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Journal of equine veterinary science2025; 151; 105631; doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2025.105631

A single session of whole-body vibration did not affect cardiovascular autonomic recovery after a high intensity exercise in horses.

Abstract: Whole-body vibration (WBV) has the potential to enhance post-exercise recovery in humans. Heart rate variability (HRV), a well-established biomarker of cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR), provides insight into autonomic reactivity during recovery from exercise. Objective: To investigate CAR in healthy horses during post-exercise recovery following an acute intensive exercise bout (AIEB) with WBV intervention. Methods: A single AIEB was prescribed at velocities corresponding to lactate threshold (VLT), and the eight horses performed on treadmill with 5 % slope, 2 min at 110 % VLT followed by 3 min at 130 % VLT. Three 10-minute recovery protocols were compared: treadmill walking (TG), switched-off platform sham group (SG), and whole-body vibration (WBVG) at 76, 66, 55, 46, and 32 Hz for 2 minutes each. HR and HRV, time and frequency domains, were monitored throughout recovery. K-means clustering identified HR/HRV-based profiles and the variables were analyzed via two-way repeated measures. Results: The dendrogram indicated that the time points were distinct, with a spatial separation between the baseline and post-exercise phases, regardless of the recovery strategy employed. These findings suggest that the positive chronotropic effect induced by AIEB effectively distinguished the horses' responses. During recovery, HRV measures did not differ among strategies. The TG maintained a higher HR (P < 0.001) and shorter mean RR interval (P < 0.001) relative to SG and WBVG, reflecting sustained cardiac sympathetic activation. Conclusions: Within the parameters of this study, WBV recovery did not influence post-exercise cardiac autonomic modulation in horses. WBV did not enhance parasympathetic reactivation or cardio-deceleration post-exercise in horses.
Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2025-06-09 PubMed ID: 40499697DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2025.105631Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the effects of whole-body vibration on heart rate variability and cardiovascular autonomic recovery after high intensity exercise in horses. The researchers found that whole-body vibration had no significant effect on these parameters.

Methodology

  • The researchers worked with eight healthy horses. Each horse underwent an acute intensive exercise bout (AIEB) on a treadmill with a 5% slope. The exercise intensity was set at 110% of the velocity corresponding to lactate threshold (VLT) for two minutes, followed by 130% VLT for three minutes.
  • After the exercise, the horses underwent one of three 10-minute recovery protocols: treadmill walking, resting on a switched-off platform (sham group), or whole-body vibration at different frequencies (whole-body vibration group).
  • Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), both time and frequency domains, were continuously monitored during the recovery period.
  • The researchers used k-means clustering to identify distinct phases based on HR and HRV data. These variables were then analysed using two-way repeated measures.

Results

  • The results showed that the monitoring time points were distinct, with a clear separation between the baseline (pre-exercise) and post-exercise phases. This was consistent across all recovery strategies, suggesting that the acute intensive exercise bout had a significant impact on the horses’ heart rate responses.
  • However, the heart rate variability measures did not differ significantly among the different recovery strategies. This implies that whole-body vibration had no discernable effect on autonomic reactivity during recovery from exercise.
  • As regards heart rate, horses in the treadmill walking group displayed a greater heart rate and shorter mean RR interval compared with the sham group and the whole-body vibration group. This indicates sustained cardiac sympathetic activation in these horses.

Conclusions

  • Based on the findings of this study, the researchers concluded that whole-body vibration did not significantly influence post-exercise cardiac autonomic modulation in horses. In other words, this recovery method did not appear to speed up parasympathetic reactivation or cardio-deceleration after high intensity exercise.

This research adds to the body of knowledge on recovery strategies in equine athletes and informs procedures for optimizing horse welfare and performance.

Cite This Article

APA
Sales NAA, Carvalho JRG, Littiere TO, Costa GB, Silva ACY, Rodriguez IDM, Castro CM, Anjos LS, Ottati ACM, Alcaide JA, Ramos GV, Ferraudo AS, Santos IFC, Ferraz GC. (2025). A single session of whole-body vibration did not affect cardiovascular autonomic recovery after a high intensity exercise in horses. J Equine Vet Sci, 151, 105631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2025.105631

Publication

Journal of equine veterinary science
ISSN: 0737-0806
NlmUniqueID: 8216840
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 151
Pages: 105631

Researcher Affiliations

Sales, N A A
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Carvalho, J R G
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Littiere, T O
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil; Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), Campus Professora Cinobelina Elvas (CPCE), Bom Jesus 64900-000, Piauí, Brazil.
Costa, G B
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Silva, A C Y
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Rodriguez, I D M
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Castro, C M
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Anjos, L S
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Ottati, A C M
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Alcaide, J A
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Ramos, G V
  • Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Ferraudo, A S
  • Department of Exact Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil.
Santos, I F C
  • Academic Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rondônia (UNIR), Avenida Norte Sul, 7300, Bairro Nova Morada, Rolim de Moura, RO, 76.801-974, Brazil.
Ferraz, G C
  • Laboratory of Equine Exercise Physiology and Pharmacology (LAFEQ), Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, Bairro Rural, Jaboticabal, SP, 14.884-900, Brazil. Electronic address: guilherme.c.ferraz@unesp.br.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / physiology
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Vibration
  • Autonomic Nervous System / physiology
  • Male
  • Female

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could influence this work.

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
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