This study is a randomized, parallel-group controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of blood flow restriction training added to regular roller skating training in competitive roller skaters.
Thirty participants aged 18 to 25 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to either a blood flow restriction training group or a regular training control group. Both groups will complete the same standardized roller skating training program for 10 weeks. Participants in the blood flow restriction training group will wear blood flow restriction cuffs during selected portions of regular training three times per week for approximately 20 to 30 minutes per session. Cuff pressure will be individualized according to each participant's arterial occlusion pressure. Participants in the control group will complete the same training content, frequency, and duration without blood flow restriction.
Assessments will be conducted before and after the 10-week intervention using the same standardized procedures. Because the assessment battery includes multiple physiological, morphological, neuromuscular, and performance measures, baseline and post-intervention testing will each be completed over three separate sessions.
The first assessment session will evaluate basic anthropometric characteristics, lower-limb muscle morphology, body composition, and strength. Musculoskeletal ultrasound will be used to assess prespecified lower-limb muscle morphology, including muscle thickness, muscle volume, and pennation angle. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry will be used to assess body composition and bone-related measures. Lower-limb strength will be assessed using handheld dynamometry, maximal voluntary contraction testing, and one-repetition maximum tests.
The second assessment session will evaluate neuromuscular function, jump performance, and balance under both non-fatigued and fatigued conditions. Surface electromyography and force-platform data will be collected simultaneously during selected jump, landing, and single-leg balance tasks. The Y-Balance Test will be conducted separately without surface electromyography. After completion of the non-fatigued assessments, participants will undergo a cycle ergometer-based fatigue protocol followed by a standardized roller skating-specific fatigue protocol. Fatigue status will be determined using blood lactate concentration, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, power output, and task performance. Once the predefined fatigue criteria are reached, participants will repeat the relevant neuromuscular, jump, and balance assessments.
The third assessment session will evaluate roller skating-specific performance using short-distance sprint skating tests, repeated-sprint skating tests, and an endurance skating test. Physiological responses, including blood lactate concentration and heart rate variability, will also be assessed at prespecified time points.
Training attendance, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, internal training load, participant discomfort, and adverse events will be monitored throughout the intervention. The study will compare changes from baseline to post-intervention between the blood flow restriction training group and the control group and will also examine whether blood flow restriction training reduces fatigue-related declines in neuromuscular function, jump performance, and balance.