Effectiveness of whole-body vibration in older adults: systematic review overview

Abstract

Introduction: The whole body vibration exercise (WBV) is considered an alternative to resistance exercises, offering a lower risk of complications and standing out for being an easy method for older adults. However, due to the great diversity of protocols used, the effectiveness of WBV in muscle performance and risk of falls for this population is inconclusive. Objective: To evaluate the systematic reviews which have analyzed the effectiveness of WBV on muscle strength and risk of falls in older adults, and to establish the best protocol for implementing training in this population. Methods: Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials were included in this overview, being conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. To assess methodological quality and risk of bias, the instruments AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS were used, respectively. Results: Three systematic reviews were included in the study. The studies were classified as low and critically low methodological quality according to AMSTAR 2, and risk of low and uncertain bias according to ROBIS. Conclusion: This overview finds weak evidence of effectiveness on muscle strength and reduced risk of falls in older adults through WBV training.