Vibration Training and Muscle Strength Development

Introduction:

Vibration has been used to enhance muscle strength development during resistance training.

Aim:

To assess the effect of adding vibration to a regular resistance training program, using free weights, on muscle strength and everyday functioning of upper limbs in untrained adults

Methods:

60 healthy untrained adults, 30-65 yrs, will divide into two groups: experiment and control. Training program will include 24 sessions, over a course of 8 weeks. The experiment group will use a 1 kg vibrating weights and the control group will use a standard 1 kg free weights. Every session will include 10-15 min of 3-5 standard resistant exercises for upper limbs. Each subject will perform an Isokinetic evaluation of muscular performance, for upper limbs, in 3 occasions: before starting the program, immediately after completing the 8-weeks training program and 4 weeks afterwards, to check the chronic effect of each training regime. Each subject will complete a DASH (Disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) questionnaire at 4 occasions- as mentioned above and one more time, when completing the first 4 weeks of the training program, to reject any development of negative effects of the training program, such as pain or inflammation of the joints .