KAATSU For Groin Pulls, Tears & Strains

For who? Baby Boomers, retirees, student-athletes
For what? functional movement, mobility, flexibility, recovery



An 82-year-old woman experienced a painful groin strain and had trouble walking. She elected to follow a standard KAATSU protocol for such injuries. She explains the outcome of her KAATSU session.

The standard protocol for muscle injuries, including groin pulls and strains, is RICE (Rest + Ice + Compression + Elevation). Depending on the severity of the injury, individuals may want or need additional treatments to speed healing that can include: physical therapy, massage, heat and stretching, and electrotherapy.

But in the KAATSU community, KAATSU can play a significant role in healing and speeding up recovery from groin injuries (i.e., an injury or tear to the adductor (inner side) muscles of the thigh).

Whether a groin strain is experienced by a water polo player or an older adult, KAATSU is a very effective modality for significantly reducing the pain factor during recovery. For optimal results, KAATSU can be used as follows:

Key Points
o Do KAATSU Cycles on all four limbs for optimal systemic (overall) results [of course, separately doing your arms and your legs].
o Do KAATSU Cycles at least once per day, but ideally twice per day. Optimally, do KAATSU Cycles once in the morning and once again within an hour of going to bed. If there is time, doing KAATSU Cycles in the middle of the day can also be added - all of this can be done at your home, office or during travel.
o Do KAATSU only on the injured limb for the first few (or several) KAATSU Cycles for the first days. Later, you can simultaneously and use place the KAATSU Air Bands on both limbs (both healthy and injured limbs).
o During each KAATSU session, first do KAATSU Cycles on your arms. Then proceed with KAATSU Cycles on your legs.
o Always be very well-hydrated when you do KAATSU. Well-hydrated means your urine is clear or nearly clear.
o Consult with your personal physician before starting KAATSU, especially if you think you may have a Grade 3 strain that may need surgery to repair the torn muscle or tendon.

Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.

o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Each KAATSU Cycle on the KAATSU Nano includes 8 repetitions of 20 seconds of pressure followed by 5 seconds of no pressure in sequentially increasing pressures (e.g., 100 SKU on the first repetition, 110 SKU on the second repetition, 120 SKU on the third repetition, etc. to the 8th and last repetition).
o Note 1: on the KAATSU Wearables and KAATSU Cycle 2.0 units, there are 8 repetitions of 30 seconds followed by 5 seconds on no pressure.
o Note 2: on the KAATSU Master 2.0, there are five standard SKU Levels and one customizable SKU Level.

5. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your arms. This will take 9-18 minutes total. These are called Cycle 20 (indicating 20 seconds of pressure) or Cycle 30 indicating 30 seconds of pressure).

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or simply contract your arm muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the KAATSU 3-Point Arm Exercises (i.e., Hand Clenches if possible, followed by Biceps Curls, and then Triceps Extensions).

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time) on the palms of the hands and make sure your CRT is faster than 3 seconds. Your palms should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your arms with your veins distended.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your arms. KAATSU Air Bands are not a tourniquet. Tourniquet or blood pressure cuffs keep blood out of your arms by restricting arterial flow. KAATSU Air Bands function as the opposite of tourniquets and blood pressure cuffs. KAATSU Air Bands modify the venous flow - or blood flow from your limbs back to your torso.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your hands or arms to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.
o Note 3: There should ALWAYS be a pink color or a beefy red color in your hands and arms when doing Cycle 20 or Cycle 60. This indicates blood pooling in the limbs, bringing fresh blood to the capillaries of your entire arm.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms and rehydrate. Then apply the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs.

Leg Protocols
1. Manually tighten the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure). If you feel uncomfortable placing the leg band on your injured side, simply place the bands on your leg/side that is not injured.

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your leg(s) to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 150 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 250 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. Do 3-6 of these KAATSU Cycles on your leg(s). This will take 9-18 minutes total.

6. During these KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements.
o Note 1: You can also do isometric exercises or contract your leg muscles in the positive and negative direction during exercise.
o Note 2: You can also do the Standard KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Toe curls if possible, followed by Toe Raises if possible, and then Leg Curls).
o Note 3: You can alternatively do the Advanced KAATSU 3-Point Leg Exercises (i.e., Heel Raises if possible, followed by Standing Leg Curls and then Non-Lock Quarter Squats), if you feel comfortable doing so
o Note 4: You can walk comfortably inside or outside or steadingly on a treadmill.

7. After the first 2-3 days, you can add longer KAATSU Cycles. This is called Cycle 60 (i.e., 60 seconds of pressure on followed by 20 seconds of pressure off). In order to do Cycle 60, go to the KAATSU Training mode and manually input 1 minute (60 seconds) and select an appropriate SKU level (e.g., 250 SKU for 60 seconds).

8. Constantly confirm your CRT (Capillary Refill Time) on the quadriceps above your knees or near your ankles on your calves. Make sure your CRT remains faster than 3 seconds. Your feet and legs should be pink or even a beefy red color. There should be significant blood pooling in your legs with your veins distended, particularly visible in your feet.
o Note 1: Never occlude blood flow to your legs.
o Note 2: Never feel numbness while doing KAATSU or allow your feets or legs to turn white, gray or blue. In these cases, immediately release the pressure and take off the KAATSU Air Bands.

9. Remove the KAATSU Air Bands on your legs and rehydrate.

Before Bed Arm Protocols
1. Manually tighten your KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to the appropriate Base SKU (pressure).

2. Inflate the KAATSU Air Bands on your arms to your personalized Optimal SKU.

3. Start with a conservative (i.e., low) SKU on the first KAATSU Cycle. Then proceed with higher and higher SKU levels on the next several subsequent KAATSU Cycles. For example, do 100 SKU for the first KAATSU Cycle, then 150 SKU on the second KAATSU Cycle, then 200 SKU on the third KAATSU Cycle, etc.
o Note: Even if the first or second KAATSU Cycles do not feel tight enough, it is perfectly acceptable to start at a low SKU pressure. This will help warm-up your capillaries and prepare them for higher and more effective SKU levels.

4. During these evening KAATSU Cycles, you can do standard physical therapy movements or the KAATSU Insomnia Protocols that includes:
o Forward shoulder rolls
o Backward shoulder rolls
o Head rotations
o Deltoid and triceps stretching
o Note: Movements before bedtime should be casual and light. Nothing too vigorous and difficult.

5. If you wish to maintain your stamina and strength during your rehabilitation period, do comfortable KAATSU Walking or KAATSU Power Walking on a treadmill or outside for 15-20 minutes with the inflated KAATSU Air Bands on your legs (doing repeated KAATSU Cycles). Alternatively, you can also do KAATSU Aqua in a pool.

Do’s
›› Correctly place the KAATSU Air Bands on your upper arms and upper legs every time.
o Note : On your arms, the Bands should be placed above your biceps and triceps near your armpit, but below your deltoids.

›› Check Base SKU (pressure) and find Optimal SKU (pressure) during every KAATSU session. Optimal Pressure is one that is not so high as to occlude, but high enough to get that “KAATSU Fatigue/Failure Feeling” during exercise.
o Note: Your Optimal SKU can change on a daily basis.

›› Release the KAATSU Air Bands if you feel something is not right. If you feel lightheaded or if you have any pain on one side or the other, stop and continue on another day.

›› You can do different exercises or movements during KAATSU. You can type emails or play the piano or play computer games. Be creative and enjoy the experience.

›› Rest 30-60 seconds between different sets of exercises.

›› Do hydrate well before, during and after each KAATSU session.

Don’ts
›› Do not ever fully occlude blood flow. Signs of this are collapsed veins, no pulse at the wrist, pale palms and skin, severely delayed (>6 seconds) capillary refill.

›› Do not have Air Bands inflated for more than 20 minutes on your limbs. The KAATSU Nano will deflate automatically the KAATSU Air Bands when the maximum time is reached.

›› Do not lift heavy weights when doing KAATSU

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