Vibration therapy.
Whole-body vibration training is a method for muscle strengthening that is increasingly used in a variety of clinical situations. Key descriptors of vibration devices include the frequency, the amplitude, and the direction of the vibration movement. In a typical vibration session, the user stands on the device in a static position or performs dynamic movements. Most authors hypothesize that vibrations stimulate muscle spindles and alpha-motoneurons, which initiate a muscle contraction. An immediate effect of a non-exhausting vibration session is an increase in muscle power. Most studies of the longer term use of vibration treatment in various disorders have pursued three therapeutic aims: increasing muscle strength, improving balance, and increasing bone mass. In a small pilot trial in children we noted improvements in standing function, lumbar spine bone mineral density, tibial bone mass, and calf muscle cross-sectional area.
Rauch
Frank
F
Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, QC, Canada. frauch@shriners.mcgill.ca
D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000503:physiopathology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D004582:Electronics, Medical / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations / Q000379:methods; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult