OGDENSBURG -- Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s Trevor Johnson, a member of the Rehab Services Department, has earned certification in blood flow restriction therapy (BFR).

Johnson is the only physical therapist in St. Lawrence County to hold a certification in BFR, according to the announcement from the center. He provides this service at CHMC and their Canton Health Center.

BFR therapy involves applying a cuff to the limb while at rest or when performing a low-intensity exercise to decrease the blood flow to working muscles, which triggers the body to release growth hormones and other metabolites that help build muscle faster and can delay and prevent muscle loss. The treatment is safe and effective for patients who are bedridden, pre or post-operative, casted, or braced, elderly, and athletic populations, the announcement says.