Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Selected Intrinsic Risk Factors in Women Aged 60+ at Fall Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Agnieszka Nawrat-Szołtysik; Marta Sieradzka; Marta Nowacka-Chmielewska; Laura Piejko; Julia Duda; Anna Brachman; Anna Polak

doi:10.3390/ijerph192417066

Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Selected Intrinsic Risk Factors in Women Aged 60+ at Fall Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 19;19(24):17066. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192417066.

Authors

Agnieszka Nawrat-Szołtysik¹, Marta Sieradzka², Marta Nowacka-Chmielewska³, Laura Piejko¹, Julia Duda², Anna Brachman⁴, Anna Polak¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.
² Doctoral School, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.
³ Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.
⁴ Institute of Sport Sciences, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, Poland.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine whether Whole Body Vibration Training (WBVT) affects intrinsic risk factors for falls in women aged 60+ at fall risk.

Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Blinding was applied to the persons in charge of evaluating the intervention's clinical results and statistical analysis.

Methods: Forty-two women over 60 years old were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG-12-week WBVT; n = 22) and a control group (CG-no additional physical activities; n = 20). Fear of falling was measured by the FES-I questionnaire, gait and dynamic balance using the Time-Up and Go test (TUG), aerobic endurance with the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and the functional strength of the lower body muscles with the 30-s Chair Stand Test (30SCST) at baseline and post-intervention. Additionally assayed were participants' blood concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Results: The 12-week WBVT improves gait and balance (TUG, p = 0.009), exercise tolerance (6MWT, p = 0.001), and functional strength (30SCST; p = 0.027) but does not reduce the intensity of fear of falling (FES-I, p = 0.655) and the IL-6 serum concentration (p = 0.377).

Conclusions: WBVT affects selected fall risk factors in women aged 60+ at fall risk.

Keywords: 30SCST; 6MWT; FES-I; IL-6; TUG; WBVT; body imbalance; geriatric rehabilitation; risk of falling.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Exercise Therapy / methods
Fear
Female
Humans
Interleukin-6*
Middle Aged
Postural Balance / physiology
Risk Factors
Vibration* / therapeutic use

Substances

Interleukin-6

Grants and funding

This research was co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Science grant: Regional Excellence Initiative, grant number: Project no. 019/RID/2018/19.