Abstract

The effects of vibration upon the human organism are being studied since a few decades ago. In the beginning, such effects were studied regarding certain pathologies produced by the prolonged exposure of occupational type vibration. However, the possible benefits of the application of vibration to sports men started being studied, and it was concluded, from the first results, that there was an improvement in flexibility. The first studies were done with athletes by the Russian Nazarov, applying a local vibration. Afterwards, other studies were performed, either with local application of vibration or with whole body vibration (WBV), with other variables such as strength, power, and jump ability. Even though there is no consensus on the protocol application and the results obtained, the WBV training is gaining popularity since it seems to offer beneficial effects much quicker than conventional training. The purpose of the present study is to present a bibliographic al review about the evolution of WBV training with its applications and effects on muscle performance.