Hematuria in a runner after treatment with whole body vibration: a case report

The use of whole body vibration (WBV) for therapeutic purposes is far from being standardized and the training protocols reported in the literature vary considerably. Currently, the optimal threshold for a beneficial effect is undetermined, and caution regarding potential health risks due to WBV is always necessary. In this case report, we present a 34-year-old otherwise healthy elite athlete (steeplechase runner) who suffered two episodes of hematuria (HT) after WBV training. Shortly after the third WBV, he had an episode of bright red urine. Seven days later, following the next WBV session (and again before his daily running session), a reddish-colored urine reappeared. Our patient was advised to stop WBV training and to take fluid before and during exertion. He did not experience any episode of HT during a 1-year follow-up with periodic check-ups, in spite of the continuation of his sporting career. The concomitance of the two types of trauma - daily running and WBV - could have been critical in this case for producing HT. In particular, we think that platforms providing side-alternating vibration (such as the Galileo platform) may pose some health risks if the feet are positioned too far from the axis of rotation.