title: Whole body vibration therapy for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a pilot study.
abstract: The unsatisfactory results associated with conventional treatments for symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) demonstrate a need for research into alternative therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of whole body vibration therapy (WBV) as a treatment for pain associated with DPN. Participants (n = 8) with painful DPN received three treatment sessions per week for four weeks. Each session consisted of four bouts of 3 min of vibration (frequency 25 Hz, amplitude 5 mm). The primary outcome measures were changes in the visual analog pain scale (VAS) and changes in the neuropathic pain scale (NPS). WBV demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) acute pain reduction in the VAS, and a significant chronic reduction in both the VAS and NPS scales. No side-effects were observed during this study. WBV appears to be an effective, non-invasive treatment for pain associated with DPN.
authors.affiliation: Willamette University, Department of Exercise Science, 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Junggi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014732:Vibration / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: DPN, Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Gate-control theory of pain; NPS, Neuropathic pain scale; Non-pharmaceutical treatment; VAS, Visual analog scale; Vibration therapy; WBV, Whole body vibration; Whole body vibration