Calcif Tissue Int (1998) 63:510-5 14 Mechanical Stimulation ithe Form of Vibration Prevents

Abstract. Physical exercise is recommended for the pre-vention and treatment of osteoporosis. However. its exact role and effectiveness in adulthood IS unclear. While vig-orous exercise of long duration enhances bone density, few adult individuals comply with such training programs _ The present srudy evaluates the influence of nonphysiological mechanical stimulation. In the form of low intensity vibra-tion (frequency: 50 Hz. accelerarton: 2 g. 30 min/day for 5 days/week). on the prevention of bone loss in an animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In the ovariec-tomised groups of rats a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease of bone density (femur and tibia) was recorded at 5 weeks postovariecromy. This effect was maintained for the I2 week duration of the study Vibration prevented early bone loss after ovariectomy. Vibrared ovariectomised rats showed statistically significantly higher (p c 0.05) BMD values compared to those of their ovariectomised controls at 5 weeks. Vibration did not influence the bone density of the SHAM-operated rats. Although vibration increased ultimate strength (fracture load of the rat femur) in the ovariecto-mised rats. this finding was not statistically significant. Our data indicate that this method of safe and easily applicable vibration. in the form of a vibrating platform. is effective in preventing early postovariectomy bone loss in an animal mode