PURPOSE: It has yet to be quantified how passive leg movement (PLM)-induced hyperemia, an index of vascular function, is distributed beyond the common femoral artery (CFA), into the deep femoral (DFA) and the superficial femoral (SFA) arteries, which supply blood to the thigh and lower leg, respectively. Furthermore, the impact of cuffing the lower leg, a common practice, especially with drug infusions during PLM, on the hyperemic response is, also, unknown. METHODS: Therefore, PLM was performed with and without cuff-induced blood flow (BF) occlusion to the lower leg in 10 healthy subjects, with BF assessed by Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: In terms of BF distribution during PLM, of the 380±60 ml of BF that passed through the CFA, 266±45 ml (~70%) was directed to the DFA while only 114±18 ml (~30%) passed through the SFA. Cuff occlusion of the lower leg significantly attenuated the PLM-induced hyperemia through the SFA (~30%), which was reflected by a fall in BF through the CFA (~20%,), but not through the DFA. Additionally, cuff occlusion significantly attenuated the PLM-induced peak change in BF (ΔBFpeak) in the SFA (324±50 to 214±36 ml/min), which was, again, reflected in the CFA (1019±138 to 833±150 ml/min), but not in the DFA. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the PLM-induced hyperemia predominantly passes through the DFA. However, as a fraction of the PLM-induced hyperemia does pass through the SFA, cuffing the lower leg during PLM should be considered to emphasize the DFA specific hyperemia in the PLM assessment of vascular function. Supported by Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (E6910-R, E1697-R, E1433-P, E9275-L and E1572-P)