Neurophysiological responses to whole body vibration

Rehabilitation following damage to the central nervous system (CNS) focuses on avenues to enhance residual function after the injury. Currently weight bearing whole body vibration (WB-WBV) has shown to elicit improvements in motor performance and is being considered as a tool that could possible enhance rehabilitation outcomes. These improvements may be the result of increased somatosensory stimulation that affects motor control processes associated with neuromuscular activation necessary to accomplish a goal directed movement. In the first study electromyography (EMG) from the soleus was measured to determine the impact of WB-WBV on the short loop reflex response. Tendon taps were delivered to the Achilles tendon in order to investigate the hypothesis that WB-WBV inhibits the short loop reflex response.;The second study investigated the effect of WB-WBV on anticipatory postural adjustments (APA). APA's are patterns of neuromuscular activity preceding and/or coincident with the initiation of arm movements performed from a bipedal position. APA's act in a feedforward manner as a result of integration and processing of neural activity at various segmental levels. EMG from six muscle groups was measured to determine the impact of WB-WBV on the APA's. This study investigated the hypothesis that WB-WBV modifies the magnitude of the APA response.;The third study investigated the effect of WB-WBV on voluntary movement as subjects performed a squat exercise. Considering that one of the goals of rehabilitation is to improve the mobility of an individual, this study investigated if enhanced somatosensory stimulation through WB-WBV would result in improvements in voluntary control. EMG from six muscle groups was measured to determine the impact WB-WBV has on voluntary control. This study investigated the hypothesis that WB-WBV enhances the neuromuscular response associated with voluntary control.;The short loop reflex, anticipatory postural adjustments, and voluntary movement all contribute global motor control which may be modified by the context of the task. Therefore an examination of the effect of increased somatosensory stimulation through WB-WBV may elucidate the how each of these mechanisms are affected by a change in the context of the task. Information garnered from this study could provide a pathway for research of somatosensory stimulation using WB-WBV in individuals who have damage to the central nervous system.