Vastus lateralis oxygenation and blood volume measured by near-infrared spectroscopy during whole body vibration

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) on oxygenation of vastus lateralis muscle during squatting exercise. Eighteen male subjects [mean age, 27.3 +/- 6.0 (SD) years; mean height, 171.8 +/- 4.9 cm; mean weight, 64.4 +/- 6.1 kg] performed squatting exercise on a vibration platform for 3 min with and without vibration, and changes in oxygenation of the vastus lateralis muscle were determined by near-infrared spectroscopy. The muscle oxygenation levels and total haemoglobin and myoglobin levels (total Hb/Mb) decreased during squatting exercise with and without vibration. After exercise, the muscle oxygenation level and total Hb/Mb rapidly increased from the minimum value during exercise and remained constant for latter 10 min. The muscle oxygenation levels with vibration from 90 to 180 s after the start of squatting exercise were significantly lower than those without vibration. Total Hb/Mb with vibration from 90 s after the squatting exercise to 540 s were significantly higher than those without vibration. This study demonstrated that WBV exercise affects the oxygenation level of vastus lateralis muscle and reduces muscle oxygenation level compared to that with no WBV. Therefore, WBV exercise may be an efficient training stimulus for muscle deoxygenation.