Whole-body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis

Abstract

The report of the World Health Organization (WHO) of 2008 defines osteoporosis as a disease characterized by low bone mass and an increased risk of fracture. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is connected to the decrease in estrogens concentration as a result of malfunction of endocrine ovarian function. Low estrogens concentration causes increase in bone demineralization and results in osteoporosis. Physical activity, as a component of therapy of patients with osteoporosis, has been used for a long time now. One of the forms of safe physical activity is the vibration training. Training is to maintain a static position or execution of specific exercises involving the appropriate muscles on a vibrating platform, the mechanical vibrations are transmitted to the body of the patient. According to the piezoelectric theory, pressure induces bone formation in the electrical potential difference, which acts as a stimulant of the process of bone formation. Whole body vibration increases the level of growth hormone and testosterone in serum, preventing sarcopenia and osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to review the literature on vibration exercise in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis based on the PubMed and Medline database. While searching the database, the following key words were used ‘postmenopausal osteoporosis’ and ‘whole-body vibration exercise’.

A controlled trial comparing one-year biochemical bone metabolism outcome in postmenopausal frail osteopenic women under weekly alendronate treatment, with or without whole-body vibration intervention

“…However, the clinical significance of such remarkable effect of WBV still remains to be clarified. The WBV impacts on the whole skeleton, but the way it was used here may likely mobilize predominantly the lower spine, hips and lower limbs' bones, as judged by the selected vibration schedule that strains and stresses the bones through muscle forces [7][8][9][10] . In these frail, sedentary women the WBV pattern applied in the study was restricted by safety considerations.…”

“…Hence, just moderate frequency and repeated short periods of expositions were used. Nevertheless, one year of serial applications was regarded as a period long enough to promote bone changes [7][8][9][10] . To note, the new customary physical input may promote an adaptation of the cross section shape and/or structure of any loaded long bone through a spatially-oriented, local modulation of either modeling or remodeling.…”

“…Passive skeletal stimulation with WBV has been suggested in postmenopausal sedentary women with osteoporosis 7,8 . This procedure would compensate for the lack of active physical activity by the passive induction of fast movements in legs, hips and spine.…”

Whole Body Vibration Improves Attention and Motor Performance in Mice Depending on the Duration of the Whole-Body Vibration Session

“…Increased muscle activity, blood flow and muscle and skin temperature have been shown to be the consequence of acute WBV protocols (Hazell and Lemon, 2012). WBV can lead to increased muscle strength and improved balance (Russo et al, 2003;Weber-Rajek et al, 2015). Exercise training using WBV has been viewed as a complementary training to standard physical rehabilitation programs, including those related to the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (Sitjà Rabert et al, 2012).…”

Morphological and nociceptive effects of mechanical vibration on the sciatic nerve of oophorectomized Wistar rats

“…One of the resources employed in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis is vibration applied by a vibrating platform 7 , which can achieve anabolic responses following daily application for 5 to 20 minutes, 2 to 5 times a week 7,22 . Despite that stimulus being invoked as a form of treatment, exposure to vibration may cause tissue damage 8 .…”