Affiliations: [a] Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China | [b] Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China | [c] National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Yuling Wang, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 26 Yuancun Erheng Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Tel.: +86 20 38476737; E-mail: wangyul@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Vibration exercise has been investigated to enhance muscle activation, however, the effect of different amplitude vibratory exercises on cardiovascular stress is less understood. OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to explore the acute effect of shoulder vibratory exercises with different postures and amplitudes on the cardiovascular response in healthy adults. METHODS: Using a repeated measures randomized design, 36 subjects performed three different sessions with FLEXI-BAR exercise (FBE): (1) zero-amplitude, (2) small-amplitude, (3) large-amplitude. Each session included three different shoulder positions: 45-, 90- and 180-degree flexion. Heart rate variability (HRV), heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored continuously, while systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and rate-pressure product (RPP) were measured before and after each exercise session. RESULTS: Compared with zero-amplitude, both small- and large-amplitude FBE protocols induced higher SBP. By contrast, DBP decreased with small- and large-amplitude. The RPP immediately after the exercise session were higher than at baseline. For high frequency, low frequency of HRV and HR there was a main effect of amplitude. CONCLUSION: Small- and large-amplitude FBE increased significantly SBP, RPE, HRV, HR and induced lower DBP, but the changes were modest, suggesting that FBE impose no extra threats to cardiovascular stress.
