Effect of 10-Week Whole-Body Vibration Training on Falls and Physical Performance in Older Adults: A Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial with 1-Year Follow-Up

Harri Sievänen (), Maarit Piirtola, Kari Tokola, Tanja Kulmala, Eerika Tiirikainen, Pekka Kannus, Juha Kiiski, Kirsti Uusi-Rasi and Saija Karinkanta
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Harri Sievänen: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Maarit Piirtola: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Kari Tokola: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Tanja Kulmala: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Eerika Tiirikainen: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Pekka Kannus: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Juha Kiiski: Department of Musculoskeletal Surgery and Diseases, Tampere University Hospital, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
Kirsti Uusi-Rasi: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland
Saija Karinkanta: The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, FI-33500 Tampere, Finland

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Whole-body vibration training (WBV) training has shown positive effects on bone strength, muscle strength, and balance, but the evidence on fall prevention is not yet persuasive. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of WBV training in preventing falls and improving physical performance among older adults at fall risk. The study was an assessor- and participant-blinded, randomized, and controlled 10-week training trial with a 10-month follow-up. One hundred and thirty older adults (mean age 78.5 years, 75% women) were randomly allocated into the WBV group ( n = 68) and the low-intensity wellness group ( n = 62). Falls were prospectively collected using monthly returned and verified diaries. Physical performance was evaluated at baseline before randomization, after the intervention, and follow-up with established methods. The data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the incidence rate ratios for falls, and Cox regression models were used to calculate the hazard ratios for fallers. Between-group differences in physical performance were estimated by generalized linear mixed models. The retention rate was 93%, and the mean adherence to the WBV training was 88% and 86% to the wellness training. Sixty-eight participants fell at least once, and there were 156 falls in total. In the WBV group, the incidence rate of falls was 1.5 (95% confidence interval 0.9 to 2.5) compared to the wellness group ( p = 0.11). The hazard ratio for fallers in the WBV group was 1.29 (0.78 to 2.15) ( p = 0.32). There was no between-group difference in physical performance after the training period, but by the end of the follow-up, WBV-related benefits appeared. The chair-rising capacity was maintained in the WBV group, while the benefit disappeared in the wellness group ( p = 0.004). Also, the 0.5-point difference in short physical performance battery (SPPB) score favored WBV training ( p = 0.009). In conclusion, progressive side-alternating WBV training was feasible and well-tolerated among fall-prone older adults. During the one-year follow-up, WBV training was associated with improved physical performance but did not prevent falls compared to chair-based group exercises.

Keywords: exercise; fall risk; fractures; muscle strength; physical functioning; prevention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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