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Focal Muscle Vibration Improves Gait in Parkinson's Disease: A Pilot Randomized, Controlled Trial
Filippo Camerota1, Claudia Celletti1, Antonio Suppa2
1Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division Umberto I Hospital Sapienza University Rome Italy.
Movement Disorders Clinical Practice
|October 27, 2018
Summary
Repetitive focal muscle vibration (r-fMV) significantly improved gait in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients by increasing walking velocity and stride length. These benefits persisted for at least one week, suggesting r-fMV as a potential rehabilitation tool for PD gait disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Gait disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) increase fall risk and reduce patient independence.
- Focal muscle vibration (fMV) applied to trunk or lower limbs may improve PD gait.
- The long-term effects of repetitive fMV (r-fMV) on PD gait require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of repetitive focal muscle vibration (r-fMV) on gait in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.
- To determine if r-fMV can improve objective gait parameters and if these improvements are sustained.
- To assess the feasibility and safety of r-fMV as a rehabilitation approach for PD.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, controlled trial involving 20 PD patients in an outpatient setting.
- Two groups received either real or sham r-fMV applied to quadriceps and paraspinal muscles.
- Objective gait analysis measured variables like velocity, stride length, and stance duration before and at 24 hours, 1 week, and 3 weeks post-stimulation.
Main Results:
- Real r-fMV significantly improved gait velocity and stride length in PD patients, unlike sham stimulation.
- Beneficial effects of r-fMV on gait persisted for at least one week after the cessation of stimulation.
- No adverse events were reported, indicating the safety of the r-fMV approach.
Conclusions:
- Repetitive focal muscle vibration (r-fMV) shows promise for improving gait disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.
- r-fMV is a feasible and safe intervention that may enhance the effectiveness of existing PD rehabilitation programs.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and optimize r-fMV protocols for PD management.
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