Review Article

Whole Body Vibration Exercises and the Improvement of the Flexibility in Patient with Metabolic Syndrome

Table 2

Findings about the effect of the WBV in the flexibility, the frequency used, and the mean age and sex of the subjects in the selected studies.

PublicationEffect in the flexibility/level of evidence (LE)Age (years)SexFrequency and amplitude

Despina et al.,
2014 [84]
Superiority of WBV training, especially in the post 15 measurement, in all flexibility and strength measures, as well as in a number of balance tests in comparison to exercise program performed without vibration.
LE II
17.54 ± 0.5211 women30 Hz/2 mm

Horstmann et al.,
2013 [85]
WBV training may be an alternative or a complementary treatment in patients who do not respond well to eccentric training with improvements in symptoms and pain, structural changes, and muscle flexibility an,d strength of the triceps surae muscle-tendon unit
LE II
46.0 ± 6.913 men
10 women
13 to 18 Hz/0.4 to 0.6 mm
16 to 21 Hz/0.5 to 0.8 mm

Lee and Chow
2013 [86]
Improvement in lumbopelvic coordination and flexibility after WBV
LE III-2
23.2 ± 1.210 men18 Hz/6 mm

Tsuji et al., 2014 [52]Effect on flexibility was similar with and without vibration stimulus
LE II
69.1 ± 2.5 Nine men and
9 women
40 Hz/2–4 mm

Gómez-Cabelloet al., 2013 [44]WBV group showed better () results in lower-body flexibility and agility compared to the control group
LE III-2
75.0 ± 4.720 men and
29 women
40 Hz/2 mm

Karatrantou
et al., 2013 [54]
Short-term side-to-side WBV training program improved flexibility ()
LE III-2
20.40 ± 0.2726 women25 Hz/6 mm

Wheeler and Jacobson 2013 [55]No differences () between WBV and light exercise were found for flexibility
LE II
20.85 ± 1.8110 men and
10 women
1 min—20 Hz,
2 min—27.5 Hz,
2 min—35 Hz,
4 min—45 Hz,
1 min—35 Hz

Bunker et al.,
2011 [78]
An increase in the flexibility and power output of individual golfers occurs when a WBV warmup bout is performed
LE III-3
45 ± 1510 men50 Hz/2 mm

Di Giminiani et al., 2010 [45]Individualized WBV without superimposing other exercises is an effective method of acutely increasing lower back and hamstring flexibility
LE II
18.37 up to
24.07
15 men and
19 women
20–55 Hz/1 mm

Feland et al.,
2010 [79]
Stretching with vibration on a WBV platform appears to be a good adjunct to static stretching with the potential to enhance retention of flexibility gains
LE III-1
23.4 ± 1.722 men,
12 women
26 Hz/4 mm

Gerodimos et al.,
2010 [80]
Single WBV bout may increase flexibility which persists for at least 15 min and the effects were observed irrespective of frequency and amplitude
LE III-3
20.5 ± 1.725 women15–30 Hz/4–8 mm

Jacobs
and Burns,
2009 [81]
Short-term WBV standing elicits acute enhancements of lower-extremity muscular torque and flexibility
LE III-1
28.6 ± 9.7310 men and
10 women
Up to 26 Hz

Fagnani et al.,
2006 [82]
WBV is a suitable training method to improve knee extension maximal strength, countermovement jump, and flexibility () in female athletes
LE II
21 up to 2726 women35 Hz/4 mm

van den Tillaar,
2006 [83]
A significant increase in hamstring flexibility was found
LE II
21.5 ± 2.012 women and 7 men28 Hz/10 mm

Cochrane and Stannard, 2005
[56]
Acute WBV causes improvement () in the flexibility performance
LE II
21.8 ± 5.918 women26 Hz/6 mm

WBV: whole body vibration.
LE: level of evidence.