Power Plate Scientific Validation Osteoarthritis
Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Flexibility and Stiffness: A Literature Review
Fowler, Brannen D et al, International Journal of Exercise Science 12(3): 735-747, 2019
Int J Exerc Sci. 2019; 12(3): 735–747
Department of Exercise Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
24 studies met criteria to review the effectiveness of WBV and comparing frequencies and amplitudes of vibration that demonstrated effective and ineffective results associated with flexibility and stiffness
Results
Results
23 studies showed an increase in flexibility due to WBV
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Several different groups were included: gymnasts, physically active adults, seniors, both amateur and elite soccer players, field hockey players, and others
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One commonality between the studies is that most used frequencies between 15 and 40 Hz, and amplitudes between 2- and 6–8-mm peak-to-peak
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The use of WBV training to increase flexibility is effective due to circulatory, thermoregulatory, and neural factors
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Vibration also causes muscle to contract and relax, raising the pain threshold when stretching, thereby allowing further flexibility with less pain
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WBV has little to no effect on muscle and tendon stiffness. This may be due to the improvement of flexibility through vibration, which is due to the increase in stretch tolerance and not due to stiffness properties changing in the muscle tissue
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