Effects of low-frequency vibration relaxation treatment on heart rate variability
Wik, Ida (2021)
2021
Tieto- ja sähkötekniikan kandidaattiohjelma - Bachelor's Programme in Computing and Electrical Engineering
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2021-03-14
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202102252266
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202102252266
Tiivistelmä
The aim of the present study was to investigate if low-frequency vibration has an acute relaxing effect on the autonomic nervous system by promoting the parasympathetic side of the nervous system and withdrawing the sympathetic side of the nervous system. This fluctuation of autonomic state was investigated by heart rate variability (HRV). In order to do that, a study was performed in which 12 volunteers underwent 25-minute low-frequency vibration relaxation treatment on a Neurosonic mattress. Their electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded to gather information about their autonomic nervous system status before and during the treatment.
The study setup consisted of 3 parts: a 10-minute baseline period, the low-frequency vibration treatment period, and the last period was laying on the matters for 10 minutes without the lowfrequency vibration. Subjects’ heart rate variabilities were obtained in 1-minute windows from the ECG recordings and the mean values for 12 selected HRV parameters were calculated for the baseline period and the low-frequency vibration period. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare subjects’ HRV parameter mean values from the baseline period with the respective values from the vibration treatment period.
A significant difference between the baseline period and treatment period was found in 8 out of 12 calculated HRV parameters. Results indicate that the parasympathetic activity is increased during the low-frequency vibration treatment. In addition to that, 11 out of 12 participants reported feeling relaxed or rested after the treatment. However, due to the limitations of the study setup, it cannot be accurately estimated, how great the influence of low-frequency vibration had on the increased parasympathetic activity during the treatment period as in most cases the parasympathetic activity began to rise already during the baseline period indicating that resting on a mattress also had an effect. A Longer baseline period or a study setup with separate treatment and no treatment conditions could help to distinguish the influence of resting on the mattress and the influence of low-frequency vibration from each other.
This was one of the first studies where HRV was used to investigate acute relaxing effects of low-frequency vibration on the autonomic nervous system. Thus, there were hardly any similar studies that could be used to compare the results of the present study. Due to the factors mentioned above, no definite conclusion about the strength of the effect of low-frequency vibration to the parasympathetic activity can be made based on the results of the present study. More studies about low-frequency vibration effects on the autonomic nervous system are needed.
The study setup consisted of 3 parts: a 10-minute baseline period, the low-frequency vibration treatment period, and the last period was laying on the matters for 10 minutes without the lowfrequency vibration. Subjects’ heart rate variabilities were obtained in 1-minute windows from the ECG recordings and the mean values for 12 selected HRV parameters were calculated for the baseline period and the low-frequency vibration period. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare subjects’ HRV parameter mean values from the baseline period with the respective values from the vibration treatment period.
A significant difference between the baseline period and treatment period was found in 8 out of 12 calculated HRV parameters. Results indicate that the parasympathetic activity is increased during the low-frequency vibration treatment. In addition to that, 11 out of 12 participants reported feeling relaxed or rested after the treatment. However, due to the limitations of the study setup, it cannot be accurately estimated, how great the influence of low-frequency vibration had on the increased parasympathetic activity during the treatment period as in most cases the parasympathetic activity began to rise already during the baseline period indicating that resting on a mattress also had an effect. A Longer baseline period or a study setup with separate treatment and no treatment conditions could help to distinguish the influence of resting on the mattress and the influence of low-frequency vibration from each other.
This was one of the first studies where HRV was used to investigate acute relaxing effects of low-frequency vibration on the autonomic nervous system. Thus, there were hardly any similar studies that could be used to compare the results of the present study. Due to the factors mentioned above, no definite conclusion about the strength of the effect of low-frequency vibration to the parasympathetic activity can be made based on the results of the present study. More studies about low-frequency vibration effects on the autonomic nervous system are needed.
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