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Published on: October 17, 2018
Effects of whole body vibration on spasticity and lower extremity function in children with cerebral palsy
Hsin-Yi Kathy Cheng1, Yan-Ying Ju2, Chia-Ling Chen3
1Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Insights
Whole body vibration (WBV) effectively reduced spasticity and improved walking ability in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This intervention enhanced active range-of-motion and showed potential for clinical rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting motor function.
- Spasticity and impaired ambulatory function are significant challenges for children with CP.
- Exploring novel therapeutic interventions is crucial for improving quality of life in CP patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of whole body vibration (WBV) in managing lower extremity spasticity in children with CP.
- To assess the impact of WBV on ambulatory function in pediatric CP.
- To evaluate WBV using a complete crossover design for robust outcome measurement.
Main Methods:
- Sixteen children with CP participated in a crossover study.
- Participants underwent a 20-minute WBV session and a control condition on separate days.
- Outcome measures included active range-of-motion, relaxation index, Modified Ashworth Scale, Timed Up-and-Go, and Six Minute Walk Test.
Main Results:
- WBV significantly increased active range-of-motion and the relaxation index.
- Spasticity, measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale, significantly decreased with WBV.
- Ambulatory function improved, as indicated by decreased Timed Up-and-Go times and increased Six Minute Walk Test distances.
- Significant correlations were found between Timed Up-and-Go, relaxation index, and Six Minute Walk Test outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Whole body vibration (WBV) demonstrates potential as an effective intervention for controlling spasticity in children with CP.
- WBV can enhance ambulatory performance and increase active range-of-motion in this population.
- Further research is recommended to optimize WBV treatment parameters for clinical rehabilitation in pediatric CP.
Aim:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on lower extremity spasticity and ambulatory function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) with a complete crossover design.
Method:
Sixteen participants aged 9.8(2.3) years received a 20-min WBV and a control condition in a counterbalanced order on two separate days. Change scores of each outcome variable were used to show the improvement.
Results:
Repeated-measures analyses revealed significant differences in condition scores among variables including active range-of-motion (active ROM, increased), relaxation index (RI, increased), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS, decreased), timed up-and-go (TUG, decreased), and Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT, increased). Significant differences were also found in time change scores for MAS and 6MWT. Correlation results revealed that TUG was significantly correlated with RI (r=-.512, p=.042), and 6MWT (r=-.700, p=.003).
Interpretation:
This study suggested that WBV intervention can control the spasticity, enhance ambulatory performance and increase active ROM. Along with previous results, data from this study revealed the potential use of WBV in clinical rehabilitation in children with CP. Future investigations should focus on finding the combination of treatment frequency and duration to achieve an ideal result.
