Do 6 months of whole-body vibration training improve lean mass and bone mass acquisition of adolescent swimmers?

Resistance training presents beneficial effects on bone development of adolescents engaged in swimming but not in impact sports: ABCD Growth Study

BACKGROUND

Sports practice during adolescence is important to enhance bone development, although it may provide different effects depending on the mechanical impact present in the sport. Besides, resistance training (RT) may also induce bone changes directly (via muscle contractions) and indirectly (via myokines). However, there have been no studies analyzing the longitudinal influence of engaging in sport with and without added mechanical load. Thus, this study aims to analyze the combined effects of sports participation and resistance training on areal bone mineral density (aBMD) accrual in adolescent athletes participating in swimming and impact sports for 12-months.

METHODS

This was a 12-month longitudinal study. The sample comprised 91 adolescents (21 females) aged 10 to 18 years, engaged in impact sports (basketball, tennis, track & field, baseball and gymnastics, n = 66) and non-impact sport (swimming, n = 25). The sample was divided according to resistance training participation: impact sports only (n = 45), impact sports + resistance training (n = 21), swimming-only (n = 17) and swimming + resistance training (n = 8). aBMD and soft tissues were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Generalized linear models analysis was used for the resistance training (RT) x type of sport interaction in predicting aBMD changes overtime, adjusting for maturation, sex and baseline aBMD.

RESULTS

After 12-months, all groups showed a significant increase in aBMD, except for the swimming groups (regardless of resistant training), which showed a significant loss in spine aBMD (-0.045 [-0.085 to -0.004] g/cm2 in swimming-only and - 0.047 [-0.073 to -0.021] g/cm2 in swimming + RT). In comparisons between groups, only swimming + RT group, compared with swimming-only group presented higher upper limbs aBMD (0.096 g/cm2 [0.074 to 0.118] in swimming + RT vs. 0.046 [0.032 to 0.060] g/cm2 in swimming only; p < 0.05) and whole body less head (WBLH) aBMD (0.039 [0.024 to 0.054] g/cm2 in swimming + RT vs. 0.017 [0.007 to 0.027] g/cm2 swimming-only; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Despite the significant gain in aBMD in all groups and body sites after 12-months, except for the spine site of swimmers, the results indicate that participation in RT seems to improve aBMD accrual in swimmers at the upper limbs and WBLH.

Evidence of whole-body vibration exercises on body composition changes in older individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: The aging process is associated with changes in body composition, including fat gain and skeletal muscle loss from middle age onward. Moreover, increased risk of functional decline and the development of chronic diseases are also related to aging. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of whole-body vibration exercise (WBVE), as a physical exercise, on body composition in people over 60 years of age. Methods: Searches were performed on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Only randomized clinical trials evaluating the effects of WBVE on body composition in older individuals were considered. The methodological quality of the studies involved was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, recommendations from the Cochrane Collaboration were used to assess risk of bias, and quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. RevMan 5.4 was used to calculate standardized mean differences and confidence intervals of 95% (CIs). Results: Eight studies were included in this review with a mean methodological quality score of 7.5, which is considered high quality on the PEDro scale. The included studies suggest that more robust research with protocols and well-designed comparison groups is required to better assess changes in the body composition of older individuals through WBVE. Quantitative results were calculated, with differences in weighted means, differences in standardized means, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Conclusion: WBVE evaluated by the studies included in this review did not demonstrate improvements in body composition, and no significant effect of WBVE was found on fat mass with standardized differences (SD = -1.92; 95% CI: -4.81 to -0.98; p = 0.19), lean mass with standardized mean differences (SMD = 0.06 CI 95% [-0.21; -0.33]; p = 0.67), or skeletal muscle mass with standardized differences (SD = 0.10; CI 95% [-1.62; 1.83]; p = 0.91). Therefore, to date, there is lack of adequate evidence to state that WBVE can benefit the body composition of men and women over 60 years of age. However, further studies are required to better understand the physiological impacts of WBVE on body composition. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#myprosperoCRD42021248871, identifier CRD42021248871.

Acute effects of blood flow restriction with whole-body vibration on sprint, muscle activation and metabolic accumulation in male sprinters

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the acute effects of Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT), Whole-Body Vibration (WBV), and BFRT + WBV on the 20 m sprint, muscle activation, and metabolic accumulation in male sprinters.

Method: Sixteen male sprinters randomly performed BFRT, WBV, or BFRT + WBV interventions with 72 h intervals. Electromyography (EMG) signals were collected before and during interventions. Fingertip blood was taken before, immediately after, and 15 min after the intervention. 20 m sprint was performed before and 3 min after the intervention.

Results: 1) 0–10m and 0–20 m sprint performance were significantly improved after WBV and BFRT + WBV interventions (p &lt; 0.05), 0–20 m sprint performance was significantly improved after all three interventions (p &lt; 0.05), 2) After BFRT + WBV intervention, the EMG amplitude of the vastus lateralis and soleus were significantly improved. Greater increases in EMG activity of the tibialis anterior muscle (p &lt; 0.05)and blood lactate (p &lt; 0.05)were observed following BFRT intervention compared to BFRT + WBV intervention.

Conclusion: For sprint performance, BFRT and WBV had similar post-activation enhancement effects to BFRT + WBV, and the metabolic accumulation immediately following the BFRT were higher than that following BFRT + WBV in male sprinters.

Effects of vibration training vs. conventional resistance training among community-dwelling older people with sarcopenia: three-arm randomized controlled trial protocol

Introduction

Sarcopenia is a chronic and progressive disease, which is accompanied by the decline in muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance with aging, and it can lead to falls, fracture, and premature death. The prevention and treatment of sarcopenia mainly include exercise therapy and nutritional supplement. Exercise therapy is one of the most potential interventions to prevent and/or delay the progression of sarcopenia. Resistance training (RT), one of the most commonly used exercise types, is widely used in the treatment of sarcopenia, while vibration training (VT) is a prospective strategy for improving sarcopenia in older people. The aim of our study is to compare the effect of VT and RT in older people with sarcopenia on muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, blood biomarkers, and quality of life.

Methods and analysis

Our study is a 12-week, three-arm randomized controlled trial with assessor-blinded. The diagnosis criteria for subject recruitment adopt the guidelines for the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. A total of 54 subjects who met the criteria were randomized into one of the following three groups: VT group, RT group, and control group. The VT group and RT group received a 12-week whole-body vibration training and a resistance training program three times every week, respectively. The primary outcome is lower limb muscle strength, and the secondary outcomes include muscle mass, upper limb muscle strength, physical performance, blood biomarkers, and quality of life. We then performed assessments three times, at baseline (0 week), after intervention (12 weeks), and follow-up (24 weeks). The adverse events were also be reported. All outcome measurements were performed by the same researchers. Data were saved in the unified database, and the collected data of all subjects were analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethical Committee of Xinhua Hospital Chongming Branch. The findings of the study were authorized in peer-reviewed journals with online access; meanwhile, it will be presented at domestic or international academic congresses.

Clinical trial registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100051178), registered on 15 September 2021.

Mapping the Hot Spots and Evolution Main Path of Whole-Body Vibration Training Since the 21st Century: A Bibliometric Analysis

To evaluate the global scientific output of the research on whole-body vibration training (WBVT) and explore the current status and trends in this field over the past decades using bibliometric methods, we retrieved the literature related to WBVT from 2000 to the present in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). We analyzed annual publications, citations, countries, organizations, productive authors, and source 14 journals by the Web of Science online bibliometric analysis. We visualized the WBVT research trends and explored influential organizations and authors through VOSviewer. Then, we constructed a citation chronology map by HistCite to obtain the knowledge base of this field and made a primary citation path analysis by Pajek. Finally, we mined the hot spots of WBVT by BICOMB and gCLUTO. Overall, there were 1,629 publications included in this study between 2000 and 2022. The United States contributed the most publications in this field, and the country with the most active partnership was Spain. The University of Cologne ranked highest among top productive organizations. Bernardo-Filho, Mario, from Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, ranked first among the top productive authors. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research topped the list of journals with the most publications on WBVT by a wide margin. The WBVT research field started from Rittweger’s study on the acute physiological effects of WBVT in 2000, which was divided into two stages. The first stage focused on improving athletic ability, and the second stage gradually turned to the application in medicine. A keyword analysis showed the exercise rehabilitation of several aging chronic diseases was the research trend and hot spot of WBVT. The current study provided a time-based development and a global network hub for WBVT research, contributing to identifying core target diseases of WBVT and providing various insights for researchers in the future.

The Impact of Diet and Physical Activity on Bone Health in Children and Adolescents

There is growing recognition of the role of diet and physical activity in modulating bone mineral density, bone mineral content, and remodeling, which in turn can impact bone health later in life. Adequate nutrient composition could influence bone health and help to maximize peak bone mass. Therefore, children's nutrition may have lifelong consequences. Also, physical activity, adequate in volume or intensity, may have positive consequences on bone mineral content and density and may preserve bone loss in adulthood. Most of the literature that exists for children, about diet and physical activity on bone health, has been translated from studies conducted in adults. Thus, there are still many unanswered questions about what type of diet and physical activity may positively influence skeletal development. This review focuses on bone requirements in terms of nutrients and physical activity in childhood and adolescence to promote bone health. It explores the contemporary scientific literature that analyzes the impact of diet together with the typology and timing of physical activity that could be more appropriate depending on whether they are children and adolescents to assure an optimal skeleton formation. A description of the role of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and gut hormones (gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, and GLP-2) as potential candidates in this interaction to promote bone health is also presented.

Jumping rope and whole-body vibration program effects on bone values in Olympic artistic swimmers

INTRODUCTION

Artistic swimming seems not to benefit bone development like other out-of-water physical activities. To increase bone acquisition, artistic swimming should combine water training with weight-bearing impact or strength activities. Artistic swimmers can be a population at risk of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis in later life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a training program on bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and body composition in an Olympic artistic swimming team.

METHODS

Sixteen women aged 17-21 years, who train 30 h/week, at the Olympic Training Centre (Barcelona, Spain), were followed up over two seasons. The 1st season involved regular artistic swimming training without specific training to reduce the risk of osteopenia. The exercise intervention, jumping rope and whole-body vibration, was added in the 2nd season. The protocol included 20 min of training 2 days per week, over a 22-week period. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry measured the bone variables and body composition. The daily diet, medical history and bone turnover markers were evaluated.

RESULTS

The intervention program increased BMD on lumbar spine (2.10%, p = 0.002), total hip (2.07%, p = 0.001), and femoral neck (2.39%, p = 0.02). Lower limb's fat mass decreased (10.17%, p = 0.038). No significant differences were found for any of the measured anthropometric characteristics between both time points in the 1st season. In conclusions, combined jump rope and vibration should be considered to reduce the risk of bone damage in artistic swimmers.

C. R. Twelve Weeks of Whole Body Vibration Training Improve Regucalcin, Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study

(1) Background: Regucalcin or senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) is a Ca2+ binding protein discovered in 1978 with multiple functions reported in the literature. However, the impact of exercise training on SMP30 in humans has not been analyzed. Aging is associated with many detrimental physiological changes that affect body composition, functional capacity, and balance. The present study aims to investigate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) in postmenopausal women. (2) Methods: A total of 13 women (aged 54.3 ± 3.4 years) participated in the study. SMP30, body composition (fat mass, lean mass, and bone mass) and physical fitness (balance, time up and go (TUG) and 6-min walk test (6MWT)) were measured before and after the 12 weeks of WBV training. (3) Results: The WBV training program elicited a significant increase in SPM30 measured in plasma (27.7%, p = 0.004) and also in 6MWT (12.5%, p < 0.001). The WBV training also significantly reduced SPM30 measured in platelets (38.7%, p = 0.014), TUG (23.1%, p < 0.001) and total body fat mass (4.4%, p = 0.02). (4) Conclusions: There were no significant differences in balance, lean mass or bone mass. The present study suggests that 12 weeks of WBV has the potential to improve SPM30, fat mass, TUG and 6MWT in postmenopausal women.

Effects of whole-body vibration training on bone density and turnover markers in adolescent swimmers

Background Whole-body vibration training has recently been proposed as a complementary training modality to improve the bone health of adolescent swimmers. However, there is no longitudinal study regarding the effects of this training combination on bone metabolism. Therefore, the main goal was to analyze the effects of swimming and vibration training on bone turnover markers during adolescence. Methods The present study included 68 adolescent swimmers and 41 normoactive controls (CON). Swimmers were randomly selected to either continue with their regular swimming training (SWI) or participate in an additional vibration protocol (VIB). Anthropometric measurements and serum level determinations of osteocalcin (OC), procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and C-terminal telopeptide crosslaps (CTX) were performed before and after the 6-month intervention. Results Statistically significant group by time interactions were found for both bone formation markers. VIB showed a decrease over time in OC (baseline: 101.4 μg/mL, follow-up: 82.8 μg/mL, p < 0.05) and P1NP (baseline: 528.4 μg/mL, follow-up: 389.0 μg/mL, p < 0.05) and SWI had analogous reductions in P1NP (baseline: 685.8 μg/mL, follow-up: 542.0 μg/mL, p < 0.05), whereas CON experienced an increase in OC levels (baseline: 94.4 μg/mL, follow-up: 103.4 μg/mL, p < 0.05). After stratifying the sample according to the pubertal status, similar interactions were observed. Conclusions The combination of swimming training and this particular vibration protocol led to a decrease in bone formation markers, especially during early puberty. Whole-body vibration might not induce an osteogenic stimulus in adolescent swimmers.

Blood flow restriction increases myoelectric activity and metabolic accumulation during whole-body vibration

PURPOSE

Whole-body vibration (WBV) training is frequently applied in sports and rehabilitation with the aim of inducing beneficial functional and structural adaptations. In the past decades, blood flow restriction (BFR) training has received increasing attention by enhancing the effectiveness of several low-load exercise regimens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the additional effect of BFR on myoelectric activity and metabolic accumulation during WBV training.

METHODS

Fifteen active men performed three sessions in a counterbalanced order on three different days: whole-body vibration exercise (WBV), whole-body vibration exercise with blood flow restriction (WBV + BFR), and a control session (CON) with neither WBV nor BFR. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured in six lower limb muscles throughout each exercise session; lactate and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations were determined prior to, immediately after and 15 min after the exercise sessions.

RESULTS

EMG amplitudes increased from CON (29 ± 13% MVC) to WBV (45 ± 20% MVC) to WBV + BFR (71 ± 37% MVC) conditions (p < 0.05). Likewise, lactate concentrations increased in a similar manner, demonstrating significantly higher increases in the WBV + BFR session compared to WBV and CON. Furthermore, significant correlations between lactate concentration and EMG amplitude were detected. ROS concentration did not change significantly between the conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the present study emphasize that the addition of BFR increases the acute effects beyond WBV treatment alone which becomes manifested in both neuromuscular and metabolic adaptations. Further research is needed to identify potential long-term effects of the combination of these two training regimens.

Effects of Whole Body Vibration on Tibia Strength and Structure of Competitive Adolescent Swimmers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Swimming has no effect on bone mass or structure. Therefore, adolescent swimmers present similar bone strength values when compared to normo-active controls, and lower values when compared to weight-bearing athletes. It thus seems necessary to try to improve bone structure and strength of adolescent swimmers through a weight-bearing intervention in order to reduce the risk of suffering osteoporosis later in life.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of a 6-month whole body vibration (WBV) intervention on bone strength and structure of adolescent swimmers.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Research center.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 51 swimmers (14.4 ± 2.0 years) participated in the study.

METHODS

Swimmers were randomly allocated into 2 groups: 20 swimmers (9 females) who only performed their swimming training, and 31 swimmers (15 females) who performed their swimming training and received a WBV intervention (3.6-11.6 g) 3 times per week during 6 months (VIB).

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Peripheral quantitative computed tomography was performed in the nondominant tibia of all swimmers at 4%, 38%, and 66% of the tibia length before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

No differences between groups in any bone structure variable were found at pre- or postintervention. Both groups presented similar improvements in time, and no group by time interactions were found, suggesting that the WBV intervention was not intense enough to achieve positive changes in bone strength or structure.

CONCLUSION

WBV, at the chosen intensities and durations, had no effect on adolescent swimmers' bone strength or structure. Future studies should test other weight-bearing interventions aiming to improve bone strength and structure of adolescent swimmers.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.