Just had shoulder surgery and worried about losing all your strength?
We get it — time away from heavy lifting feels like a setback. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to sit back and watch your muscles waste away.
At Bax Performance and Rehab, we use a powerful tool called Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training. It’s one of the best ways to keep your muscles strong — even when you can’t load them heavy.
After surgery, traditional options like band work and bodyweight drills are often too light to make a meaningful impact. Your muscles crave a certain level of stimulus to maintain size and strength, and without it, atrophy sets in fast.
That’s where BFR comes in. By applying a cuff or band that partially restricts blood flow to the limb, you create a unique environment where your muscles are flooded with blood and fatigue — even under very light loads.
In other words, your body thinks you’re lifting heavy… even though you’re not. The result?
Improved strength and size while using light weights
Faster recovery from surgery or injury
Protection against muscle wasting during downtime
The setup is simple:
Apply a BFR cuff or band to the arm or leg
Pair it with light movements (think: curls, presses, extensions)
Work with controlled tempo and short sets
Even though the weights are light, the burn is real. That’s the signal your body needs to kickstart recovery and adaptation.
We use BFR every week with athletes in Pleasanton rehabbing from shoulder, knee, and elbow surgeries — as well as barbell athletes who want to stay strong while navigating injuries. Whether you’re a CrossFitter, powerlifter, or weekend warrior, this tool keeps you moving forward instead of stuck in limbo.
Want to see what BFR looks like? Check out our video demonstration here:
In this clip, we show how pairing light triceps extensions with BFR can deliver a massive training stimulus — perfect for protecting strength while rehabbing a shoulder.
Recovery doesn’t mean stepping away from performance. The key is using smart tools that send the right signal to your body without risking reinjury.
That’s what we do at BPR:
Assess what you can safely load
Apply advanced tools like BFR to maximize results
Guide you through a progressive plan that gets you back under the bar — stronger and more resilient
Don’t settle for losing progress while you heal. With the right plan, you can come back better than before.
📞 Call/text us (925) 397-0399
📧 Email us Abigail@BaxPerformanceRehab.com
🔗 Book your evaluation today at baxperformancerehab.com