Comparative Study of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy and Weight Training on the Knee Flexors Strength among Recreational Cricket Players: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Cricket was once regarded as a “moderate injury risk” sport, However, there has been a continual increase in injury rates in cricket, with Hamstring Strain Injuries (HSIs) being the most prominent. More recent research suggests that the injury rate in cricket is rising, with HSIs one of the most common and severe injuries. Aim: To investigate the impact of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFRT) and traditional resistance training on knee flexor strength and squat test among cricket players. Materials and Methods: This was a single-blinded, randomised controlled trial on 39 cricket players conducted in the Department of Physiotherapy, Galgotias University (GU), Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. Subjects aged between 18-25 years were randomly divided in a 1:1 ratio. Group A underwent BFRT combined with low-resistance training, and Group B underwent traditional resistance training. A four-week intervention, comprising two sessions weekly was administered. Results: For within-group comparisons, the paired t-test was used and for between-group comparisons, the independent t-test was used using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25.0. Group A demonstrated a statistically significant increase in squat test scores from pre- to post-intervention compared to Group B after 4 weeks. No significant difference in muscle strength was observed among the two groups. Conclusion: Combining BFRT with low-resistance training significantly enhances knee flexor endurance, as evidenced by superior performance in the squat test compared to traditional resistance training alone. These findings suggest the potential of BFRT as a valuable adjunct to rehabilitation and performance enhancement strategies for lower limb injuries in athletes.