Improvement of Stance Control and Muscle Performance Induced by Focal Muscle Vibration in Young-Elderly Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Filippi GM, Brunetti O, Botti FM, Panichi R, Roscini M. Camerota F. Cesari M, Pettorossi VE. Improvement of stance control and muscle performance induced by focal muscle vibration in young-elderly women: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2009;90:2019-25. Objective: To determine the effect of a particular protocol of mechanical vibration, applied focally and repeatedly (repeated muscle vibration [rMV]) on the quadriceps muscles, on stance and lower-extremity muscle power of young-elderly women. Design: Double-blind randomized controlled trial: 3-month follow-up after intervention. Setting: Human Physiology Laboratories, University of Perugia, Italy. Participants: Sedentary women volunteers (N=60), randomized in 3 groups (mean age +/- SD, 65.3 +/- 4.2y; range, 60-72). Intervention: rMV (100Hz, 300-500 mu m, in three 10-minute sessions a day for 3 consecutive days) was applied to voluntary contracted quadriceps (vibrated and contracted group) and relaxed quadriceps (vibrated and relaxed group). A third group received placebo stimulation (nonvibrated group). Main Outcome Measures: Area of sway of the center of pressure, vertical jump heiaht, and leg power. Results: Twenty-four hours after the end of the complete series of applications, the area of sway of the center of pressure decreased significantly by approximately 20%, vertical jump increased by approximately 55%, and leg power increased by approximately 35%. These effects were maintained for at least 90 clays after treatment. Conclusions: rMV is a short-lasting and noninvasive protocol that can significantly and persistently improve muscle performance in sedentary young-elderly women.