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Int J Sports Med 2009; 30(2): 124-129
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1038885
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Whole Body Vibration Does Not Potentiate the Stretch Reflex

J. T. Hopkins1 , D. Fredericks1 , P. W. Guyon1 , S. Parker1 , M. Gage1 , J. B. Feland1 , I. Hunter1
  • 1Human Performance Research Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision July 1, 2008

Publication Date:
04 September 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Whole body vibration (WBV) is theorized to enhance neural potentiation of the stretch reflex. The purpose of this study was to determine if WBV affects the quadriceps reflex from a patellar tendon tap. Subjects were 22 volunteers (age 23 ± 2 yrs, ht 172.8 ± 10.8 cm, body mass 68.6 ± 12.3 kg). The stretch reflex was elicited from the dominant leg pre, post, and 30-min post WBV treatment. A matched control group repeated the procedure without WBV. WBV treatment consisted of 5, 1-min bouts at 26 Hz with a 1-min rest period between bouts while maintaining a standardized squatting position. Two-way ANOVAs were used to detect differences between groups over time for vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) latency, EMG amplitude, electromechanical delay (EMD), and force output. No group × time interactions were detected for latency (VM; F(2,40) = 1.20, p = .313: VL; F(2,40) = 0.617, p = .544), EMG mean amplitude (VM; F(2,40) = 0.169, p = .845: VL; F(2,40) = 0.944, p = .398), EMD (VM; F(2,40) = 0.715, p = .495: VL; F(2,40) = 1.24, p = .301), or quadriceps force (F(2,40) = 1.11, p = .341) A single session WBV treatment does not affect the quadriceps stretch reflex in terms of timing or amplitude.

Key words

tendon tap - spindle sensitivity - performance

References

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Dr. PhD, ATC J. Ty Hopkins

Brigham Young University
Human Performance Research Center

120B RB, 120 RB

Provo, Utah 84602 – 2205

United States

Phone: + 1 80 14 22 15 73

Fax: + 80 14 22 05 55

Email: tyhopkins@byu.edu

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