The effects of 11 weeks whole body vibration training on jump height, contractile properties and activation of human knee extensors

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether 11 weeks of whole body vibration (WBV) training applied in a way that is commonly seen in practice, i.e. without additional loads, would improve muscle activation and/or contractile properties of the knee extensor muscles and counter movement jump height in healthy subjects. Ten subjects belonging to the experimental group trained three times a week and stood bare-foot with a 110 degrees knee angle on a vibration platform (30 Hz, 8 mm amplitude). They underwent five to eight sets of 1-min vibration with 1 min rest in between. Ten control subjects followed the same training programme but stood (110 degrees knee angle) beside the platform. Before, during and following the training period the subjects were tested. Values [mean (SEM)] obtained in the last test were expressed as percentages of the baseline value and presented for control and experimental groups. Quadriceps femoris isometric muscle force [105.4 (6.2)%, 99.9 (2.0)%; P=0.69], voluntary activation [107.1 (6.0)%, 101.1 (2.3)%; P=0.55] and maximal rate of voluntary force rise [95.4 (6.0)%, 103.3 (7.7)%; P=0.57] did not improve. The maximal rate of force rise during electrical stimulation was increased [102.3 (4.5)%, 123.6 (7.5)%; P=0.02]. Counter movement jump height was not affected by WBV [103.7 (1.8)%, 103.0 (2.8)%; P=0.71]. In conclusion, 11 weeks of standard two-legged WBV training without additional training loads did not improve functional knee extensor muscle strength in healthy young subjects.

Whole-Body-Vibration–Induced Increase in Leg Muscle Activity During Different Squat Exercises

“…A placebo-controlled study using the same vibration parameters (35 Hz and 2.5 mm) as in this study reported that the strength increases after 12 weeks of WBV training in untrained women (20 ϫ 1-minute vibration exposure per session) were clearly associated with the WBV-induced increase in muscle activity and were not attributable to the unloaded exercise program performed on the platform (11). Another study using a different WBV program (30 Hz, 8 mm, 8 ϫ 1-minute vibration exposure per session) reported no improvement in muscle performance after 11 weeks of WBV training (10). Several authors suggested that strength gain after WBV training may be related to neural adaptations in absence of morphological adaptations of the muscle (3,7,11,20).…”

“…Several studies showed that whole-body vibration (WBV) training, in which subjects perform unloaded exercises on a vibrating platform, resulted in improved muscle strength or muscle performance (3,11,19,20,24,25). Some other studies reported no changes in muscle strength after WBV training (9,10).…”

The Use of Vibration Training to Enhance Muscle Strength and Power

“…The intensity of these exercises ranged from cular performance was evaluated. As shown in fig-submaximal contractions [3,4,6,7,16,19] to maximal conure 1, if vibration stimulation is short in duration, tractions. [8,13,15,17,20,21] The duration of exercise with resulting in the measurement of neuromuscular ca-applied vibration also varied among studies, ranging pacity without fatigue, any enhancement is indica-from only 5 seconds [13,14,17] to 30 minutes [9] in each tive of an increase in neuromuscular performance by set, and with different numbers of sets employed, vibration stimulation (Ma [unfatigued] and Mar [un-ranging from one set [4,7,8,14,16,20] to several sets in a fatigued] in figure 1a).…”

“…Neuromuscular performance, as determined include any studies where vibration training had through measures of muscle strength and power, is either no effect on [6,7] or a reduction in neuromuscuimportant for successful performance of athletic ac-lar performance. [8,9] Finally, the authors did not adtivities as well as for the preservation and improve-dress the effect of different vibration characteristics ment in functional aspects of daily life.…”

No Specific Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training in Chronic Stroke: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study

“…In healthy individuals, some positive effects are reported, for example increased muscle strength in untrained females, 4 improved balance, muscle strength or gait performance in the elderly 5,6 whereas other studies have found no or insufficient effects of WBV training. 7,8 In individuals with stroke or other neurological diseases, few studies have evaluated the effects of WBV training and the results differ also in those studies. In randomized controlled studies (RCTs), improvements in balance, muscle strength or gait performance are reported in individuals with stroke and other neurological diseases, 9-12 but the effects of WBV training are generally small and within the measurement errors of the outcome measures used.…”