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Review
. 2024 Dec 19:97:27-50.
doi: 10.5114/jhk/193514. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Exercise Performance among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Yu-Ching Peng  1   2 , Yi-Ting Guo  1   3 , Jeng-Cheng Wu  2   4   5   6   7 , Wen-Hsuan Hou  8   9   10   11   12
Affiliations
Review

Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Exercise Performance among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Yu-Ching Peng et al. J Hum Kinet. .

Abstract

Whole-body vibration (WBV), an intervention for enhancing athletes' exercise performance (muscle strength and power), is often used either as a supplement or an alternative to conventional training. The current systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effects of WBV on exercise performance in athletes. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials published from database inception to April 2024. We analyzed three key components of exercise performance: muscle power (measured in terms of countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) height), strength (measured in terms of isometric and concentric torque of the knee extensors and flexors), and aerobic cardiovascular endurance (measured in terms of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)). This review included 18 randomized controlled trials. WBV significantly improved concentric torque of the knee extensors and flexors, with effect sizes of 8.86 (95% confidence interval: 6.00 to 11.72; I2 = 0%; p < 0.00001) and 9.56 (95% confidence interval: 7.40 to 11.72; I2 = 0%; p < 0.00001), respectively. However, no significant changes were noted in the indicators of muscle power or cardiovascular endurance. Overall, our findings suggest that WBV interventions can enhance lower-limb strength in athletes. However, the quality of the evidence was low. To provide effective evidence-based guidance for WBV, future studies should consider participants' characteristics as well as intervention frequency, intensity, and duration in their analysis.

Keywords: aerobic endurance; power; sport performance; strength; youth athletes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart depicting article selection. The review process adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Results of risk-of-bias assessment.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plots for included studies.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Funnel plots for included studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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