Whole-body vibration as a potential countermeasure for dynapenia and arterial stiffness

Abstract

Age-related decreases in muscle mass and strength are associated with decreased mobility, quality of life, and increased cardiovascular risk. Coupled with the prevalence of obesity, the risk of death becomes substantially greater. Resistance training (RT) has a well-documented beneficial impact on muscle mass and strength in young and older adults, although the high-intensity needed to elicit these adaptations may have a detrimental or negligible impact on vascular function, specifically on arterial stiffness. Increased arterial stiffness is associated with systolic hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and myocardial ischemia. Therefore, improvements of muscle strength and arterial function are important in older adults. Recently, whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise, a novel modality of strength training, has shown to exhibit similar results on muscle strength as RT in a wide-variety of populations, with the greatest impact in elderly individuals with limited muscle function. Additionally, WBV training has been shown to have beneficial effects on vascular function by reducing arterial stiffness. This article reviews relevant publications reporting the effects of WBV on muscle strength and/or arterial stiffness. Findings from current studies suggest the use of WBV training as an alternative modality to traditional RT to countermeasure the age-related detriments in muscle strength and arterial stiffness in older adults.

Assessment Through the Short Physical Performance Battery of the Functionality in Individuals With Metabolic Syndrome Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration Exercises

“… 47 - 50 This intervention exhibits the greatest impact on muscle strength in elderly individuals with limited muscle function. 51 However, in the current study, all individuals submitted to WBVe were able to perform it correctly and negative effects were not reported. Additionally, adherence to WBVe was found and only about 10% gave up.…”

Effects of centrifugation and whole-body vibrations on blood–brain barrier permeability in mice

“…Exposition to artificial gravity during and/or after spaceflight by centrifugation has been proposed as a countermeasure to limit or suppress neurovestibular consequences of prolonged weightlessness such as the orthostatic intolerance observed after spaceflight. 5,6 Likewise, whole-body vibrations (WBV) serves as a countermeasure against cardiovascular alterations due to aging and obesity, as it enhances vasodilation of small arterioles, and possibly capillaries in human leg muscles, 7,8 and reduces the bone loss classically observed after spaceflight. 9,10 The cardiovascular adaptation to gravity changes can alter the functions of endothelial and smooth muscle vascular cells.…”