Physiological Approach on the Physical Fitness and Postural Balance Effects of a Whole-Body Vertical Vibration Intervention in Young Women

With the advent of westernized diet and a lack of exercise, young female college students are paying more attention to their bodyweight and health. Whole-body vibration has been demonstrated to be a suitable training method for improving knee extension maximal strength in young female athletes, as well as the gait performance in elderly women. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a vertical vibration intervention on the physical fitness and postural balance in young females. Fifty-four young women were recruited; all subjects were randomly assigned to the intervention group and control group. The intervention group underwent vertical vibration with a platform for 12 weeks. The results showed that body mass index and body fat percentage had decreased (P＜0.05). In addition, their muscle endurance as indicated by a sit-up test and their flexibility as indicated by a sit-and-reach test were both increased. With regard to postural balance, their 30-second sit-to-stand and timed up and go test results were improved. At the same time, their mean single-leg stance with eyes closed time increased (P＜0.05). However, there were no significant differences, meanwhile, for the control group. Overall, the results showed that the whole body vibration (WBV) intervention had some beneficial effects on physical fitness and postural balance in young women.