title: Effect of whole body vibration training on mobility in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled experimenter-blinded study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate ambulatory function and leg muscle thickness after whole body vibration training in children with cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A block randomized controlled trial with two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical therapy department laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 (15 experimental, mean (SD) age 10.0 (2.26) years and 15 control, 9.6 (2.58)) children with cerebral palsy, 15 males and 15 females.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group underwent whole body vibration training combined with conventional physical therapy training; the control group underwent conventional physical therapy training three days a week for eight weeks respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-dimensional gait analyses and ultrasonographic imaging of the leg muscles were measured at pre- and post-test of intervention for eight weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whole body vibration training resulted in significantly better gait speed (P = 0.001, from 0.37 (0.04) m/s to 0.48 (0.06)), stride length (P = 0.001, from 0.38 (0.18) m to 0.48 (0.18)) and cycle time (P = 0.001, from 0.85 (0.48) s to 0.58 (0.38)) in the experimental group compared with that in the control group. The ankle angle (P = 0.019, from 7.30 (4.02) degree to 13.58 (8.79)) also showed a remarkable increase in the experimental group, but not the hip (P = 0.321) and knee angle (P = 0.102). The thicknesses of the tibialis anterior (P = 0.001, 0.48 (0.08) mm to 0.63 (0.10)) and soleus (P = 0.001, 0.45 (0.04) mm to 0.63 (0.12)) muscles were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. However, no significant effect was observed in the thickness of the gastrocnemius muscle (P = 0.645).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that whole body vibration may improve mobility in children with cerebral palsy, probably through a positive effect on the leg muscles.
authors: Department of Physical Therapy, Konyang University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Byoung-Kwon
authors: BK
authors: Lee
authors: Seung-Chul
authors: SC
authors: Chon
mesh_terms: D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Cerebral palsy; mobility; randomized trial; whole body vibration