Surprisingly, right after doing these tough leg exercises with bands, the women got stronger over the next few days—not weaker, as you might expect.
Scientific Claim
In untrained women, blood flow-restricted leg extensions using either protocol are associated with an increase in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) peak torque at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post-exercise compared to pre-exercise levels.
Original Statement
“MVIC peak torque increased relative to pre-exercise at 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-hours (159.9 ± 34.9, 171.4 ± 30.1–179.1 ± 35.6 Nm).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The claim uses 'associated with' to reflect observational data without implying causation. The torque increase is explicitly reported with values, and no causal mechanism is claimed.
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, untrained women got stronger in their leg muscles the next day and kept getting stronger for up to four days — exactly what the claim says.