Transmission of whole body vibration:​ comparison of three vibration platforms in healthy subjects

Spain, Lucy<sup>1,2</sup>; Yang, Lang<sup>1,2</sup>; Wilkinson, J. Mark<sup>1,2</sup>; McCloskey, Eugene<sup>1,2</sup>

Affiliations

¹Academic Unit of Bone Metabolism, Metabolic Bone Centre, Sorby Wing, EU14, E Floor, The Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK

²NIHR Bone Biomedical Research Unit, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK

Abstract and keywords

The potential of whole body vibration (WBV) to maintain or enhance musculoskeletal strength during ageing is of increasing interest, with both low and high magnitude WBV having been shown to maintain or increase bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. The aim of this study was to determine how a range of side alternating and vertical WBV platforms deliver vibration stimuli up through the human body.

Motion capture data were collected for 6 healthy adult participants whilst standing on the Galileo 900, Powerplate Pro 5 and Juvent 100 WBV platforms. The side alternating Galileo 900 WBV platform delivered WBV at 5-30 Hz and amplitudes of 0-5 mm. The Powerplate Pro 5 vertical WBV platform delivered WBV at 25 and 30 Hz and amplitude settings of ‘Low’ and ‘High’. The Juvent 1000 vertical WBV platform delivered a stimulus at a frequency between 32 and 37 Hz and amplitude 10 fold lower than either the Galileo or Powerplate, resulting in accelerations of 0.3 g. Motion capture data were recorded using an 8 camera Vicon Nexus system with 21 reflective markers placed at anatomical landmarks between the toe and the forehead. Vibration was expressed as vertical RMS accelerations along the z-axis which were calculated as the square root of the mean of the squared acceleration values in g.

The Juvent 1000 did not deliver detectable vertical RMS accelerations above the knees. In contrast, the Powerplate Pro 5 and Galileo 900 delivered vertical RMS accelerations sufficiently to reach the femoral neck and lumbar spine. The maximum vertical RMS accelerations at the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) were 1.00 g ±0.30 and 0.85 g ±0.49 for the Powerplate and Galileo respectively. For similar accelerations at the ASIS, the Galileo achieved greater accelerations within the lower limbs, whilst the Powerplate recorded higher accelerations in the thoracic spine at T10.

The Powerplate Pro 5 and Galileo 900 deliver vertical RMS accelerations sufficiently to reach the femoral neck and lumbar spine, whereas the Juvent 1000 did not deliver detectable vertical RMS accelerations above the knee. The side alternating Galileo 900 showed greater attenuation of the input accelerations than the vertical vibrations of the Powerplate Pro 5. The platforms differ markedly in the transmission of vibration with strong influences of frequency and amplitude. Researchers need to take account of the differences in transmission between platforms when designing and comparing trials of whole body vibration.

Keywords: Whole body vibration; Osteoporosis; Powerplate Pro 5; Galileo 900; Juvent 1000; Transmission

Links

DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2020.115802

PubMed: 33309990

WoS: 000615747700010

History

Received: 2020-06-19

Revised: 2020-12-7

Accepted: 2020-12-7

Online: 2020-12-10

Cited Works (14)

Year	Entry
2004	Verschueren SMP, Roelants M, Delecluse C, Swinnen S, Vanderschueren D, Boonen S. Effect of 6‐month whole body vibration training on hip density, muscle strength, and postural control in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled pilot study. J Bone Miner Res. March 2004;19(3):352-359.
1997	Umemura Y, Ishiko T, Yamauchi T, Kurono M, Mashiko S. Five jumps per day increase bone mass and breaking force in rats. J Bone Miner Res. September 1997;12(10):1480-1485.
2004	Ward K, Alsop C, Caulton J, Rubin C, Adams J, Mughal Z. Low magnitude mechanical loading is osteogenic in children with disabling conditions. J Bone Miner Res. March 2004;19(3):360-369.
2002	Srinivasan S, Weimer DA, Agans SC, Bain SD, Gross TS. Low‐magnitude mechanical loading becomes osteogenic when rest is inserted between each load cycle. J Bone Miner Res. September 2002;17(9):1613-1620.
1995	Liberman UA, Weiss SR, Bröll J, Minne HW, Quan H, Bell NH, Rodriguez-Portales J, Downs RW Jr, Dequeker J, Favus M, Seeman E, Recker RR, Capizzi T, Santora AC, Lombardi A, Shah RV, Hirsch LJ, Karpf DB; Group, Alendronate Phase III Osteoporosis Treatment Study. Effect of oral alendronate on bone mineral density and the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal osteoporosis. NEJM. November 30, 1995;333(22):1437-1443.
2004	Rubin C, Recker R, Cullen D, Ryaby J, McCabe J, McLeod K. Prevention of postmenopausal bone loss by a low‐magnitude, high‐frequency mechanical stimuli: a clinical trial assessing compliance, efficacy, and safety. J Bone Miner Res. March 2004;19(3):343-351.
1997	Randall JM, Matthews RT, Stiles MA. Resonant frequencies of standing humans. Ergonomics. 1997;40(9):879-886.
1989	Fairley TE, Griffin MJ. The apparent mass of the seated human body: vertical vibration. J Biomech. 1989;22(2):81-94.
1984	Rubin CT, Lanyon LE. Regulation of bone formation by applied dynamic loads. J Bone Joint Surg. March 1984;66A(3):397-402.
1987	Rubin CT, Lanyon LE. Osteoregulatory nature of mechanical stimuli: function as a determinant for adaptive remodeling in bone. J Orthop Res. 1987;5(2):300-310.
2002	Robling AG, Hinant FM, Burr DB, Turner CH. Improved bone structure and strength after long‐term mechanical loading is greatest if loading is separated into short bouts. J Bone Miner Res. August 2002;17(8):1545-1554.
2006	Gilsanz V, Wren TAL, Sanchez M, Dorey F, Judex S, Rubin C. Low‐level, high‐frequency mechanical signals enhance musculoskeletal development of young women with low bmd. J Bone Miner Res. September 2006;21(9):1464-1474.
2008	Kiiski J, Heinonen A, Järvinen TL, Kannus P, Sievänen H. Transmission of vertical whole body vibration to the human body. J Bone Miner Res. August 2008;23(8):1318-1325.
1987	Frost HM. Bone "mass" and the "mechanostat": a proposal. Anat Rec. September 1987;219(1):1-9.