Pain and Surgery Shouldn't Stop You From Getting Stronger
You know you need to rebuild strength. Maybe you just had a knee surgery, a joint injection, or you're dealing with chronic pain that flares up every time you try to lift. The exercises your body needs — the ones that actually build muscle — feel out of reach.
Traditional strength training often requires heavy resistance that your healing tissues simply can't handle right now. So you're stuck in a frustrating cycle: too weak to progress, but too sensitive to train the way you need to.
That's exactly the problem blood flow restriction therapy was designed to solve.
What Is Blood Flow Restriction Therapy?
Blood flow restriction therapy uses specialized cuffs placed around the limbs to partially restrict blood flow during low-load resistance exercise. The result? Your muscles experience the same metabolic environment as heavy lifting — the oxygen-deprived state that signals your body to build strength — without the stress of actually lifting heavy.
Here's an easy way to understand it: when you do heavy strength training, your muscles contract so hard they squeeze oxygen out of the cells. That lack of oxygen is what triggers muscle growth and strength gains. BFR therapy recreates that same effect using the cuffs instead of weight — so you get the stimulus for muscle growth at loads 20–30% of what traditional training requires.
Originally developed from military research, BFR is now widely used in physical therapy, sports medicine, and post-surgical rehabilitation. It works for new injuries and fresh surgical recoveries just as well as for chronic conditions and long-standing weakness.
Why Patients Choose Superior Physical Therapy for BFR
Not every physical therapy clinic offers blood flow restriction therapy, and fewer still have the hands-on experience to use it effectively across a wide range of cases.
Keely Behning has been using BFR therapy with patients for years, treating everything from post-surgical rehab to chronic pain and athletic performance. With over 20 years of experience in sports and orthopedic physical therapy, she understands exactly how hard to push and when to hold back — which is what makes the difference between a program that works and one that sets you back.
One feature that sets Superior PT apart: the ability to treat both limbs simultaneously when needed. If you have issues on both legs or both arms, Keely can apply BFR to both sides at once, maximizing efficiency and keeping your rehab on track.
BFR therapy at Superior Physical Therapy is always integrated into a complete, personalized treatment plan, not used as a standalone gimmick. It's one powerful tool in a broader strategy to get you moving, strengthen the right tissues, and keep you out of pain long-term.
What to Expect from BFR Therapy at Superior Physical Therapy
Your Evaluation
Your BFR Treatment Sessions
Progressive Strengthening and Recovery
What BFR Therapy Has Done for Real Patients
From knee surgery to full strength in one month. One patient came to Superior PT after knee surgery, struggling with a leg press machine at the gym. At 70 lbs, the pain was unbearable. After approximately one month of BFR therapy, they were pressing 130 lbs on the affected knee — matching the strength of their uninjured leg.
Back to professional hockey in 9 months. Rob Bordson, a professional hockey player, came to Keely for post-ACL reconstruction rehab. He needed to return to competing at the highest level — and he did.
"Keely knew how hard she could push me and made my rehab experience intense. Because of her hard work and attention to detail, I was able to get back to playing hockey at a high level just 9 months post-operation and went on to play 5 more professional seasons." — Rob Bordson, Professional Hockey Player
Results like these aren't accidents. They're the product of precise clinical judgment, personalized programming, and the right tools — including blood flow restriction therapy, applied at exactly the right time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when applied by a trained physical therapist. The cuffs are inflated to a specific, calibrated pressure based on your limb size and vascular health. Keely carefully screens each patient before beginning BFR and monitors closely throughout treatment. BFR is not appropriate for everyone — certain cardiovascular conditions, blood clotting disorders, or active infections may be contraindications.
BFR can create an unusual sensation, your muscles may feel fatigued and "pumped" more quickly than usual because of the restricted blood flow. This is normal and expected. It should not be acutely painful. Keely adjusts the pressure and volume of exercise based on your response.
Most patients begin seeing strength improvements within 3–6 weeks of consistent BFR sessions. The total number of sessions depends on your condition, your goals, and how quickly you respond. This will be outlined clearly in your personalized treatment plan.
Yes. At Superior Physical Therapy, we have the equipment to apply BFR to both limbs simultaneously — which is particularly useful for patients with bilateral issues (problems on both sides).
Superior Physical Therapy
1415 Mendota Heights Rd, 100Mendota Heights, MN
55120 View Staff & Treatments
