title: Effects of whole-body vibration on sensorimotor performance in people with Parkinson disease: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Earlier studies show that whole-body vibration (WBV) has beneficial effects on neuromuscular performance in older adults and may be a viable treatment option for people with Parkinson disease (PD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This systematic review was aimed at determining whether WBV improves sensorimotor performance in people with PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sources used in this review were MEDLINE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) (last searched in April 2010).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies examining the effects of WBV in people with PD were selected. Six studies fulfilled the selection criteria and were included in this review.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PEDro score was used to evaluate methodological quality. The effects of WBV on various sensorimotor outcomes were noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methodological quality was rated as good for 1 study (PEDro score of 6), fair for 4 studies (PEDro score of 4 or 5), and poor for 1 study (PEDro score of 2). Two studies showed that, compared with no intervention, WBV treatment led to significant reductions in tremor and rigidity, as measured with the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The findings for other UPDRS cluster scores were conflicting, however. Two studies showed that longer-term WBV (3-5 weeks) did not result in better sensorimotor outcomes than conventional exercise training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The studies reviewed here are limited by their methodological weaknesses and small, heterogeneous samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is insufficient evidence to prove or refute the effectiveness of WBV in enhancing sensorimotor performance in people with PD (ie, grade D recommendations). More good-quality trials are needed to establish the clinical efficacy of WBV in improving sensorimotor function in people with PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ricky W K
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Tilda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Raymond C K
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Marco Y C
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Pang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014732:Vibration