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ABSTRACT
TORVINEN, S., P. KANNUS, H. SIEVÄNEN, T. A. JÄRVINEN, M. PASANEN, S. KONTULAINEN, T. L. JÄRVINEN, M.
JÄRVINEN, P. OJA, and I. VUORI. Effect of four-month vertical whole body vibration on performance and balance. Med. Sci. Sports
Exerc., Vol. 34, No. 9, pp. 1523–1528, 2002. Purpose: This randomized controlled study was designed to investigate the effects of
a 4-month whole body vibration-intervention on muscle performance and body balance in young, healthy, nonathletic adults. Methods:
Fifty-six volunteers (21 men and 35 women, aged 19 –38 yr) were randomized to either the vibration group or control group. The
vibration-intervention consisted of a 4-month whole body vibration training (4 min·d⫺1, 3–5 times a week) employed by standing on
a vertically vibrating platform. Five performance tests (vertical jump, isometric extension strength of the lower extremities, grip
strength, shuttle run, and postural sway on a stability platform) were performed initially and at 2 and 4 months. Results: Four-month
vibration intervention induced an 8.5% (95% CI, 3.7–13.5%, P ⫽ 0.001) net improvement in the jump height. Lower-limb extension
strength increased after the 2-month vibration-intervention resulting in a 3.7% (95% CI, 0.3–7.2%, P ⫽ 0.034) net benefit for the
vibration. This benefit, however, diminished by the end of the 4-month intervention. In the grip strength, shuttle run, or balance tests,
the vibration-intervention showed no effect. Conclusion: The 4-month whole body vibration-intervention enhanced jumping power in
young adults, suggesting neuromuscular adaptation to the vibration stimulus. On the other hand, the vibration-intervention showed no
effect on dynamic or static balance of the subjects. Future studies should focus on comparing the performance-enhancing effects of a
whole body vibration to those of conventional resistance training and, as a broader objective, on investigating the possible effects of
vibration on structure and strength of bones, and perhaps, incidence of falls of elderly people. Key Words: VERTICAL JUMP,
LOWER LIMB EXTENSION STRENGTH, SHUTTLE RUN, POSTURAL SWAY, YOUNG ADULTS
M
echanical vibration has recently aroused large in- could enhance muscle performance in elderly people (2-
terest because it has been hypothesized that a month training program three times a week at the frequency
low-amplitude, high-frequency stimulation of the of 27 Hz) (29). There is also some preliminary evidence that
whole body could positively influence many risk factors of vibration-loading could stimulate trabecular bone formation
falling and related fractures by simultaneously improving and prevent postmenopausal and ovariectomy-induced bone
muscle strength, body balance, and mechanical competence loss (10,24,26).
of bones (3–5,9,10,21,23–28,35). There is, however, very Despite the above noted preliminarily positive findings
little scientific evidence about the effects of whole body and wide use of different vibration devices among athletes,
vibration on these parameters. Bosco et al. showed that a conclusive evidence on the efficacy and safety of vibration
single vibration bout resulted in a significant temporary training is lacking. This lack of data is especially clear
increase in muscle strength of the lower extremities (5) and concerning the long-term effects. The purpose of this study
arm flexors (4). They also studied the effects of 10-d vibra- was, therefore, to investigate the effects of a 4-month whole
tion on muscular performance of physically active subjects body vibration intervention on muscle performance and
and showed that whole body vibration applied for 10 body balance of young, healthy volunteers, using a random-
min·d⫺1 induced an enhancement in explosive power (3). ized controlled study design.
Runge et al., in turn, showed that whole body vibration
to improve this performance trait. The exact mechanism by loading, skeletal muscles undergo small changes in muscle
which the explosive power training can enhance neuromus- length, most likely since mechanical vibration is able to
cular activation is not known, but there are several possible induce a tonic excitatory influence on the muscles exposed
explanations which could cause this enhancement, e.g., ad- to it (33). In other words, vibration elicits a response called
aptation of certain reflex responses, increase in motor unit “tonic vibration reflex,” including activation of muscle spin-
synchronization, co-contraction of the synergist muscles, or dles, mediation of the neural signals by 1a afferents (11),
increased inhibition of the antagonist muscles. Strength and and finally, activation of muscle fibers via large ␣-motoneu-
power training may also increase the ability of motor units rons. The tonic vibration reflex is also able to cause an
to fire briefly at very high rates, which may induce an increase in recruitment of the motor units through activation
increase in the rate of force development even if the peak of muscle spindles and polysynaptic pathways (8).
force does not necessarily increase (6,18,30). In this study, neurogenic enhancement or changes in the
Whole body vibration-induced improvements in muscle morphological structure of the muscles could not be as-
performance (3) have been suggested to be similar (and sessed directly because the study protocol included neither
occur via similar pathways) to those after several weeks of EMG recordings nor muscle biopsies. However, on the basis
resistance training (4,7,15). During a whole body vibration of the evidence mentioned above, it is likely that the given
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