Effects of fitness and vibration training on muscle quality: a 1-year postintervention follow-up in older men.

Objective: To evaluate the residual effects of fitness and whole-body vibration (WBV) training in older men 1 year after completion of the interventions.

Design: A 1-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of 1 year of fitness training, including combined resistance and aerobic (R+A) training and WBV training, with a control (CON) group.

Setting: University training center.

Participants: Adult men (N=72) between 60 and 80 years of age. Response rate was 80%, 92%, and 90% in the R+A training (n=20), WBV training (n=23), and CON (n=29) groups, respectively.

Interventions: The intervention groups exercised 3 times weekly during 1 year. The R+A training group performed a standard training program, combining resistance exercises and aerobic training, following the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. The WBV training group performed unloaded static and dynamic leg exercises on a vibration platform. The CON group did not participate in any training program.

Main Outcome Measures: Muscle volume, isometric and concentric muscle strength, muscle quality, and muscle power.

Results: Both interventions had resulted in comparable increases in muscle quality characteristics. No significant changes had been found in the CON group. During the 1-year follow-up period, the R+A (-4.05%, P=.006) and WBV (-2.45%, P<.0001) training groups had lost most of their gains in muscle volume. However, isometric muscle strength was preserved in the R+A training group (+1.65%, P=.745), resulting in an increase in muscle quality (+7.97%, P=.034). In the WBV training group, muscle power decreased (-6.10%, P<.0001) but remained significantly higher than at baseline (P=.038). Except for a strong decrease in muscle power, no significant changes were found in the CON group.

Conclusions: One year of R+A and/or WBV training can equally reverse the adverse effects of aging on muscle quality in older men, but their residual impact after follow-up is different.