Blood Flow Restriction Does Not Impair Ankle Proprioception in Healthy Male Adults

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been widely used to enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy at low loads, yet its impact on proprioception, particularly ankle joint position sense (JPS), is not fully understood. This study assessed the effect of BFR on ankle proprioception in 30 healthy male subjects, who were randomly assigned to control (n = 10), sham (n = 10), and BFR (n = 10) groups. Joint position sense was evaluated using constant error (CE) and variable error (VE) during passive ankle plantarflexion before, during, and after the intervention. The BFR group underwent 80% arterial occlusion pressure, whereas the sham group received minimal pressure. Results indicated a significant effect of the group on CE (p = 0.016), with subjects in the control group overshooting the target angle more than those in the BFR group. However, no significant differences in CE were found between the BFR and sham groups (p > 0.05). Variable error showed a significant effect of time point (p = 0.048), but no interaction effect with the group was observed. These findings suggest that BFR does not impair ankle JPS accuracy or consistency in healthy males. These results provide evidence that BFR can be safely incorporated into rehabilitation or training contexts without compromising proprioception, making it a valuable option for populations that cannot engage in high-load resistance training. Future studies should expand on these findings by exploring varied populations and refining BFR protocols for optimal proprioceptive function.