Effect of Whole-body Vibration on the Ankle Joint, Plantar Pressure, and Running Paramethers

Effect of Whole-body Vibration on the Ankle Joint, Plantar Pressure, and Running Paramethers

The main purpose of this study was the assessment of whole-body vibration warm-up, modified drop jumps, and combination of both on the range of motion of dorsiflexion in the ankle joint and running time. 16 recreationally active runners performed 4 different warm-up variants one week apart: 5 sets of 30 s calf raises on the platform but without vibration (CTRL), the same as CTRL group but with vibration with 30 s rest intervals between sets (WBV), 6 drop jumps with a 30 s rest interval between sets (DJ); last group was combination of both WBV and DJ groups (WBV+DJ). The study included muscle flexibility tests for the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles performed before the warm-up, 3 minutes after warm-up and immediately after a 3000 m run on a treadmill. The running time was measured and the run had to be completed in the shortest possible time.

Additionally, in the third week of the study there were performed static and dynamic foot measurements immediately before and after a 3000 m treadmill run. The main purpose of that gait analysis was to assess the impact of a 3km run on plantar pressure patterns and gait parameters in recreational runners.

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy and recreationally active males
• minimum two years of running training experience

Exclusion Criteria:

• rheumatological disease
• neurological disease
• orthopaedic disease
• genetic disease
• cardiovascular system disease
• pain in lower limbs in the last year
• pain in lumbar spine in the last year
• surgeries of lower limbs in the last year
• surgeries of spine in the last year
• musculoskeletal injuries in the lower limbs in the last year
• musculoskeletal injuries in the lumbar spine in the last year
• the absence during one or more training day