Effect Of Whole-body Vibration With Resistance Training In Elderly Women With Sarcopenia

A growing number of scholars are incorporating Whole-body vibration training (WBV) into resistance training (RT) to enhance the effectiveness of RT. However, there is an ongoing debate about whether combining WBV with RT is superior to standalone RT, especially in addressing sarcopenia in the elderly. PURPOSE: To explore whether the combination of whole-body vibration with resistance training (WBV-RT) is more effective than standalone RT in improving muscle mass, strength, and physical function in elderly women with sarcopenia. METHODS: 48 participants were randomly assigned to control, RT, and WBV-RT groups, with 16 individuals in each group. WBV-RT included lower-body RT on a vibration platform, including half-squats and deep squats, wide-stance squats, and calves. Training intensity progressively increased in frequency (25-40 Hz), amplitude (2-4 mm), duration (30-60s), and cycles (3-7) of vibration, with a 30s break between cycles. The RT group received RT without WBV. Training was given for 10 weeks, 3 sessions per week. The control group received no exercise. Dietary intake was assessed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire 25, and physical activity levels were monitored with accelerometers. Baseline and post-intervention assessments included appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), quadriceps thickness, grip strength, 5-chair stand test, 6 m gait speed, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, balance capacity, and quality of sleep. Analyses used two-way repeated measures ANOVA for inter- and intra-group differences. RESULTS: WBV-RT significantly improved the 5-chair stand test (-2.86 s), 6 m gait speed (+0.14 m/s), TUG (-1.69 s), and balance level (+1.88) compared to baseline (p < 0.05), with similar improvements in the RT group. Intra-group changes included SMI, quadriceps thickness, and grip strength, observed in both groups (p < 0.05), while ASM (+0.16 kg) improved exclusively in the WBV-RT group. The WBV-RT group showed a significant 1.22-point improvement in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index compared to baseline (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Whole-body vibration with resistance training improves sleep quality in elderly women with sarcopenia but may not surpass standalone RT in muscle mass and strength. This study was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFC3600201).