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Impact of Whole-Body Vibration Training Versus Fitness Training on Muscle Strength and Muscle Mass in Older Men: A 1-Year Randomized Controlled Trial

¹ Division of Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and² Research Center for Exercise and Health, Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
³ Radiology Section, Department of Morphology and Medical Imaging and⁴ Leuven University Center for Metabolic Bone Diseases and Division of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.

Address correspondence to Christophe Delecluse, PhD, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Biomedical Kinesiology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Belgium. E-mail: christophe.delecluse{at}faber.kuleuven.be

Background. This randomized controlled study investigated the effects of 1-year whole-body vibration (WBV) training on isometric and explosive muscle strength and muscle mass in community-dwelling men older than 60 years.

Methods. Muscle characteristics of the WBV group (n = 31, 67.3 ± 0.7 years) were compared with those of a fitness (FIT) group (n = 30, 67.4 ± 0.8 years) and a control (CON) group (n = 36, 68.6 ± 0.9 years). Isometric strength of the knee extensors was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer, explosive muscle strength was assessed using a counter movement jump, and muscle mass of the upper leg was determined by computed tomography.

Results. Isometric muscle strength, explosive muscle strength, and muscle mass increased significantly in the WBV group (9.8%, 10.9%, and 3.4%, respectively) and in the FIT group (13.1%, 9.8%, and 3.8%, respectively) with the training effects not significantly different between the groups. No significant changes in any parameter were found in the CON group.

Conclusion. WBV training is as efficient as a fitness program to increase isometric and explosive knee extension strength and muscle mass of the upper leg in community-dwelling older men. These findings suggest that WBV training has potential to prevent or reverse the age-related loss in skeletal muscle mass, referred to as sarcopenia.

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