Effect of a Whole-Body Vibration Session on Knee Stability

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of WBV on stretch reflexes involved in knee joint control. We evoked stretch reflexes of the hamstring muscles by inducing an anterior tibial translation during standing in 23 healthy subjects which were divided into a control and an intervention group. WBV with a frequency of 30 Hz and a vertical amplitude of 4 mm was induced by an uniformly oscillating platform. The WBV session lasted 60 seconds and was repeated twice. Short (SLR) and medium latency responses (MLR) of the hamstring muscles and maximum tibia translation were assessed using surface EMG and linear potentiometers. While there were no significant changes in latency, the size of the lateral and medial hamstring SLR was significantly increased after WBV (p = 0.039 and p = 0.043, respectively). No significant differences were found for the hamstring MLR size after WBV. Maximum tibial translation was significantly decreased after WBV (p = 0.031). Our results suggest that single WBV exposure has a positive effect on knee joint stability as a short-term adaptation on neuromuscular level. This appears to be directly associated with an increase of hamstring SLR size in response to the anterior tibial movement which may cause the decrease in anterior tibial translation.

Elbow Joint Position Sense After Neuromuscular Training With Handheld Vibration

“…Researchers 17,18 have postulated that vibration provides the SMS with additional afferent input that may facilitate position sense. Melnyk et al 19 measured the response to anterior tibial translation before and after two 60-second bouts of whole-body vibration. Their results indicated that whole-body vibration increases stiffness and subsequent functional stability of the knee.…”

“…Their results indicated that whole-body vibration increases stiffness and subsequent functional stability of the knee. 19 Although these investigators have suggested that vibration may enhance SMS function in the lower extremity, most research employing whole-body vibration has been focused on its growing use in strength training and conditioning programs. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Our understanding of the effects vibration has on upper extremity SMS function are limited to reports employing direct muscle or tendon vibration 8,27 or highfrequency vibration, 28 which have shown no effect 28 or deleterious effects 8,27 on SMS function.…”

Six-Week Combined Vibration and Wobble Board Training on Balance and Stability in Footballers With Functional Ankle Instability

“…Vibration training has previously been suggested as a rehabilitation method among researchers; however, none of these studies have looked at the treatment of FAI within athletic populations, concentrating more on fall prevention strategies among the elderly and ACL reconstruction patients. [18][19][20]36,37 The use of a combination of a vibration device built into a wobble board has been investigated previously. 19 Trans et al 19 used an 8-week training cycle on a Vibrosphere (ProMedvi) to assess strength and proprioception in elderly females suffering knee osteoarthritis.…”

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

“…The improvement in static balance often is accompanied by the assumption of increased proprioceptive input induced by the excessive excitation of the muscle spindles due to whole-body vibration. 5 For example, Melnyk et al 10 showed that a single vibration session led to an increase in the short latency response of the hamstrings, improving knee-joint stability and causing a postactivation potentiation mainly downstream from the neuromuscular junction. 3 Moreover, mechanical stimuli causes the muscle fibers to stretch, evoking a stretch reflex and enhancing the neuromuscular function through neurogenic excitability and recruitment.…”

“…7 A concurrent vertical vibration session with a frequency of 30 Hz, amplitude of 4 mm, and acceleration of 7.33g also enhanced the short latency response of the hamstrings, improving knee-joint stability. 10 Torvinen et al 6 noted an 8-month training program with a frequency of 25 to 35 Hz, amplitude of 2 mm, and acceleration of 2.54 to 4.99g did not improve the isometric knee-extensor strength of healthy young adults. Similarly, in their 1-year study on older men, Bogaerts et al 11 found that synchronous vibration training was as efficient as a fitness program for increasing the isometric and explosive knee-extension strength and muscle mass of the upper body.…”