BACKGROUND: Aging affects respiratory strength that could cause reduction in functional capacity and quality of life, playing a fundamental role in healthy aging and survival. To prevent these declines, the whole body vibration (WBV) has been proposed to increase strength and functional capacity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of WBV on respiratory muscle strength, thoracoabdominal ventilation, and quality of life in the elderly adults. METHODS: This study was a controlled, randomized double-blind clinical trial. The study included 28 elderly adults randomized into three groups: resistance (n = 9), WBV (n = 9), or WBV plus resistance exercises (n = 10), performing training, sham, or double training for 3 months, twice per week. The variables of the study were as follows: maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), distribution of thoracoabdominal volumes variation in optoelectronic plethysmography (pulmonary rib cage-VRCp, abdominal rib cage-VRCa, and abdomen-VAB), and quality of life. RESULTS: After training, WBV and WBV+resistance groups increased MIP and MEP (p < 0.001). During inspiratory capacity maneuver, WBV groups had incremental increases in chest wall total volume (p < 0.001), showing a rise in pulmonary rib cage (p = 0.03) and abdominal rib cage (p = 0.04). Furthermore, WBV groups improved SF-36 scores in functional capacity, physical aspects, energy, pain, and general heath domains. CONCLUSIONS: The WBV is a training that could improve respiratory muscle strength and quality of life and promote different ventilatory strategies in chest wall and thoracoabdominal compartments in healthy elderly adults.
Copyright the Gerontological Society of America. Reproduced by permission of the publisher.

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