Even though these exercises were hard, they didn’t hurt the muscles or cause the kind of soreness and damage you’d normally expect after intense workouts.
Scientific Claim
In untrained women, blood flow-restricted leg extensions are associated with the absence of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), as indicated by stable echo intensity, sEMG metrics, and absence of torque decline over 96 hours.
Original Statement
“Conclusion: These results suggest that BFR-75 and BFR-F did not cause EIMD but caused an acute increase in muscle swelling that returned to baseline 24-hours post-exercise.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The abstract uses 'did not cause EIMD'—a definitive causal claim. However, the study design (no control group, unknown randomization) cannot establish causation. The verb must be softened.
More Accurate Statement
“In untrained women, blood flow-restricted leg extensions are associated with the absence of indicators of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), including stable echo intensity, sEMG metrics, and no decline in torque over 96 hours.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Muscle Swelling and Neuromuscular Responses Following Blood Flow Restricted Exercise in Untrained Women
The study found that after doing leg exercises with restricted blood flow, women’s muscles didn’t get damaged—they actually got stronger over time, and none of the usual signs of muscle soreness or injury showed up.