A meta-analysis of 16 trials in older postmenopausal women found whole-body vibration raised lumbar spine bone density while aerobic exercise lowered it, with no overall effect on femoral neck density.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 1,624 participants pooled · 2020PostmenopausalCited 43 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials in postmenopausal women found whole-body vibration training improved lumbar spine bone density and improved femoral neck bone density in women under 65.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 462 participants pooled · 2018PostmenopausalCited 56 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of nine studies in postmenopausal women found whole body vibration alone improved hip and spine bone density, but added little when combined with exercise training.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 527 participants pooled · 2016PostmenopausalCited 44 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 49 trials in postmenopausal women found combined aerobic plus resistance training produced the largest bone density gains, followed by aerobic exercise and resistance training alone.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 3,360 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Reviewing systematic reviews and meta-analyses, authors reported combined impact and resistance exercise best preserved bone density in pre- and postmenopausal women, while whole-body vibration showed no benefit.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2016Midlife womenCited 131 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found whole body vibration training improved bone density at the lumbar spine in some subgroup analyses of postmenopausal women, but not consistently at other sites.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 2016PostmenopausalCited 59 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 20 trials in postmenopausal women found whole-body vibration, especially high frequency and low magnitude with high cumulative dose, improved lumbar spine bone mineral density.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2023PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 59 trials found strength training and multi-component or vibration exercise programs helped maintain or increase bone mass in older adults, especially postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2012PostmenopausalCited 205 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of seven studies in postmenopausal women over 50 found jumping, whole body vibration and power training did not significantly change bone trabecular microarchitecture measured by HR-pQCT.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 397 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 55 trials in postmenopausal women found multicomponent and mind-body training ranked highest for improving bone density at various sites.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 3,453 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 24 RCTs found progressive exercise training, including resistance, aerobic, impact, vibration and tai chi, improved bone mineral density and, in some studies, quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole body vibration or resistance training; vibration increased hip bone density and muscle strength, while resistance training and controls showed no bone density change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 24 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 445 timesPubMed
A review of 10 randomized trials over 24+ weeks found high-impact exercise and whole body vibration were most linked to improved bone mineral density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 24 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 30 timesPubMed
A systematic review of whole body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis found improved bone mineral density in seven of twelve studies reviewed, without medication.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2016PostmenopausalCited 29 timesPubMed
Untrained postmenopausal women did 8 months of whole-body vibration or walking, with vibration increasing hip bone density and balance more than walking, while spine bone density was unchanged in both.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 28 women · 32 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 170 timesPubMed
In 151 postmenopausal women over 18 months, a combined exercise program increased lumbar spine bone density, and adding whole body vibration lowered the number of falls but not bone density further.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 78 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 101 timesPubMed
A review of five whole-body vibration training studies in postmenopausal women aged 60 to 80 found increased muscle strength and small improvements in lumbar spine and hip bone density.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 368 participants pooled · 2014PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
In 113 institutionalized elderly women over 6 months, whole body vibration training did not improve muscle strength, mass or hip bone density beyond vitamin D supplementation alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 113 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 80 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal osteoporotic women on alendronate who added weekly whole-body vibration for 12 months had similar bone density gains but greater reduction in chronic back pain than alendronate alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 50 women · 52 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 99 timesPubMed
In 29 postmenopausal women, 6 months of high-frequency vibration platform training increased muscle power by about 5% but did not change bone density or muscle force.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 29 women · 26 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 114 timesPubMed
An overview of 17 systematic reviews found whole-body vibration training produced only small or no improvements in bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
No difference foundSystematic review · 2018PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women doing whole body vibration training with squats three times weekly for a year gained lumbar spine bone density and leg strength compared with a low-intensity gymnastics control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 108 women · 52 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 months of resistance training with or without whole-body vibration, with vibration adding extra strength gains but neither improving bone density or bone markers.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 55 women · 35 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
In 58 postmenopausal women over 6 months, whole-body vibration increased hip and spine bone density while high-impact exercise did not, and both improved mobility, quality of life and depressive symptoms.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 58 women · 26 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 53 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs found postmenopausal women combining exercise with calcium and vitamin D had greater increases in lumbar spine and femoral neck bone density than supplements alone, with whole-body vibration most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Postmenopausal women did high frequency whole body vibration three times weekly for 6 months, and lumbar spine bone density increased significantly compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 26 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 66 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who did 8 months of twice-weekly whole-body vibration, low or higher intensity, maintained hip and spine bone density while controls lost bone, and improved muscle function.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 47 women · 32 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 53 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis on teriparatide added whole-body vibration for 12 months; vibration plus drug raised spine bone density more than the drug alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 52 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 43 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone density who did whole-body vibration plus calcium and vitamin D for 24 weeks had greater increases in leg muscle work and lumbar and femoral bone density than those taking supplements alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 43 women · 24 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
In a 6-month trial of 51 postmenopausal women, whole-body vibration and Pilates both increased bone density at the lumbar spine and trochanter compared with a control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 51 women · 26 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 29 timesPubMed
Osteopenic postmenopausal women doing 12 months of whole-body vibration training showed no improvement in bone structure, balance, or muscle strength compared to controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 31 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 31 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole-body vibration or multicomponent training; both reduced total fat mass and increased knee and ankle strength, with no change in bone density.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women did 6 months of local vibration training, which improved isometric muscle strength but did not change bone density, muscle mass, or physical performance.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 35 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of whole body vibration or multi-component training, with both groups showing similar gains in knee and ankle strength and body composition changes.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 9 months of resistance exercise plus either whole body vibration or balance training twice weekly, and bone density increased at the distal tibia in both groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 57 women · 39 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 21 timesPubMed
In 31 breast cancer survivors on aromatase inhibitors, 12 weeks of whole-body vibration did not change bone turnover markers, body composition, or physical function versus usual care.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 12 months of vibration or resistance training, bone density was maintained in all groups, and resistance training improved quality of life and postural control.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 65 women · 52 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
In 151 postmenopausal women over one year, multifunctional training with or without whole-body vibration increased lumbar spine bone density, and vibration training reduced falls versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 52 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did one 30 minute session of high intensity interval exercise with or without whole body vibration, and both raised bone markers and improved working memory task performance, vibration more so.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 63 women · 2025PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women aged 65 to 76, a single bout of whole-body vibration altered a circulating microRNA linked to bone resorption, while resistance exercise did not change microRNA levels.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 10 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Seventy one sedentary postmenopausal women did aerobic exercise with or without whole body vibration; both groups reported improved cognitive accuracy and bone-related markers, with vibration plus aerobic exercise more effective.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 71 women · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A review reported that whole body vibration training showed gains or maintenance of bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, with muscle performance gains similar to resistance training.
Reported an improvementOther · 2008Midlife womenCited 49 timesPubMed
A review reported that combining progressive resistance training with walking or aerobic dance may help spine and hip bone density, while whole body vibration did not improve bone density in postmenopausal women.
Mixed resultsOther · 2012PostmenopausalCited 44 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 8 months of whole body vibration or resistance training, with both groups showing higher bone density at the hip and spine and improved BMI and waist to hip ratio.
Reported an improvementOther · 80 women · 35 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a trial testing whole-body vibration, high-intensity resistance and impact training, or both, over 9 months in postmenopausal women with low bone mass, measuring hip bone density.
Direction not statedOther · 36 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed