The Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Therapy in Weight-Bearing and Non-Weight-Bearing Positions for Upper and Lower...

Background and objective Cerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions affecting children; it is characterized by poor motor control, restricted range of motion (ROM), and poor balance. While whole-body vibration therapy (WBVT) has been used to treat these symptoms, its efficacy in different configurations remains unexplored. Hence, this study aimed to determine and compare the effects of WBVT applied to either the upper extremities, lower extremities, or both upper and lower extremities in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions on ROM (shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankle joints), balance, and function in children with spastic hemiplegic CP. Methods This randomized clinical trial involved 60 hemiplegic spastic CP children aged 5-15 years. After randomization, all the participants were divided into six groups of equal size based on the WBVT application for upper extremities, lower extremities, or both in weight-bearing or non-weight-bearing positions. The therapy was applied three times per week for four consecutive weeks. The outcome measures were ROM, hand grip strength, balance quantification score using My Fitness Trainer (MFT) 2.0, and timed up and go (TUG) scores. Results While all the groups were homogenous before treatment, after treatment, it was observed that all the ranges improved significantly in all groups. The same was observed for hand grip strength, balance score, and TUG test scores (p<0.05). The post-hoc analysis revealed that the weight-bearing position for the upper and lower extremities combined showed the highest level of improvement. Conclusions Based on our findings, WBVT in weight-bearing positions produces more significant results than in non-weight-bearing positions. We also observed that when WBVT is applied to the upper extremities, it can improve the function of the lower extremities and vice versa.