title: Effects of whole body vibration on pain, stiffness and physical functions in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of whole body vibration for pain, stiffness and physical functions in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and EMBASE (up to October 2014) to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. The outcome measures were pain, stiffness and physical functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two investigators identified eligible studies and extracted data independently. The PEDro score was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the selected studies. Standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I(2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of five randomized controlled trials involving 170 patients with knee osteoarthritis met the inclusion criteria. Only four studies involving 144 patients were deemed to be good quality trials (PEDro score = 6-7). Meta-analysis revealed that whole body vibration has a signiﬁcant treatment effect in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities index physical function score (SMD = -0.72 points, 95% CI = -1.14 to -0.30, P = 0.0008), 12 weeks whole body vibration improved the 6-minute walk test (SMD 1.15 m, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.80, P = 0.0006) and balance (SMD = -0.78 points, 95% CI -1.40 to -0.16, P = 0.01). Whole body vibration was not associated with a signiﬁcant reduction in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities index pain and stiffness score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eight-week and 12-week whole body vibration is beneficial for improving physical functions in patients with knee osteoarthritis and could be included in rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Pu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaotian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yonghong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yujing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Swiss Paraplegic Research, Lucerne, Switzerland Department of Health Sciences and Health Policy, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Medicine in Sichuan, Chengdu, People's Republic of China hxkfhcq@163.com.
authors.forename: Chengqi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D006801:Humans; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Knee osteoarthritis; meta-analysis; whole body vibration