eur 1 Appl Physiol (2000) $1: 489 484 2000 CR C. Bosco - M, Iacovelli M, Bonifaci - J. ‘Tihany Ae De Lorenzo © A. View ©. Tsarpela + M. Cardinale M. View Hormonal responses to whole-body vibration in men Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute responses of blood hormone concentrations and neuro ‘mulscular performance following whole-body vibration (BY) treatment. Fourteen male subjects mean (SD) age 95 (4.6) years] were exposed to vertical sinusoidal WBV. 10 times for 60 s, with 60 s rest between the vibration sets (a rest period lasting 6 min was allowed alter 5 vibration sets), Neuromuscular performance tests consisting of Sountcr-mewement jump and moximal dynamo log presses on it slice machine. performed with an extra load ff 160% of the subjects body mass. and with both legs ‘were administered before and immediately after the WBV Spa, Vik G Gunza emai e osc pet Bosse A, De Lorene Fonaione "Don Gnocchi Universita i Roma Tor Vergata Rome, Maly C. Bose Contre for Study and Research of the Halian Track tnd Field Asoaation PLDALL Rome, aly €. Bosco 0, Tspela M. Cardinale Federtgione lana Puglisi, ome tay Bosco“. Taampela° M. Cardinale J. Tihany Departnent of Biomechanics Hungarian University of Physical Edu En ins Homes M. tacvel Universita di Roms La Sapienza Rome, Haly M. Bonita Instituto dh Fsologia Viana Universita de Std Sins tay M. View =A, View Institute of erie Bio Unnersiy of Tarte. Estonia treatment. The average velocity. aeccleration, average force. and power were calculated and the root mean square electromyogram (EMGrms) were recorded from ‘he vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles simulta neously during the leg-press measurement. Blood samples were also collected. and plasms concentrations of tes- tosterone (T). growth hormone (GH) and cortisol (C) wore measured. The results showed a significant inerease in the placma sonoentration of T and GH. w 7 levels decreased, An increase in the mechanical power ‘output of the leg extensor muscles was observed together with a reduction in EMGrms activity. Neuromuscular emeleney Improved, as mlicated by de decrease in he ratio between EMGrms and power. Jumping perfor ‘mance, which was measured using the counter-movement imp test, was also enhanced, Thus. it can be argued that the biological mechanism produced by vibration issinuilar to the effect produced by explosive power training Gumping and bouncing). The enhancement of explosive power conld have boen induced by am inerease in the synchronisation aetivity of the motor units. and/or im= proved co-ordination of the synergistic muscles and in- ‘creased inhibition of the antagonists. These results sg- gest that WBY treatment leads to acute responses of hormonal profile and neuromuscular performance. I is therefore likely that the effect of WBV treatment elicited biological adaptation that is connected to a neural potentiation effect, similar to those reported to occur following resistance and explosive power training. In conclusion, it is suggested that WBV influences prop- tioceptive feedback mechanisms and specific neural Components. leading to. an improvement of neuromus- cailat performance. Moroover. since the hormonal Fesponses. characterised by an increase in T and GH fin Csonconteation snd the concentration and a doors: jnerease in neuromuscular effectiveness were simultie neous but independent, it is speculated that the wo ‘phenomena might have common underlying mechanisms. Key words. EMG - Growth hormone - Jumping performance » Testosterone - Whole-body vibrations,Introduction Recent studies have documented the effect of vibration con the acuromascukay apysmattus, Avate teatiient ith, ‘whole-body vibration (WBY) has been shown to crease leg muscle foree (F) and power (WF), and movement velocity. After, 10 min of vibration ‘tea ment the velocity/ and JF/F curves were shifted {0 the right (Bosco et al. 19994), In 12 well-trained boxers, tueaied with 5 repetitions of I-min vibration that was fanplied while their arms were kept in a semicRexod position, an inerease in the mechanical W of the aem was observed. The root mean square of the associated electromyogram (EMGrms) did not change following the vibration treatment, but the ratio of EMG? decreased. showing an enhancement of neural fli cieney (Bosco ct al. 1999). Apart trom these acute effects, vibration may induce chronic adaptation changes in the mechanical behaviour of human skeletal muscles: a daily series of five vertical sinusoidal vi- Drations lasting 90 s each and imposed for a period of 10 sed pronounced improvement of jumping performance (Bosco etal. 1998). These results suggest that vibration elicits short-term and lor genic adaptation. In accordance, with This, previous Studies have domonetrated a facilitation of the oxcit- ability of the patellar tendon reflex by vibration ap- plicd to quadriceps muscle (Burke et al, 1996), vibration-induced drive of x-motoneurones via the Ta oup (Ruuonuller ad Canweitl 1993), and acuyauon cof the muscle spindle receptors (Kasai ot al. 1992) However. muscle tissue ean also be affected by vibra- tion (Necking etl. 1992), In rats, a vibration-induced colargement of slow- and fast-twitch fibres has been clemonstrated (Necking ct a. 1996). A question arises as to whether vibration effects include adaptive changes and changes in endocrine functions. It has been shown that short-term intensive exercises such as 60-s consecutive jumps (Bosco et al 1996a}, anaerobic eyele exercises’ (Adterereutz. et al 176: Naver ct al, 1985; Buono ct al. 1986; Farrel et al. 1987; Brooks et al. 1988; Kracmer et al. 1989: Schwarz and Kindermann 199) and weight lifting (Kraemer et al. 1990; Schwab et al. 1993) evoke rapid hormonal responses. At the same’ time. certain rela tionships scem to exist between plasma concentrations of hormones and short-term performance: athletes with better explosive strength and sprint-running. per~ Tormances have a higher basal tosterone (T. Kraemer et al. 1995: Bosco et al. 19960). It has been demonstrated that exercise-induced hor- monal roeponsos ars significant not only for acute adaptation, but also for triggering long-term training, offocts (Inoue et al. 1994; Viru 1994; Kraemer ct al 1996), Sim the vibration-induced hormonal changes may be significant of neuromuscular function in repeated exposure to vibration, ‘hvauie improvement “The aim of the present study was £0 test the possi bility that WBV induces changes in the plasma concen- tration of hormones that are known to be associated with the adaptation of mascular activity Methods Subjects A group of 14 mae subjects [mean (SDI age 251146) gears boy mass ms) 809129) kg. eight 177-4 (138) a slum par Uespate! hr the snl they Stee piste sete ad neem ‘gaged in a team sport training prograra three times week. Each Subject! was instructed on the protocol and gave their written Informed consent to participate in the experiment, which wis approved by the ethical commitice of the Uaian Sewiety of Sport Sclence ‘Subjects with a prevans history of fracares or Wom injures were excluded from the study. as Were those under the age fof IX years. The protocol consisted of performing jumping and mechanical testing together wih ckelromvographic (EMG) ot kg catenin sick. am well as Mena ett fo isis before and immediately after the 1anin WBY treatnet Testing procedures ‘he firs blood sample was ken afer the measurement of eight and ny. The subjects then performed 1D-min warm-up. consisting Of Sin of bicyehing at 28 kh on a eyole ergometer (Newforsn For the quadriceps an teceps sore mia Jumping measurements After the swamp. a well afer she vibration expostre, the Suhyects performed Unree tras of a sountersmovemen! any (CM) The Might time (7) and contact tise (i) ofeach single jump 1983) that was connected fo sal tine (accuracy = 0.001 5 Ergojump, Psion XP. MAGICA. Reine, aly). To avoid ae measurable work horizontal and laters displacements were “CR! te mgulos spent fe hive sy sa jsed so thatthe subects were required to bend their knee to p= proximately 90 The increase in the cenlee of gravity above the [outa (height in m) was measured Ire J () hy applsing baste ed a8 Mm) 0 ster isthe acsleration due to gravity (9ST m=), The bes performance ws se for salsa nalts Reproducibility of jumps ‘0.90 (Bosco and Veta Chir pesformances a high Mechanical 1? measurements Afler the jumping tes. al of the subjects, who were well accu fonmed with the exec sejereies om sie performed maint dvnanie keg-press achine (Nevform spa) with esta loads of Fae sues my, nneespung tr A 9 pt imum (RMD, with both legs Five attempts were rade with Train intervals betwee exch, Since two o three Inks were nee torreach «plateau in performance, the last te tras of each et ofreasremente rssrded were averaged sind tend foe station “inalssis as recomimende by Toravall (1963) and Bosco et a 11995), During the Us, the sertcal displacement of the load was tronitored with 9 sensor (encoder) machine (Muscle Lab” Bosce System, Erzotest Tecnology. Langensund, Norway) that vas ‘erica to PC. When the ioads wore moved BY the Sues. | Signal was tmeritied bythe sensor at every 3 met of displacement Tins. te posable to calculate several parameters, sch as av erage Whey, acceleration average F. and average power (), ‘eergpnting oe la dplacement ore ee Bosca el 1998) However sine ia been shown that Its the most sensitive parameter among all ofthe mechanical variables tied. it was the ‘nly me considered for statistical analysis (Bosco etal. 1995). EMG analy The sigs from the sass fates aod rect femoris muses of one keg were rewnded uring the lees. measurements wah Silat sunlace chvtrode tntereetrade stance 12 em) That sere fixed Fongitainaly over the muscle belly. An amplifier (24h ‘ei, apo mpedance 2 GQ. common-mode fection lla 100d. band-pas ter 6 1500 Fs Bicchip Grenoble. France) starred The Rluslesh encoder converted the amplied EMAC ‘a Sonal oan vera reocmsn-aqare (a) sal ats al Sn" hardware ‘ccitnetworkTPredueney response 480 6H. {eraging Condan 100 ms ol error 20.3%). The EMGrms “xpreied ae fonction ofthe tine (nV oF uV) Since the EMG ‘Shas were ned yr assnoato th the Bomechamscl parameters Ineasured with MuscleLab, they were simpled smulaneousl at TOO Hr The subjects woe askin st to present the cable rom singing snd fom caning movement sats A personal coe fever tBP Une 985 AMS lis the St ‘Tacs obtained for oth the vst eras and ects femors nucle wore averaged for stiitica anajs a suggested by Boos snd Vasa 982) ant Viasat Bose (198) Reliability of the mechanical Hand EMG measurements Table 1 gives the mean value, SD colfiient of correlation (r} and coeljent of variation (CV) of the resus Treas the last (0 tals {ital Sd ral 3) The CV shoved ceslls ranging fom Oto 1, stile high coreation coelctnts were found (r~ 0.90, 0.9, and 194 for EMGris wid LMG 1? especsivels: P= 0.001) Hormonal measurements The fist blood samples were dwn a $00 sm, fom an antec hata vin ater the subject fasted for 12 hand rested fort da. The sewn! blood simple was obtained right afer the eb OF Be ‘bration treatment. The subjects were asked sit pear 10 the “bration machine, where an appropriate sep Was prepared fOr biood colton. The blood simples were drawn in the Tin fol “Table 1 Reliability of to sucessve tna (trials 4 and $), Mean (SD) power (UF) expressed a6 3 function of body mass. eect ‘messed during ep proses executed with oad of 100% a the ues body mass (= 12) buforewibeaton treatment. (7 Pear fon proluct moment correlation coefficient. CP coefcent of var- riw-ke ie EMGrns (uV) ISL TLS) EMGrnes qu W"y TR O48) *P > 0001 4st Inwing the eal af the vibration eames Serum samples te used Tor the hormone detemninations were kept (een a 20 °C nll stsayed. The assays for serum total Tad cortisol (C) were performed by radioimmunoassay (RIA) using reagent kis (Diag hose Products Corporation. Los Angele, Calif USA). Growth hormone (GH) ss mesure ing RIA teagenl Rit obtaiwed {rom Rai (Pomecss, Hal). All samples fom the tested subjects were analysed using the RIA counter (COBRA. S008. Packard Tastruments, Merden, USA). "The Inrscasay coeliients of vie ation for duplicate samples were 4.464% for T. 3.0 for C ad 3% tor GH Treatment procures ‘Subyects were exposed to vertical sinusoidal WBV using a devise walled the NEMES 30 L (KB Ergotet. Mikkel. Taland) The Frequency of the vibrations wsed in this study was set at 26 He (displacement = 24 min: aeeleration ~ 17 The subjects were fxpored ten limes lors duration a 60s, Sith sof Fest eter och treatin. Aer five Sl Treatments was administered, The WBV was performed with the ‘objects ith thie tes the heaton pat the kre finale was prewet at 100° flevon. Duniag all of the vibravon Treatments the subjects were asked To wear gymnastics shoes 0 vou bees Statistical methods Ondinary statistical methods vere employed, including the cakeu- lation of means (1) and SD. The Pearson ofeluct moment corre. lation “Coaficent tr) was used for test weet measurement reliability. The SD and CV of test re-test mienstrements Were ck ulated Using the following equation (Therstensson 1976), LSD) xevtey ey (aw Where sy and vy are the mean average values of two sascesive Measurements, and SD isthe standard devtion of the mean di- nea values Fefore nd fer the vibeaion teniment were tested Tor significance using Student's rest for pred observations. The level of statistieal sigufcance was set al P< 0.08. Results ‘The WEY tcoatment effocted 2 significant increase in plasma concentrations of T (P= 0,026), and GH (P=0.014), while C concentration decreased. signfi- cantly (P = 0.03. Table 2). The mechanical ¥ output of the ley extensor muscles, measured while performing maximal leg-press exercise, was significantly enhanced (P= 0.003), while the EMGrms detected in the leg extensor muscles reduced during test performance, as Table2 Acute elects of whole-body bration on blood camcentrations of cortisol, testosterone and growth hormone. Valuee are given se the mean SD) Parameter Belowe After vbrtion Conmolamol Fh 6 5) He ST) 008 Testosterone nmol!) 22.7166) 248A) 0026 Growih hormone og mi") “62 (162) 262.6) 0014