Effect of 8-Month Vertical Whole Body Vibration on Bone, Muscle Performance, and Body Balance: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Recent animal studies have given evidence that vibration loading may be an efficient and safe way to improve mass and mechanical competence of bone, thus providing great potential for preventing and treating osteoporosis. Randomized controlled trials on the safety and efficacy of the vibration on human skeleton are, however, lacking. This randomized controlled intervention trial was designed to assess the effects of an 8-month whole body vibration intervention on bone, muscular performance, and body balance in young and healthy adults. Fifty-six volunteers (21 men and 35 women; age, 19 -38 years) were randomly assigned to the vibration group or control group. The vibration intervention consisted of an 8-month whole body vibration (4 min/day, 3-5 times per week). During the 4-minute vibration program, the platform oscillated in an ascending order from 25 to 45 Hz, corresponding to estimated maximum vertical accelerations from 2g to 8g. Mass, structure, and estimated strength of bone at the distal tibia and tibial shaft were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at baseline and at 8 months. Bone mineral content was measured at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, trochanter, calcaneus, and distal radius using DXA at baseline and after the 8-month intervention. Serum markers of bone turnover were determined at baseline and 3, 6, and 8 months. Five performance tests (vertical jump, isometric extension strength of the lower extremities, grip strength, shuttle run, and postural sway) were performed at baseline and after the 8-month intervention. The 8-month vibration intervention succeeded well and was safe to perform but had no effect on mass, structure, or estimated strength of bone at any skeletal site. Serum markers of bone turnover did not change during the vibration intervention. However, at 8 months, a 7.8% net benefit in the vertical jump height was observed in the vibration group (95% CI, 2.8 -13.1%; p ‫؍‬ 0.003). On the other performance and balance tests, the vibration intervention had no effect. In conclusion, the studied whole body vibration program had no effect on bones of young, healthy adults, but instead, increased vertical jump height.

Low‐level accelerations applied in the absence of weight bearing can enhance trabecular bone formation

“…Efforts to exploit bone's mechanosensitivty to strengthen the skeleton and to retard diseases such as osteoporosis have involved exercise 1,2 and external loading 3,4 regimes, albeit with varying levels of clinical success. 5,6 Differences in the anabolic and anti-catabolic capacity of different exercise regimes, such as between swimming and high-impact exercise, have often been attributed to differences in the induced matrix deformation.…”

Transmission of low-intensity vibration through the axial skeleton of persons with spinal cord injury as a potential intervention for preservation of bone quantity and quality

“…As we become more knowledgeable concerning what bone is most responsive to, in terms of stimulating mechanical adaptation, it does not appear that a larger signal is necessarily better, especially when considering that larger signals are associated with an increased risk of tissue damage. Other studies that have administered LIV have been shown to be safe, [12][13][14][15] and these prior reports have demonstrated potential to increase trabecular bone density and improve bone strength in animal studies, [16][17][18]32,33 with benefits to both bone and muscle. 14,18 In a rat model of disuse with constant hind limb suspension compared with normal weight-bearing animals, LIV administered at 90 Hz and 0.25 g on the hind limb suspended rats for 10 minutes a day, 5 days per week, successfully maintained normal rates of bone formation; experimental animals had suppressed bone formation rates of 72% compared to weight-bearing control animals.…”

“…Pharmacological approaches to prevent bone loss have not been generally accepted as efficacious, and they are not routinely administered. 10,11 However, low-magnitude mechanical signals of lowintensity vibration (LIV) delivered by an oscillating platform have been shown to be safe, [12][13][14][15] easy to administer, and anabolic to bone in both animal [16][17][18][19] and human studies. 14,20 This preliminary evidence, although not yet studied in persons with SCI, has demonstrated efficacy in reducing or preventing bone loss in persons with low bone density, as reported in postmenopausal women 14 and children with cerebral palsy.…”

Side-Alternating Vibration Training for Balance and Ankle Muscle Strength in Untrained Women

“…Investigators [5][6][7][8] have studied SAV in humans to determine its effects on strength and balance. Torvinen et al 9 reported that a single bout of SAV comprising 4 minutes at a frequency of 15 to 30 Hz, amplitude of 0.72 to 10 mm, and acceleration of 3.5 to 14g rapidly improved muscle performance of the lower extremities and body balance in young healthy adults.…”