The effects of vibration on efficiency in off-road cyclists

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether vibration significantly affected the efficiency of off-road cyclists. Patients and methods: Eight male mountain cyclists (mean age 21.1 +/- 1 years; range, 19 to 22 years) between August 2017 and November 2017 were included. The experimental protocol included four testing sessions with a one-day interval between testing sessions: a familiarization session; performance of submaximal tests; performance of maximal graded exercise test; and a 30-min mountain bike trial performed with vibration or without vibration. Physiological measures including volume of oxygen uptake (VO2), volume of carbon dioxide output (VCO2), VO2, VCO2, heart rate, respiratory exchange ratio, rating of perceived exertion, and gross efficiency (GE) were compared between the trials performed with vibration or without vibration. Results: There was a significant increase in the GE with the addition of intermittent vibration, particularly over the last 15 min of the cycling trial (p<0.05). There were no significant effects of vibration on other parameters. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that addition of intermittent vibration may provide positive benefits in improving GE during a 30-min submaximal cycling trial.