Table 2 Hemodynamic, physiological, and perceptual responses to progressive practical blood flow restriction pressures (10%, 20%, and 30% overlap in relation to the individuals’ upper arm circumference) using a cuff with a high stiffness (HS), medium stiffness (MS), and low stiffness (LS). Data are expressed as means ± standard deviations

Relative overlap to arterial occlusion (%)

30.86 ± 3.74

44.00 ± 6.04

54.57 ± 8.17

Systolic peak blood flow velocity (cm · s^− 1)

Baseline (0% overlap)

71.58 ± 14.63

70.26 ± 15.98

73.86 ± 13.69

10% overlap

71.39 ± 14.08

68.39 ± 15.24

70.43 ± 11.24

20% overlap

51.18 ± 20.10^†††

67.92 ± 13.05

68.65 ± 15.44

30% overlap

8.99 ± 10.59^†††

48.86 ± 21.86^†††

62.88 ± 19.06^†††

Rate of perceived cuff pressure

(arbitrary unit)

Baseline (0% overlap)

0.09 ± 0.28

0.03 ± 0.17

0.00 ± 0.00

10% overlap

1.66 ± 0.97^†††

1.57 ± 0.95^†††

1.46 ± 0.74^†††

20% overlap

3.89 ± 1.28^†††

3.34 ± 1.08^†††

3.17 ± 1.18^†††

30% overlap

6.49 ± 1.50^†††

5.06 ± 1.39^†††

4.94 ± 1.47^†††

Muscle oxygen saturation (%)

Baseline (0% overlap)

66.90 ± 8.35

66.32 ± 7.33

67.28 ± 7.12

10% overlap

64.53 ± 9.90

64.24 ± 8.56

65.82 ± 7.22

20% overlap

56.97 ± 11.40^†††

58.03 ± 9.36^†††

59.81 ± 7.81^†††

30% overlap

49.46 ± 11.73^†††

51.41 ± 9.13^†††

53.50 ± 7.99^†††

Total hemoglobin concentration

(arbitrary unit)

Baseline (0% overlap)

12.61 ± 0.36

12.62 ± 0.37

12.65 ± 0.32

10% overlap

12.66 ± 0.39^†

12.66 ± 0.39

12.66 ± 0.35

20% overlap

12.75 ± 0.42^†††

12.72 ± 0.43^†††

12.72 ± 0.39^†††

30% overlap

12.84 ± 0.43^†††

12.79 ± 0.44^†††

12.80 ± 0.40^†††