Acute Cardiovascular Response during Resistance Exercise with Whole-body Vibration in Sedentary Subjects: A Randomized Cross-over Trial

Exaggerated pressor response to static squats in Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy subjects is likely an individual trait, not influenced by whole body vibration (WBV)

BACKGROUND

Reduced muscle strength is one symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Strength can be increased by strength training, which may cause exaggerated blood pressure (BP) rise. It is believed that exercises performed on vibrating platform can strengthen leg muscles without excessive BP increase.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the pressor response to static exercises performed during whole body vibration in PD patients.

METHODS

Twenty-four aged PD patients and twelve healthy young volunteers participated in the study. PD subjects performed six repetitions of deep-, semi-squat, and calves at vibration frequency of 30 Hz. Each 30 s exercise was followed by 30 s rest. The young volunteers performed two sessions of above-mentioned exercises with and without vibration. BP was measured continuously.

RESULTS

In PD patients, the highest BP values were observed during deep squat; systolic blood pressure rose 10 mmHg in 'weak responders', and 50 mmHg in 'strong responders'. This difference correlated with the rise in pulse pressure suggesting indirectly the role of stoke volume in individual response. In healthy subjects pressor response was also individually differentiated and not influenced by vibration.

CONCLUSION

Deep and semi squat can evoke a strong cardiovascular response in some PD and healthy subjects. Low-magnitude vibrations likely did not affect pressor response.

Acute Effects of Static Stretching Combined with Vibration and Nonvibration Foam Rolling on the Cardiovascular Responses and Functional Fitness of Older Women with Prehypertension

Simple Summary

Thirty-seven percent of the US adult population have prehypertension, and a quarter to half of these over 65 years of age progress to hypertension in four years. Along with healthy diet, exercise or physical activity is one of the critical lifestyle factors for this population. General exercise recommendation or prescription to individuals who have cardiovascular risks is provided by organizations such as ACSM and AHA, but more detailed information and research are still needed. As the first component of any exercise program, finding the proper warm-up routine is important. We aimed to examine the acute immediate effects of three different warm-up protocols on cardiovascular responses and functional fitness testing in older women with prehypertension. Thirteen qualified subjects went through three protocols (static stretching with and without foam rolling, and stretching with vibration rolling) in three different sessions. Blood pressure was not altered only in the static stretching with foam rolling condition. Interestingly, adding the vibration component to the stretching increased the upper body flexibility and stretching. We therefore suggest the combination of static stretching with foam rolling as the safe and effective protocol for older women with prehypertension.

Abstract

We compared the effects of three warm-up protocols (static stretching (SS), static stretching with vibration foam rolling (SS + VFR), and static stretching with nonvibration foam rolling (SS + FR) on the blood pressure and functional fitness performance in older women with prehypertension. Thirteen older women went through different protocols in separate visits, and their systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, brachial pulse pressure (BPP), functional fitness test (back scratch (BS), chair-sit-and-reach, 30 s arm curl (AC), 30 s chair stand, 2 min step, 8-foot up and go), and single-leg standing balance (SLB) were recorded. The SBP and BPP were significantly higher after SS and SS + VFR than after SS + FR. Both SS + FR and SS + VFR significantly improved the 2 min step, when compared with SS. Additionally, SS + VFR significantly improved the BS and AC performance. However, compared with SS and SS + FR, SS + VFR significantly reduced the SLB performance. Therefore, SS + FR may be a better warm-up protocol for older women in maintaining blood pressure. On the other hand, even though SS + VFR induced superior shoulder flexibility, aerobic endurance, and arm strength, it could impair balance.

Immediate Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Associated with Squatting Exercises on Hemodynamic Parameters in Sarcopenic Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Whole-body vibration (WBV) exercises have recently been introduced as a nonpharmacological therapeutic strategy for sarcopenic older people. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of WBV exercise on hemodynamic parameters in sarcopenic older people. Forty older people, divided into groups of nonsarcopenic (NSG = 20) and sarcopenic (SG = 20), participated in the study and were cross randomized into two interventions of eight sets of 40 s each, these being squatting with WBV and squatting without WBV. Heart rate (HR), peak heart rate (peak HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), double product (DP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and subjective perception of effort (SPE), were assessed at baseline, during, and after a single WBV session. The HR, peak HR, and DP variables were similar at baseline between groups. WBV exercise increased all the hemodynamic parameters both during and immediately after the intervention, in both groups (SG and NSG). The MAP values were similar at baseline between groups; however, in the NSG there was a significant increase during and immediately after the squatting with WBV intervention (p < 0.05). The HR behavior, in both groups, showed that there was an increase in HR after the first set of exercises with vibration and this increase was maintained until the final set. The absence of adverse effects of WBV exercise on the cardiovascular system and fatigue suggests this exercise modality is adequate and safe for sarcopenic older people.

Whole-Body Vibration Training Increases Myocardial Salvage Against Acute Ischemia in Adult Male Rats

Background

Whole body vibration training (WBV) is a new training program, which is safe and effective. It can be followed by the public. However, data on the safety and efficacy of vibration on myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury are lacking.

Objective

To examine the effect of WBV on the tolerance of the myocardium to acute IR injury in an experimental rat model.

Methods

Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into control and vibration groups. Vibration training consisted of vertical sinusoidal whole body vibration for 30 min per day, 6 days per week, for 1 or 3 weeks (WBV1 and WBV3 groups, respectively). All the rats were submitted to myocardial IR injury. Myocardial infarct size and ischemia-induced arrhythmias were assessed. Differences between variables were considered significant when p < 0.05.

Results

No differences were observed between the groups regarding the baseline hemodynamic parameters. Infarct size was smaller in the experimental group (control, 47 ± 2%; WBV1, 39 ± 2%; WBV3, 37 ± 2%; p < 0.05, vs. control). Vibration produced a significant decrease in the number and duration of ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes compared to the control value. All ventricular fibrillation (VF) episodes in the vibration groups were self-limited, while 33% of the rats in the control group died due to irreversible VF (p = 0.02).

Conclusion

The data showed that vibration training significantly increased cardiac tolerance to IR injury in rats, as evidenced by reduction in the infarct size and cardiac arrhythmias, and by facilitating spontaneous defibrillation.

Pain perception and cardiovascular system response among athletes playing contact sports

The aim of this study was to determine whether the contact sports change the perception of pain as assessed by the cold pressor test (CPT), and if the test induces the same reaction of the cardiovascular system in contact athletes and non-athletes. The study involved 321 healthy men; 140 contact athletes and 181 students of the University of Szczecin (control). Pain threshold and pain tolerance were evaluated using CPT. Cardiovascular measurements were made during CPT. The contact athletes showed a much higher tolerance to pain than the control group (median time 120 vs. 94 s, respectively, p = 0.0002). The thresholds of pain in both groups did not differ significantly between the groups. Systolic blood pressure measured before and during the test in all three measurements was statistically significantly higher in athletes compared with the control group. Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure did not differ significantly between the studied groups.

Exercise, the Brain, and Hypertension

Exercise training is the cornerstone in the prevention and management of hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, blood pressure (BP) response to exercise is exaggerated in hypertension often to the range that raises the safety concern, which may prohibit patients from regular exercise. This augmented pressor response is shown to be related to excessive sympathetic stimulation caused by overactive muscle reflex. Exaggerated sympathetic-mediated vasoconstriction further contributes to the rise in BP during exercise in hypertension. Exercise training has been shown to reduce both exercise pressor reflex and attenuate the abnormal vasoconstriction. Hypertension also contributes to cognitive impairment, and exercise training has been shown to improve cognitive function through both BP-dependent and BP-independent pathways. Additional studies are still needed to determine if newer modes of exercise training such as high-intensity interval training may offer advantages over traditional continuous moderate training in improving BP and brain health in hypertensive patients.