Use and safety of KAATSU training: Results of a national survey in 2016

抄録

[Purpose] We examined the use and safety of KAATSU training by a national survey in 2016.

[Methods] We provided a questionnaire survey (web input) to attendees of the annual academic meeting of the Japan KAATSU Training Society and on the website of the academic society on October 29, 2016. The reply deadline was set at to about approximately 2 months.

[Results] Responses were received from KAATSU leaders or instructors of 232 facilities. KAATSU training has been applied for various types of situations; health promotion (87% of total facilities), diet (85%), beauty and anti-aging (70%), increase of muscle strength (71%), muscle hypertrophy (72%), and improvement of sports performance (53%), and for other situations. In addition, it has been used for rehabilitation (38%); orthopedic disease (38%), obesity (17%), diabetes (12%), cerebrovascular disease (11%), cardiovascular disease (8%), depression (7%), infertility (6%), neuromuscular diseases (5%), and immune diseases (3%). The ratio of the effectiveness or improvement of more than five tenths accounted for 92% of the total. The specific symptoms noted were as follows: dizziness, subcutaneous hemorrhage, drowsiness, numbness, nausea, itchiness and others. There were no serious side effects, such as cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, thrombosis, or rhabdomyolysis.

[Conclusion] Facilities under the guidance of appropriate KAATSU training leaders or instructors can achieve safe and beneficial effects, regardless of subject age, gender, or physical condition in 2016 just as back in 2006.