the BFRT group (p<0.05) compared to the non-BFRT group Significant increase (p<0.05) in 1-RM bench press strength (6%) in favour of the BFR-T (6%) group compared to the non-BFRT group
Yasuda et al., 2011	Japan	HI-RT age:25.3±2.9 BFRTL age:23.4±1.3 BFRTC age:23.8±2.1 Control age:23.6±1.6 Trained young adults (no resistance training for 6 months) 0% women	HI-RT, n = 10 BFRTL, n = 10 BFRTC, n = 10 Control, n = 10	3 sessions per week for8 weeks	Bench press	4 sets 30/15/15/15 repetitions 30 secs between-set rest 30% 1RM LOP elastic band: The training air pressure started at 100mmHG and was increased by 10 mmHg each day until 160 mmHg (Day 7)	HI-RT: 3 sets 10/10/10 repetitions 2–3 minutes between-set rest 75% 1RM BFRTC: performed BFRTL twice a week and HI-RT once a week	1-RM was assessed after 3 weeks to adjust the training load for BFRTH. Training load was constant for BFRTL	NA	Similar increases in bench press 1-RM in the HI-RT (19.9%) and BFRTC (15.3%) groups and lower in the BFRTL group (8.7%, p<0.05) ↑11.3% and 6.6% in maximal isometric elbow extension for BFRTH and BFRTC, respectively ↑8.6%, 7.2%, and 4.4% in the cross-sectional area of the triceps brachii for HI-RT, BFRTC, and BFRTL, respectively Significant change in relative isometric strength (3.3%) in favour of HI-RT (p<0.05) compared to BFRTL (-3.5%) and control (-0.1%) groups

Abbreviations: ABD, abduction; BFRT, blood flow restriction training; C, combined high intensity resistance training and low BFRT; HI-RT, high intensity resistance training; IR, internal rotation; L, low; LOP, limb occlusion pressure; NA, not applicable; OMNI-RES AM, OMNI Resistance for active muscle scale; RM, repetition maximum; RPE, rating of perceived exertion; SD, standard deviation; secs, seconds.