To examine the effects of low-intensity resistance exercise training (LIRET) and whole-body vibration training (WBVT) with an external weighted vest on arterial stiffness, wave reflection, brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and physical performance in postmenopausal women. Thirty-three postmenopausal women were stratified by age, body mass index (BMI), and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (age, 65 ± 4 years; BMI, 23.3 ± 2.6 kg/m2; MVC, 17.4 ± 2.6 kg) and randomized into LIRET, WBVT, or a nonexercising control group for 12 weeks. Arterial stiffness, augmentation index (AIx), augmented pressure (AP), brachial FMD, gait speed and leg strength were measured at baseline and 12 weeks. WBVT induced improvements in pulse pressure amplification (PPA) (0.04 ± 0.02) compared to control (P = 0.048) and in wave reflection indices [AIx (-4.3 ± 1.4%) and AP (-2.9 ± 1.3 mmHg)] compared to LIRET (P = 0.039 and 0.048, respectively). WBVT (3.8 ± 1.4%) and LIRET (5.0 ± 1.5%) induced similar improvements in FMD compared to control (P = 0.029 and 0.008, respectively). WBVT and LIRET elicited similar increases in leg strength (P = 0.001 and 0.019, respectively), compared to no improvement in the control group. LIRET significantly increased gait speed compared to WBVT (P = 0.043). Although both WBVT and LIRET increased brachial artery FMD (systemic effect), WBVT seemed to be more efficacious in improving wave reflection and cardiac pulsatile load. Interestingly, LIRET elicited a significant improvement in gait speed. Both modalities seem effective in improving systemic endothelial function and muscle strength in postmenopausal women.
Keywords: Endothelial function; Postmenopausal women; Resistance training; Wave reflection; Whole-body vibration.