Whole body vibration: State of the art

Whole body vibration (WBV) represents a neuromuscular training method that exposes the body to mechanical vibrations. Popularity of this method in health and fitness centres has grown recently. WBV has been proposed in sports and more recently in rehabilitation. Mechanical vibrations are modulated by the amplitude and/or the frequency of stimuli. The training intensity depends on the increase of these two parameters. Scientific literature describes the effects of WBV on muscle performance, physiological responses or bone density. Some studies related the feasibility of WBV in pathological conditions. Controversy exists with regard to results of different works. This can be explained by the lack of protocol standardization. WBV seems to be beneficial for the training program of athletes and patients. However, further studies based on the efficiency of WBV are necessary to optimise the protocol training in different topics