Skip to main content
Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy
Download PDF
  • Original article
  • Open access
  • Published:

Effect of whole-body vibration on motor neuron excitability in healthy young men

Bulletin of Faculty of Physical Therapy volume 21, pages 48–55 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been increasingly used for performance enhancement as well as for treatment of some conditions. There is much focus on the study of muscular performance accompanied by WBVs; however, little is known about its effect on motor units – whether it has excitatory or inhibitory effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a single bout of WBV on motor neuron excitability in healthy individuals immediately and 30min after application.

Participants and methods

Sixty healthy men participated in this study; their ages ranged between 18 and 25 years. They were randomly divided into two equal groups – the study group and the control group – each containing 30 men who were selected by drawing ballots from sealed envelopes. The experimental group received WBV with a frequency of 50–60Hz and amplitude of 0–10mm for 1min, with a 1min rest period between each vibration set, which was repeated five times. The control group stood on the WBV device for the same duration while it was off. Hoffman reflex amplitude and H/ M ratio were measured from the soleus muscle (posterior tibial nerve) before and 0 and 30min after application in both groups using surface electromyography.

Results

There was significant decrease in Hoffman reflex amplitude at 0 and 30min in the study group compared with the control group (P=0.002 and 0.01, respectively). Moreover, there was significant decrease in H/M ratio at 0 and 30min in the study group compared with the control group (P=0.0001 and 0.03, respectively).

Conclusion

WBV decreases motor neuron excitability and thus may have therapeutic implications for people with central nervous system disorders, in whom spasticity is a major manifestation.

References

  1. Lai CL, Chen HY, Tseng SY, Liao WC, Liu BT, Lee MC et al. Effect of whole-body vibration for 3 months on arterial stiffness in the middle-aged and elderly. Clin Interv Aging 2014; 9:821–828.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Mason RR, Cochrane DJ, Denny GJ, Firth EC, Stannard SR. Is 8 weeks of side-alternating whole-body vibration a safe and acceptable modality to improve functional performance in multiple sclerosis?. Disabil Rehabil 2012; 34:647–654.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Schuhfried O, Mittermaier C, Jovanovic T. Effects of whole body vibration in patients with multiple sclerosis. A pilot study. Clin Rehabil 2005; 19:834–842.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ahlborg L, Andersson C, Julin P. Whole-body vibration training compared with resistance training. Effect on spasticity, muscle strength and motor performance in adults with cerebral palsy. J Rehabil Med 2006; 38:302–308.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Armstrong WJ, Nestle HN, Grinnell DC, Cole LD, Van Gilder EL, Warren GS et al. The acute effect of whole-body vibration on the Hoffmann reflex. J Strength Cond Res 2008; 22:471–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kipp K, Johnson ST, Doeringer JR, Hoffman MA. Spinal reflex excitability and homosynaptic depression after a bout of whole-body vibration. Muscle Nerve 2011; 43:259–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Trimble MH, Behrman AL, Flynn SM, Thigpen MT, Thompson FJ. Acute effects of locomotor training on over ground walking speed and H-reflex modulation in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med 2001; 24:74–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Yoosefinejad AK, Torkaman G, Firoozabadi SM. Effect of tendon and bulk vibration of the soleus muscle on the threshold and positive slope of the H-reflex recruitment curve. Turkish J Phys Med Rehab 2015; 61:18–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Palmieri RM, Ingersoll CD, Hoffman MA. The Hoffmann reflex methodologic considerations and applications for use in sports medicine and athletic training research. J Athl Train 2004; 39:268–277.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Shinohara M. Effects of prolonged vibration on motor unit activity and motor performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2005; 37:2120–2125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kipp K, Johnson ST, Hoffman MA. Functional principal component analysis of H-reflex recruitment curves. J Neurosci Methods 2011; 197:270–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Motl RW, Dishman RK. Acute leg-cycling exercise attenuates the H-reflex recorded in soleus but not flexor carpi radialis. Muscle Nerve 2003; 28:609–614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Walton C, Kalmar J, Cafarelli E. Caffeine increases spinal excitability in humans. Muscle Nerve 2003; 28:359–364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kakinohana M, Fuchigami T, Nakamura S, Kawabata T, Sugahara K. Propofol reduces spinal motor neuron excitability in humans. Anesth Analg 2002; 94:1586–1588.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Inghilleri M, Carbone A, Pedace F, Conte A, Frasca V, Berardelli A et al. Bladder filling inhibits somatic spinal motoneurons. Clin Neurophysiol 2001; 112:2255–2260.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Alrowayeh HN, Sabbahi MA. Medial and lateral gastrocnemius H-reflex intersession reliability during standing and lying postures at varied foot positions in healthy participants. Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 2009; 49:143–148.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bosco C, Iacovelli M, Tsarpela O, Cardinale M, Bonifazi M, Tihanayi J et al. Hormonal responses to whole-body vibration in men. Eur J Appl Physiol 2000; 81:449–454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Games KE, Sefton JM. Whole-body vibration influences lower extremity circulatory and neurological function. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2013; 23:516–523.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Lienhard K, Vienneau J, Nigg S, Meste O, Colson SS, Nigg BM. Relationship between lower limb muscle activity and platform acceleration during whole-body vibration exercise. J Strength Cond Res 2015; 29:2844–2853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Cakar HI, Cidem M, Kara S, Karacan I. Vibration paradox and H-reflex suppression: is H-reflex suppression results from distorting effect of vibration?. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact 2014; 14:318–324.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ritzmann R, Kramer A, Gollhofer A, Taube W. The effect of whole body vibration on the H-reflex, the stretch reflex, and the short-latency response during hopping. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2013; 23:331–339.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sayenko DG, Masani K, Alizadeh-Meghrazi M, Popovic MR, Craven BC. Acute effects of whole body vibration during passive standing on soleus H reflex in subjects with and without spinal cord. Neurosci Lett 2010; 482:66–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Voerman GE, Gregoric M, Hermans HJ. Neurophysiological methods for assessment of spasticity: the Hoffmann reflex, the tendon reflex and the stretch reflex. Disabil Rehabil 2005; 27:33–68.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang JS. Assessment of soleus motoneuronal excitability using the joint angle dependent H- reflex in humans. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2002; 12:361–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Huang M, Liao LR, Pang MY. Effects of whole body vibration on muscle spasticity for people with central nervous system disorders: a systematic review. Clin Rehabil 2015; 1–11.

  26. Scaglioni G, Narici MV, Maffiuletti NA, Pensini M, Martin A. Effect of ageing on the electrical and mechanical properties of human soleus motor units activated by the H reflex and M wave. J Physiol 2003; 548:649–661.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Stark C, Nikopoulou-Smyrni P, Stabrey A, Semler O, Schoenau E. Effect of a new physiotherapy concept on bone mineral density, muscle force and gross motor function in children with bilateral cerebral palsy. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact 2010; 10:151–158.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Apple S, Ehlert K, Hysinger P, Nash C, Voight M, Sells P. The effect of whole body vibration on ankle range of motion and the H-reflex. N Am J Sports Phys Ther 2010; 5:33–39.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Hong J, Kipp K, Johnson ST, Hoffmann MA. Effects of four weeks whole body vibration on electromechanical delay, rate of force development and presynaptic inhibition. Int J Phys Ther Rehabil 2010; 1:30–40.

    Google Scholar 

  30. McBride JM, Nuzzo JL, Dayne AM, Israetel MA, Nieman DC, Triplett NT. Effect of an acute bout of whole body vibration exercise on muscle force output and motor neuron excitability. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23:1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Nishihira Y, Iwasaki T, Hatta A, Wasaka T, Kaneda T, Kuroiwa K et al. Effect of whole body vibration stimulus and voluntary contraction on motoneuron pool. Adv Exerc Sport Physiol 2002; 8:83–88.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Basic Science for Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cario, Egypt

    Salah Eldin B. Elsayed Ph.D.PT, Neveen A. Abdel Raoof & Omnia M. Elsayed

Authors
  1. Salah Eldin B. Elsayed Ph.D.PT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Neveen A. Abdel Raoof
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Omnia M. Elsayed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Salah Eldin B. Elsayed Ph.D.PT.

Additional information

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work noncommercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Rights and permissions

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Elsayed, S.E.B., Raoof, N.A.A. & Elsayed, O.M. Effect of whole-body vibration on motor neuron excitability in healthy young men. Bull Fac Phys Ther 21, 48–55 (2016). https://doi.org/10.4103/1110-6611.188027

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1110-6611.188027

Keywords