B-Strong and KAATSU Bands Produce Similar Patterns of Blood Flow Restriction in the Leg

Abstract

Vehrs, PR, Cox, K, Heyborne, S, Knotes, E, Broberg, C, Clark, J, Swinson, K, Callahan, C, McDougal, H, and Miller, E. B-Strong and KAATSU bands produce similar patterns of blood flow restriction in the leg. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2026—B-Strong and KAATSU blood flow restriction (BFR) bands are narrow and made of soft, elastic material with multichambered or segmented bladder designs. Research has yet to compare their ability to regulate blood flow at various set pressures in the leg. Ultrasound was used to measure unoccluded blood flow and blood flow at 4 set pressures (200, 300, 400, and 500 mm Hg) in the leg using B-Strong multichambered BFR bands and KAATSU bands in each of 40 healthy young adults (20 male and 20 female subjects). Unoccluded blood flow was measured before the measurement of blood flow at each set pressure. Blood flow at each set pressure was expressed as a percentage of the paired unoccluded blood flow value. A set pressure of 500 mm Hg was unable to occlude superficial femoral artery blood flow using either band in all subjects. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. There were no significant main effects for gender ( p = 0.716) or band ( p = 0.750). There was a significant effect for set pressure ( p < 0.001). Further post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in relative blood flow between all combinations of set pressures ( p < 0.006). All 2-way and 3-way interactions were not significant ( p values = 0.524–0.981). B-Strong and KAATSU bands resulted in similar blood flow responses to BFR of the superficial femoral artery in both male and female subjects.