Effects Of Vibration Exercise With Superimposed Resistance Exercise And Vascular Occlusion On Muscle In Women

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate whether side-alternating whole body vibration with superimposed resistance exercise and vascular occlusion (VRO) concurrently increases the capacity to generate and sustain submaximal and maximal power. METHODS: Young women were randomized to either train on 3 days per week for 5 weeks [VRO: n = 12; age = 23.5 (3.0) years; BMI = 21.6 (2.6) kg/m2] or to maintain a sedentary lifestyle [CON: n = 9; age = 24.5 (3.8) years; BMI = 21.8 (1.7) kg/m2]. Functional changes were assessed by mechanography, isokinetic dynamometry, constant-load cycling exercise tests (CLT), as well as ergospirometry and N2O/SF6 rebreathing during graded cycling exercise tests (GXT). Skeletal muscle adaptations were assessed from vastus lateralis (VL) muscle biopsies and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: VRO but not CON concurrently increased GXT power (+9%, P > 0.01), CLT time to exhaustion (+57%, P = 0.001), ventilatory threshold (+12%, P < 0.001) and end-test torque (+15%, P = 0.002). These increases were related to myosin heavy chain type 1 (MYH-1) fiber hypertrophy and proportion [+14% (P = 0.028) and +17 (P = 0.019), respectively], and increases in thigh lean mass (+4%, P = 0.003), capillary-to-fiber ratio (+14%, P = 0.011), and cytochrome c oxidase activity [MYH-1: +28% (P = 0.001); MYH-2: +53%, (P < 0.001)]. Maximal oxygen consumption and cardiac output, as well as maximal isokinetic leg extension and jumping power remained unchanged after VRO (P > 0.05). VL muscle adaptations were achieved with only 3×3 min of thigh muscle activity per week. CONCLUSIONS: VRO is a novel effective and time efficient training modality for quickly increasing the capacity to generate and sustain submaximal but not maximal power in young women. This work was supported by the University of Zurich research priority program "Integrative Human Physiology" and the Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)