Resistive vibration exercise reduces lower limb muscle atrophy during 56-day bed-rest.

Belavý, Daniel L., Miokovic, Tanja, Armbrecht, Gabriele, Rittweger, Jörn and Felsenberg, Dieter (2009) Resistive vibration exercise reduces lower limb muscle atrophy during 56-day bed-rest. Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions, 9 (4). pp. 225-35. ISSN 1108-7161

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a resistive vibration exercise countermeasure during prolonged bed-rest in preventing lower-limb muscle atrophy. METHODS: 20 male subjects underwent 56-days of bed-rest and were assigned to either an inactive control, or a countermeasure group which performed high-load resistive exercises (including squats, heel raises and toe raises) with whole-body vibration. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lower-limbs was performed at two-weekly intervals. Volume of individual muscles was calculated. RESULTS: Countermeasure exercise reduced atrophy in the triceps surae and the vastii muscles (F>3.0, p<.025). Atrophy of the peroneals, tibialis posterior and toe flexors was less in the countermeasure-subjects, though statistical evidence for this was weak (F<or=2.3, p>or=.071). Atrophy in the hamstring muscles was similar in both groups (F<1.1, p>.38). The adductor longus, sartiorius and rectus femoris muscles showed little loss of muscle volume during bed-rest (F<1.7, p>.15). CONCLUSIONS: The countermeasure exercise programme was effective in reducing atrophy in the extensors of the knee and ankle but not the hamstrings.