Using whole-body vibration training in patients affected with common neurological diseases: a systematic literature review (original) (raw)
Related papers
Physical Therapy Reviews, 2014
Background: Vibration intervention has recently become a popular modality in professional sport and fitness and has also been suggested to offer potential in augmenting exercises in the rehabilitation field for various neurological conditions. Objectives: The main objective of this review was to assess the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) intervention on body functions, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in people with neurological conditions. The second objective was to assist healthcare professionals in their clinical practice by evaluating the main parameters of WBV intervention that may be of benefit. Methods: Electronic databases (EMBASE, Academic Search Complete, AMED, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, and COCHRANE library) were searched. Intervention studies with a comparison group, investigating the effect of WBV intervention on people with neurological conditions, were included. The methodological quality of papers was independently assessed by two raters using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Results: Sixteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Only one paper was considered 'excellent' methodological quality study (9 out of 10 points). Four studies evaluated changes when WBV was compared to no intervention and two found significant improvements for strength, gait, and balance. Twelve compared WBV to other interventions and only two found significant differences in favour of the WBV group, for strength and gait. Conclusion: The cumulative findings for strength, balance, and gait suggest that while groups improve following WBV, this improvement is not consistently greater than either no intervention or a comparison intervention. This suggests insufficient evidence to support the effects of WBV training.
The effect of whole body vibration in common neurological conditions – a systematic review
Physical Therapy Reviews, 2008
Background: Whole body vibration (WBV) is a new therapeutic tool used to improve muscle strength, power and postural control in various healthy and pathological populations. Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise and evaluate the available literature on the effectiveness of WBV in neurological conditions. Method: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effect of WBV on common neurological conditions. The methodological quality of the studies was systematically assessed using the PEDro rating scale. Reported outcomes were assessed for differences between the experimental and control groups and effect sizes were calculated. Results: Five RCTs and two pseudo RCTs were included. Methodological scores ranged from 1 to 9 (maximum 11) with a mean score of 5 . 71 (SD 2 . 69). There is weak to moderate evidence for positive effects on postural control, mobility, motor function and strength following the single application of WBV in neurological populations. A paucity of available literature into repeated WBV training prevents the drawing of firm conclusions regarding long-term treatment effectiveness. Conclusion: Despite being a new technique, there is early evidence that WBV applied to neurological populations has positive effects on postural control, mobility, motor function and strength. Further studies into the effectiveness of WBV in neurological populations are warranted.
Acta Mechanica Slovaca
The positive effects of whole-body vibration techniques have already been discussed in many scientific papers all around the world. In addition, the training units integrated into therapeutic and rehabilitation procedures have been considered as beneficial and powerful methods used to improve either mobility or physical status of human beings. Some of the benefits that were already published include enhanced muscular strength, physical power, bone density or blood circulation. However, there is still a lack of evidence proving the significant effects of whole-body vibration in patients, e.g. those with neurological disorders. Therefore, the main objective of our study was to investigate immediate, although short time effect of single whole-body vibration training unit on quality of patients' gait kinematics. Because of the nature of neurological disorders and their negative impacts on patients and families and society too, we decided to analyse this effect in two high risk groups of patients. The first one consisted of elderly patients and the second one of children, both suffering from certain type of neurological disorder. The analysis was based on comparison of individual changes in gait parameters obtained before and after application of whole-body vibration.
Proceedings of the 2015 Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, 2015
Whole body vibration (WBV) techniques are increasingly applied in rehabilitation processes to improve patients' functional mobility. Therapeutic usage of WBV reported enhanced muscular strength, power or even bone density. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate immediate response of single WBV training unit on mobility of elderly patients with neurological disorders. Nineteen patients (66.74 ± 3.65 years, 6 males and 13 females) were assessed before WBV (10 min, 30 Hz, vertical 2 mm) and then 1 min afterwards. Individual changes in gait kinematics indicated positive effects of WBV, while kinematics of the gait was more symmetric considering right and left side. Individually, depending on the disease's severity, these changes were more or less significant. The improvements in gait kinematics convinced us that WBV can be carefully used in patients' therapy and it may be used together with individually planed rehabilitation processes to bring more satisfying results.
The Effect of Whole Body Vibration Treatment on Balance and Gait in Patients with Stroke
Archives of Neuropsychiatry
Introduction: In patients with neurological disorders Whole Body Vibration (WBV) has been reported to improve motor function. Our aim was to assess the effects of WBV on both balance and walking performance in adult stroke patients. Methods: Forty three post-stroke patients were randomly divided into two groups. One would receive WBV therapy (WBV group) while the control group would not. All patients participated in a conventional rehabilitation program for three weeks while the vibration group also received WBV over the same period. Patients balance and walking performance were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and computerized gait analysis. All evaluations were performed before and after therapy. Results: The median (range) age of all patients was 51.00 (18-66) years. The groups numbered 26 and 17 patients for the WBV and control groups respectively. After intervention, significant improvements were found in the WBV group for BBS score (p=0.004), TUG score (p=0.035), step length (p=0.004) and walking speed (p=0.031) when compared to the controls. Conclusion: WBV is effective for the improvement of balance and gait performance in stroke patients.
Iranian journal of medical sciences, 2014
Whole body vibration (WBV) is a contemporary treatment modality that holds promise as an exercise training method in health-compromised individuals. A growing number of studies on individuals with Parkinson Disease are examining whether WBV improves balance and functional mobility. However, interpreting WBV studies is challenging since there is variability in the manner in which WBV intervention is conducted. The primary goal of this systematic review was to investigate the effect of WBV on improving mobility and balance as measured by a battery of clinical tests, in patients with Parkinson disease. Studies based on WBV parameters were characterized and a systematic search of peer-reviewed literature in five major databases was conducted. Randomized-controlled trials investigating the effects of WBV in patients with a Parkinson diagnosis and no cognitive impairment were included. A total of six publications met the inclusion criteria. Overall, studies demonstrated mixed results in f...
Systematic review of whole body vibration exercises in the treatment of cerebral palsy: Brief report
Developmental neurorehabilitation, 2015
Whole body vibration (WBV) is increasingly being used to improve balance and motor function and reduce the secondary complications associated with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this study was to systematically appraise published research regarding the effects of static and/or dynamic exercise performed on a vibrating platform on gait, strength, spasticity and bone mineral density (BMD) within this population. Systematic searches of six electronic databases identified five studies that met our inclusion criteria (2 at Level II and 3 at Level III-2). Studies were analysed to determine: (a) participant characteristics; (b) optimal exercise and WBV treatment protocol; (c) effect on gait, strength, spasticity and BMD; and (d) the outcome measures used to evaluate effect. As data was not homogenous a meta-analysis was not possible. Several design limitations were identified and intervention protocols are poorly described. The effects on strength, gait, spasticity and BMD in persons ...
Research, Society and Development
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons from the substantia nigra compacta and nigrostriatal pathway, which leads to sensory and motor impairments. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of whole-body vibration and gait training with additional load on functioning, balance and gait in patients with PD. Twenty-two male and female patients (mean age: 61 ± 5.6 years) were randomly allocated to a Control Group (CG), Vibration Group (VG), or Added Weight Group (AWG). The following evaluations were performed before and after the intervention: Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale – subscales “Activities of Daily Living” and “Motor Examination”; Tinetti Test, Timed Up and Go test, Berg Balance Scale, and baropodometry. The ordinal variables were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test (p ≤ 0.05) and the numerical variables were analyzed using two-way ANOVA followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test (p ≤ 0.05). The r...
Whole-body vibration and rehabilitation of chronic diseases: a review of the literature
Journal of Sports Science Medicine, 2012
The objectives of the study were to review the current literature and findings on the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) as a training method on performance and its ability to aid in the rehabilitation of chronic diseases (neurological, musculoskeletal or metabolic conditions). Six electronic databases were searched. The combination of the search terminology used included WBV and several neurological, musculoskeletal and metabolic conditions. Twenty six papers were found to be relevant for this review and were included for critical evaluation with regards to sample characteristics, research intervention and methodology. Most studies were conducted on patients diagnosed with neurological conditions (n = 15) while less were performed on patients suffering from musculoskeletal (n = 7) or metabolic (n = 4) disorders. Comparisons were difficult to draw on because of the different pathologies and the differences in the methodology of each study. Some of the observed methodological flaws included limitations in relation to insufficient randomisation, lack of sample homogeneity (size, age variability) and poor blinding in most studies. No consensus could be reached as to whether WBV is more effective than other interventions or no intervention at all, while the additional effects that WBV may have in relation to other interventions could not be assumed. Nevertheless, chronic WBV training seems to only improve strength in neurological patients while balance and mobility improves only in patients suffering from musculoskeletal or metabolic but not from neurological conditions. Although WBV did not prove to be more effective compared to other training methods, it can be used, in some cases, as a less fatiguing and less time-consuming method to enhance physical capabilities. Future research should focus on the effectiveness of WBV in relation to no treatment at all, and to age.