Whole-body vibration training improves balance control and sit-to-stand performance among middle-aged and older adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Ming-Chen Ko; Long-Shan Wu; Sangwoo Lee; Chien-Chun Wang; Po-Fu Lee; Ching-Yu Tseng; Chien-Chang Ho

doi:10.1186/s11556-017-0180-8

Whole-body vibration training improves balance control and sit-to-stand performance among middle-aged and older adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2017 Jul 18:14:11. doi: 10.1186/s11556-017-0180-8. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Ming-Chen Ko^{1

2}, Long-Shan Wu³, Sangwoo Lee², Chien-Chun Wang¹, Po-Fu Lee^{1

4}, Ching-Yu Tseng¹, Chien-Chang Ho¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Education, Fu Jen Catholic University, No. 510 Zhongzheng Road, Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, 24205 Taiwan.
² Department of Kinesiology, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 762 USA.
³ Graduate Institute of Sports Training, University of Taipei, Taipei City, 11153 Taiwan.
⁴ Graduate Institute of Sport Coaching Science, Chinese Culture University, Taipei City, 11114 Taiwan.

Abstract

Background: Aging is associated with decreased balance, which increases falling risk. The objective of the current study was to determine the feasibility and effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) training on knee extensor muscle power, limits of stability, and sit-to-stand performance among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults in the United States.

Methods: A randomized pilot study with participant blinding was conducted. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment and compliance rate. Twenty-nine community-dwelling older adults were randomly assigned to perform body-weight exercises with either an individualized vibration frequency and amplitude, a fixed vibration frequency and amplitude, or no vibration. Isokinetic knee extensor power, limits of stability, and sit-to-stand tests were conducted before beginning the exercises (baseline) and after 8 weeks of training.

Results: With a favorable recruitment rate (58%) and compliance rates (attrition 9%; adherence 85%), the intervention was deemed feasible. The limits of stability endpoint excursion score for the individualized frequency-amplitude group was increased by 8.8 (12.9%; P = 0.025) after training, and that group's maximum excursion score was increased by 9.2 (11.5%; P = 0.006) after training. The average weight transfer time score was significantly decreased by 0.2 s in the fixed group. The participants in the individualized group demonstrated a significant increase (3.2%) in weight rising index score after 8 weeks of WBV training.

Conclusions: WBV training is feasible for use with elderly people, and this study achieved good recruitment and compliance. The present paper suggests that 8 weeks of WBV training improves limits of stability and sit-to-stand performance. Future studies must determine whether WBV training improves other factors that affect posture control.

Trial registration: This study was registered at the Texas Woman's University Institutional Review Board [TWU IRB 17632] on the 3rd of November 2014.

Keywords: Balance; Limits of stability; Postural control; Sit-to-stand test; Whole-body vibration training.