title: Tendon reflex is suppressed during whole-body vibration.
abstract: In this study we have investigated the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on the tendon reflex (T-reflex) amplitude. Fifteen young adult healthy volunteer males were included in this study. Records of surface EMG of the right soleus muscle and accelerometer taped onto the right Achilles tendon were obtained while participant stood upright with the knees in extension, on the vibration platform. Tendon reflex was elicited before and during WBV. Subjects completed a set of WBV. Each WBV set consisted of six vibration sessions using different frequencies (25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50Hz) applied randomly. In each WBV session the Achilles tendon was tapped five times with a custom-made reflex hammer. The mean peak-to-peak (PP) amplitude of T-reflex was 1139.11±498.99µV before vibration. It decreased significantly during WBV (p<0.0001). The maximum PP amplitude of T-reflex was 1333±515μV before vibration. It decreased significantly during WBV (p<0.0001). No significant differences were obtained in the mean acceleration values of Achilles tendon with tapping between before and during vibration sessions. This study showed that T-reflex is suppressed during WBV. T-reflex suppression indicates that the spindle primary afferents must have been pre-synaptically inhibited during WBV similar to the findings in high frequency tendon vibration studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karacan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muharrem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cidem
authors.affiliation: Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gizem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sebik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Halil Ibrahim
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Cakar
authors.affiliation: Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: kturker@ku.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Kemal Sıtkı
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Türker
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012026:Reflex, Stretch; D014732:Vibration
keywords: H-reflex; Muscle spindle; Stretch reflex; Tonic vibration reflex