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Single-dose effects of whole body vibration on quadriceps strength in individuals with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury

The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, 2015 · DOI: 10.1179/2045772315Y.0000000002 · Published: January 1, 2015

Spinal Cord InjuryRehabilitation

Simple Explanation

Individuals with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) often experience weakness in their lower extremities, which impacts their ability to perform daily activities. This study explores whether a single session of whole body vibration (WBV) can improve quadriceps strength in these individuals. The study involved a randomized controlled trial where some participants received WBV, while others received sham electrical stimulation. The quadriceps strength was measured before, immediately after, and 20 minutes after the intervention. The findings suggest that even one WBV session might offer a short-term boost in quadriceps force-generating capacity for people with motor-incomplete SCI. Further research is needed to see if repeated WBV sessions can provide more substantial and lasting benefits.

Study Duration
Not specified
Participants
25 subjects with chronic motor-incomplete SCI
Evidence Level
Level 1, randomized controlled trial

Key Findings

  • 1
    A single session of WBV stimulation was associated with a greater change in quadriceps strength compared to sham stimulation.
  • 2
    At immediate post-test, change in voluntary isometric force in the WBV group was 1.12 kg greater than in the sham group.
  • 3
    The within-group change for the WBV group was significant with a moderate effect size (P = 0.05; ES = 0.60).

Research Summary

This study investigated the effects of a single session of whole body vibration (WBV) on quadriceps strength in individuals with motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). The results showed a statistically significant increase in quadriceps force immediately after WBV stimulation compared to sham stimulation, suggesting a short-term benefit of WBV on muscle strength. The study concludes that WBV may have potential as a strengthening intervention for individuals with motor-incomplete SCI, warranting further research on multi-session interventions.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Strategy

WBV could be incorporated as a supplementary method to improve quadriceps strength in individuals with motor-incomplete SCI.

Priming for Training

WBV may serve as a means of conditioning spinal circuits in preparation for training-related effects associated with locomotor training.

Individualized Protocols

Finding the optimal vibration amplitude, frequency and duration for each individual may be important to fully exploit the potential of WBV stimulation.

Study Limitations

  • 1
    The sample size of this study was modest.
  • 2
    There was considerable variability among subjects in terms of baseline functioning.
  • 3
    No conclusions can be drawn regarding whether these parameters were optimal.

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