A Comparison of the Effects of Acute Whole-Body Vibration for Relieving Vocal Fatigue in Young and Older Adults

Abstract

Purpose: Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a novel treatment to alleviate vocal fatigue, but the evidence in older adults is limited. This study applies WBV in young and older adults to explore how age and vibration duration may influence its relaxation effect. Methods: Eighteen older females (mean age 65.56 years) and 18 young females (mean age 22.39 years) with healthy voice participated in karaoke singing to induce vocal fatigue, followed by 15 minutes of WBV. Participants’ vocal changes were measured using i) the highest fundamental frequency produced, ii) self-perceived vocal effort, and iii) vocal fatigue level at six timepoints (prevocal loading, postvocal loading, post 5-minute WBV, post 10-minute WBV, post 15-minute WBV, and 15 minutes postWBV completion). Results: A significant main effect of vibration duration (P < 0.001) and an interaction effect (age x vibration duration) (P < 0.05) were found for self-perceived vocal effort and vocal fatigue level. Both groups showed significant fatigue reduction after receiving 5 minutes of WBV, but recovery slowed down for older adults after receiving WBV for 10 minutes. A significant main effect of age (P < 0.001) was found for the highest fundamental frequency. Conclusion: The results support that WBV may be used in both older and younger adults for vocal fatigue relief.