Static Exercise With Whole-body Vibration Reduces Post-exercise Leg Arterial Stiffness in Young Men With Pre-hypertension

Abstract

Pre-hypertension is associated with increased carotid-femoral (cf) pulse wave velocity (PWV). Static squat with whole-body vibration (WBV) acutely decreases brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) in healthy men, but it may increase sympathetic activity and consequently arterial stiffness and hemodynamic responses. PURPOSE: To examine acute effects of static squat with and without WBV on arterial and cardiac autonomic function in young (23 ± 1 yr) men with pre-hypertension. METHODS: Measures of PWV, augmentation index (AIx), aortic blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), high-frequency (LnHF) and low-frequency (LnLF) power of HR variability, and LnLF/HF were assessed in the supine position before (pre-exercise) and 5, 15, and 30 min following 10 sets of static squat with (40 Hz and 2.5 mm) and without WBV (control) on separate days. RESULTS: Femoral-ankle PWV (faPWV) was lower (P < 0.05) than pre-exercise throughout the recovery and lower (P < 0.001) than control at 30 min post-exercise. HR increased and LnHF decreased (P < 0.05) at 5 min post-exercise and returned to pre-exercise levels at 15 min post-exercise in both trials. The LnLF/HF ratio increased (P < 0.001) above pre-exercise throughout the recovery after both trials. CONCLUSIONS: Acute static squat with WBV decreases post-exercise faPWV without an apparent effect on cfPWV, baPWV, AIx and BP in young pre-hypertensive men. Static squat with and without WBV elicits mild and short-lasting changes in cardiac autonomic modulation of HR.