Abstract
The mechanisms underlying blood flow restriction with low‐load exercise (BFR‐exercise)‐mediated muscle hypertrophy are not well understood. Lack of standardized rodent models of BFR‐exercise likely contributes to this gap. We demonstrate in male rats a comprehensive, clinically relevant protocol that generates a muscle loss state via bilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, achieves targeted, external blood flow occlusion, and performs weighted hind‐limb isolating knee extension exercise with BFR. These methods can be applied to mechanistic and physiologic studies of BFR‐exercise.