The Effects of Age on Muscle Endurance During Resistance Exercise With and Without Blood Flow Restriction

The purpose of this study is to learn how aging affects muscle endurance during resistance exercise, and how oxygen delivery to the muscles plays a role in these changes. To answer this question, we are comparing how many repetitions of a leg exercise (knee extensions) younger and older adults can do at different exercise intensities. We will also look at how the muscles use oxygen during these exercises.

Participants will take part in 12 different exercise sessions. In each session, they will perform as many knee extensions as possible using different amounts of weight-consisting of 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70% of the maximum weight they can lift one time. Each weight will be tested both with and without a cuff on the leg that temporarily reduces blood flow to the muscle.

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Key information

Conditions

Ageing Muscle Fatigue Caused by Repetitive Muscle Exercise

Age range

19 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Chan Gunn Pavilion

Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z3, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Able to understand and communicate in English
19-35 years of age
65 years of age or older
All "No" answers on the CSEP Get Active questionnaire or doctors' approval to participate

Exclusion criteria

BMI lower than 18 or greater than 32
Current use of cigarettes or other nicotine devices
Any major uncontrolled cardiovascular, muscular, metabolic, and/or neurological disorders
Any medical condition impacting the ability to participate in maximal exercise
Type one or type two diabetes
Diagnosis of cancer or undergoing cancer treatment in the past 12 months
Taking blood-thinning medication or the presence of a bleeding disorder
Drug therapy with any drugs that alter skeletal muscle metabolism (i.e., Metformin, Benzodiazepines)
Lowest calculated exercise testing load is less than the lightest weight able to be provided by the lab gymnasium equipment
In the past six months, completing more than 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week
In the past six months, completing less than 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity

Treatment and study plan

Knee Extension Exercise

Other

Maximum repetitions of knee extension exercise at 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70% of participants one rep max with and without blood flow occlusion

Primary outcomes

Maximum repetitions performed during knee extension exercise

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the final study visit (~4 weeks)

The primary outcome of the study will be the maximum number of knee extension repetitions that participants are able to perform at varying resistive exercise loads.

Secondary outcomes

Local muscle tissue oxygenation during knee extension exercise

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the final study visit (~ 4 weeks)

Muscle tissue oxygenation status will be assessed during each knee extension exercise intervention using oxygen sensors placed on the outside of the thigh.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Abaigeal L Kelso

CONTACT

[email protected]

6138626994

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of British Columbia

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Age-Related Differences in Skeletal Muscle Endurance Responses to Various Relative Loads of Dynamic Resistance Exercise With and Without Peripheral Blood Flow Occlusion

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Jul 29, 2025
Registry last updated: Jul 29, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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