title: Effects of a low-frequency sound wave therapy programme on functional capacity, blood circulation and bone metabolism in frail old men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of a low-frequency sound wave therapy programme on functional capacity, blood circulation and bone metabolism of the frail elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two senior service centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine volunteers (14 males and 35 females) aged 62-93 years with up to 12 diagnosed diseases were allocated in either the intervention group (n = 30) or control group (n = 19).
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention group underwent sound wave therapy, 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes per session over a period of 6 months. The control group received no intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood pressure, functional capacity, mobility, bone density, biochemical markers, isometric muscle strength, balance, and skin surface temperature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the control group, the intervention group's mobility and the amount of self-reported kilometres walked per week increased by 3 km (P<0.05), while levels of cholesterol (4.97 (0.72) to 4.52 (0.65) mmol/L, P =0.019), low-density lipoprotein (2.82 (0.72) to 2.45 (0.61) mmol/L, P =0.022), bone markers of total osteocalcin (11.0 (6.5) to 10.3 (5.9) ng/mL, P =0.048)) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (2.50 (1.0) to 2.41 (1.1) IU/L, P =0.021)) decreased. The average skin surface temperature was significantly higher during active sessions at the end of the intervention than in the beginning (P = 0.004). No change was found during placebo sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-frequency sound wave therapy may have the potential to promote well-being of frail elderly subjects via improved functional capacity, especially in subjects who are too frail to undertake exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakari
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hietikko
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Timonen
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fagerlund
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kärkkäinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alèn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001775:Blood Circulation; D015519:Bone Density; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010807:Physical Endurance; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007527:Isoenzymes; D015675:Osteocalcin; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase