An Acute Crossover Trial of Passive Movement Training with and without Blood Flow Restriction to Determine the Impact on Postprandial Glycaemia

Railton-Sowerby, Jay and Hendrickse, Paul and Gaffney, Christopher (2025) An Acute Crossover Trial of Passive Movement Training with and without Blood Flow Restriction to Determine the Impact on Postprandial Glycaemia. Masters thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

Diabetes is increasingly prevalent whereby glycaemic control is compromised from ineffective physiological glucose homeostasis. Consequences of poor glycaemic control in diabetes can increase the risk of coronary heart disease due to more favourable conditions for atherosclerosis development. While one of the most effective non-pharmacological preventative and treatment strategies for improving insulin sensitivity and lowering postprandial blood glucose is exercise, some populations are unable to exercise. These populations are at a further increased risk of diabetes onset, not only due to directly less physical activity in their daily lives, but also the secondary effects of this inactivity. Effective nonconventional exercise needs to be developed in order to make exercise accessible to those who cannot access conventional exercise modalities. This study assessed the effectiveness of passive movement training, with and without blood flow restriction, on blood glucose (and other metabolic and muscular markers). Eleven healthy males undertook a crossover trial of three treatments (CTRL, PMT, PMT + BFR) on three separate study visits, separated by at least a one-day washout period. Each participant arrived fasted and was administered a standardised meal. The protocol was then undertaken whilst blood samples were taken at pre-determined intervals to measure glucose, lactate and insulin. Muscular thickness changes were measured via ultrasound. Results showed no statistically significant differences between the three treatment groups for glucose, lactate or insulin. A statistically significant difference of muscular thickness (p = 0.0042) from pre- to post-treatment was detected in PMT + BFR only. These findings suggest that to increase postprandial glucose disposal versus rest, exercise must be active in nature and based upon voluntary muscular contraction, or include an exaggerated muscular stretch. These findings inform exercise prescription for the prevention of the onset, and management of diabetes.