Resistive vibration exercise attenuates bone and muscle atrophy in 56 days of bed rest: biochemical markers of bone metabolism

Abstract

The results suggest the countermeasure restricts increases in bone resorption, increased bone formation, and reduced bone loss during bed rest.

Evidence for an additional effect of whole-body vibration above resistive exercise alone in preventing bone loss during prolonged bed rest

“…Overall, this may suggest that the number of loading cycles (per day or per week) of the loading levels applied in the current study as part of RE were not sufficient to prevent loss of bone. Similarly, there was limited impact of either exercise protocols on urinary calcium excretion, whereas in our prior work [21], in which 11 exercise sessions were performed per week (rather than three in the current work), the countermeasure exercise completely prevented any significant increase in urinary calcium excretion. Aside from the number of loading cycles, it is also possible that the rate of loading (8 s, or 0.125 Hz, for each squat repetition, calf raises performed at rates from 0.4 to 0.7 Hz and static lumbar extension exercises; [22]) may not have been wholly sufficient to stimulate bone, with animal studies [39] finding that slow rates of application (0.2 Hz and less) of a given load did not impact on bone formation despite showing an effect when the same load was applied at faster rates (0.5 Hz or greater).…”

“…Calcium output returns to pre-bed rest levels by the end of the 2nd post-bed rest day in the RVE and RE groups (p>0.58) but first on third day after bed rest in the CTR group (p=0.028 on day 2 post-bed rest). No significant differences between groups week after bed rest [21]. Nonetheless, these available data suggest that bone strength may be further compromised in the ambulatory period immediately after bed rest (or spaceflight) when individuals are returning to their normal activities.…”

“…Prior work in the 1st Berlin Bed Rest Study [5,21] has shown that RVE can reduce bone loss during prolonged bed rest. Whilst animal studies may strongly suggest that this countermeasure would be more effective than high-load resistance exercise alone (RE), evidence in support of this hypothesis in humans is lacking.…”

Vibration as an exercise modality: how it may work, and what its potential might be

“…One should be clear about the fact that the training intervention in the BBR study encompassed vibration in combination with resistive exercise, and that, accordingly, it cannot be determined what has been the specific contribution by the vibration. Both for muscle and bone, however, this countermeasure does not simply effectuate a status quo, but rather leads to specific adaptive processes in response to the challenge imposed by the training (Armbrecht et al 2009). …”

Effect of combined treatment with focused mechanoacoustic vibration and pharmacological therapy on bone mineral density and muscle strength in post-menopausal women

“…Among them, the vibration therapy has emerged over the last decades as a promising non-invasive treatment for osteoporosis. In fact -through a mechanism not yet univocally clarified -high-frequency vibratory stimulation is able to significantly stimulate osteogenesis in animal models (11)(12)(13)(14), and studies in human indicate that it improves bone mineral density (BMD), muscle strength and proprioception, particularly in people with osteoporosis or those with motor impairment from neuromuscular diseases of various etiologies (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of combined treatment with focused mechano-acoustic vibration and pharmacological therapy on BMD and muscle strength in post-menopausal women.…”