Using Whole-Body Vibration for Countermeasure Exercise

Whole-body vibration exercise has been tested as a countermeasure against deterioration of body systems in spaceflight simulation (bed rest). The first Berlin BedRest Study demonstrated that resistive vibration exercise (RVE) can reduce muscle loss, prevent muscle weakness, prevent bone loss, and ameliorate pain during post-bed rest recovery as well as prevent or reduce changes in other body systems. A limitation of this study was the inability to determine the contribution of WBV in addition to resistance exercise (RE). The second Berlin BedRest Study showed that adding WBV to RE resulted in better efficacy to prevent bone loss, whereas RE and RVE were equivocal in reducing or preventing muscle atrophy. There was some evidence of an additional effect of WBV in modulating body composition changes when added to RE. Successful countermeasure exercise with WBV is possible when performed vigorously, i.e. with large loading force, and with more than three exercise sessions per week.