Oxygen Uptake in Whole-Body Vibration Exercise: Influence of Vibration Frequency, Amplitude, and External Load

Abstract

Vibration exercise (VbX) is a new type of physical training to increase muscle power. The present study was designed to assess the influence of whole-body VbX on metabolic power. Specific oxygen uptake (sVO(2)) was assessed, testing the hypotheses that sVO(2) increases with the frequency of vibration (tested in 10 males) and with the amplitude (tested in 8 males), and that the VbX-related increase in sVO(2) is enhanced by increased muscle force (tested in 8 males). With a vibration amplitude of 5 mm, a linear increase in sVO(2) was found from frequencies 18 to 34 Hz (p < 0.01). Each vibration cycle evoked an oxygen consumption of approximately 2.5 micro l x kg(-1). At a vibration frequency of 26 Hz, sVO(2) increased more than proportionally with amplitudes from 2.5 to 7.5 mm. With an additional load of 40 % of the lean body mass attached to the waist, sVO(2) likewise increased significantly. A further increase was observed when the load was applied to the shoulders. The present findings indicate that metabolic power in whole-body VbX can be parametrically controlled by frequency and amplitude, and by application of additional loads. These results further substantiate the view that VbX enhances muscular metabolic power, and thus muscle activity.

Effects of whole-body vibration on blood flow and neuromuscular activity in spinal cord injury

“…WBV leads to an increased metabolic demand measured by oxygen uptake in a linear relationship with vibration frequency, 13 which is in agreement with our results. As higher the frequency used, the greater increase in blood flow velocity was observed.…”

Strength-Training with Whole-Body Vibration in Long-Distance Runners: A Randomized Trial

“…The 1RM familiarization test was conducted at the end of the first and second visits with 20 min of passive recovery between the tests. All of the tests were performed at the same time of day at a constant room temperature (20)(21)(22)(23)(24) o C) at least 2 h after the most recent meal.…”

“…The peak-to-peak displacement was maintained at 6 mm, and the frequency was increased progressively during the entire training period in the ST WBV group (Table 1). This progression was chosen because a variety of combinations of the applied amplitudes (1.7-5.0 mm) and frequencies (12-45 Hz) have been previously shown to be beneficial for muscular long-term exercise in the legs [22,24]. The foot position was standardized for all of the participants, and whole-body vibration was applied when the bar of the Smith machine was positioned on the shoulders of the runner.…”

Whole-body vibration and weight loss: truth or consequence?

“…In contrast, a previous study by Rubin et al, 2 in which WBV loading resulted in inhibited adipogenesis and weight loss, applied WBV with a peak acceleration magnitude of only 0.2 G. In the studies on which the authors seem to have based their vibration parameters, 3,4 high magnitude WBV (3.2-11.6 G) was applied to human participants. In short, the use of such high magnitudes of WBV is unprecedented in small animal studies.…”