Introduction: We investigated the acute musculoskeletal
and cognitive effects of stochastic resonance whole-body
vibration (SR-WBV). To our knowledge, no study looked at
the effects of SR-WBV on inhibitory control so far. Materials
and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly allocated into a verum (6 Hz, SR-WBV)
or sham (2 Hz, SR-WBV) condition. Inhibitory control was
measured with the Stroop Test before and after the exercise.
Also, muscle stiffness, muscle relaxation, sense of balance
and surefootedness were assessed in a questionnaire before
and after the exercise. Results: Inhibitory control increased
significantly after verum SR-WBV (t = 2.949, P = 0.018), but
not after sham SR-WBV (t = 1.165, P = 0.252). Muscle stiffness
decreased significantly after verum (t = 5.273, P < 0.000), but
not after sham SR-WBV (t = 1.533, P = 0.135). Also, muscle
relaxation increased significantly after verum (t = -2.879, P =
0.007), but not after sham SR-WBV (t = -1.650, P = 0.108). Sense
of balance increased significantly after verum (t = -2.061, P =
0.047), but not after sham SR-WBV (t = 0.347, P = 0.730). No
significant effect was found in surefootedness, whether after
verum (t = -0.966, P = 0.341) nor after sham SR-WBV (t = 0.849,
P = 0.402). Conclusions: SR-WBV seems to be an appropriate
method to improve not only physiological measurements but
newly also cognition, i.e. inhibitory control. In this study we
could show that SR-WBV exercise reduces interference and
increases inhibitory control in a young and healthy sample.
Keywords: Stochastic resonance whole body vibration (SRWBV); Musculoskeletal effects; Cognitive effects; Inhibitory
control; Randomized controlled trial