ReviewOrthopaedic journal of sports medicine2026
Blood Flow Restriction Training After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Review in Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is frequently followed by significant quadriceps atrophy and strength loss due to postoperative pain and the necessity for low-load rehabilitation. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training is an emerging modality that may facilitate muscle strength and hypertrophy under low-load conditions, but its efficacy for improving functional outcomes after ACLR remains to be conclusively determined. Purpose: To systematically evaluate the effects of BFR training on lower limb function, quadriceps strength, and knee pain in patients following ACLR. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PEDro, EBSCO and CNKI for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between January 2015 and August 2025. A total of 606 records were identified through database searching, and 9 RCTs were included after screening. Data on functional scores (Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC]), quadriceps peak torque (PT), pain (visual analog scale [VAS]), and range of motion (ROM) were extracted and analyzed using RevMan 5.4, and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Meta-analyses were performed using weighted mean differences (WMDs) with fixed- or random-effects models as appropriate, and heterogeneity was assessed using the Results: Nine RCTs involving 372 participants were included. Meta-analysis revealed that BFR training significantly improved Lysholm scores (WMD, 5.75; 95% CI, 0.60-10.90; Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that BFR training may promote early recovery of quadriceps strength and selected aspects of knee function after ACLR under low-load conditions. BFR appears feasible and generally well tolerated in the included trials; however, safety conclusions are limited by inconsistent adverse-event reporting. Its effects on pain relief, joint mobility, and long-term functional recovery require further investigation.
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