title: 3-week whole body vibration does not improve gait function in mildly affected multiple sclerosis patients--a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) training on gait function in persons with mild multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 patients with MS were assigned randomly to WBV (intervention group) or to placebo WBV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both groups performed a 3-week training period under static conditions on a vibration platform. In the placebo group, the vibration platform was covered and therefore vibrations could not operate. Gait function (gait velocity, stride length, double support phase, single-step variability left and right) was assessed at baseline, after 3-weeks of WBV intervention or sham WBV, 4-weeks after baseline, and 5-weeks after baseline using a mobile plantar food pressure system and the "Timed Up and Go" test under four different gait conditions (comfortable overground gait, comfortable gait on treadmill, -20% comfortable gait velocity on treadmill and +20% comfortable gait velocity on treadmill).
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the outcome measures of gait function showed statistically significant alterations following 3-weeks of intervention/placebo WBV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The applied protocol of WBV does not show a meaningful improvement of gait function in mildly affected MS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Teaching Hospital Wagner-Jauregg, Linz, Austria. Electronic address: thomas.wolfsegger@gespag.at.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wolfsegger
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Teaching Hospital Wagner-Jauregg, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Assar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Academic Teaching Hospital Wagner-Jauregg, Linz, Austria; Department of Neurology, Klinikum Wels-Grieskirchen, Wels, Austria.
authors.forename: Raffi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Topakian
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004856:Postural Balance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Biomechanical analysis; Gait analysis; Multiple sclerosis; Physical therapy; Spatio-temporal parameters; Whole body vibration