title: Focal muscle vibration as a possible intervention to prevent falls in elderly women: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different and new approaches have been proposed to prevent the risk of falling of elderly people, particularly women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the possibility that a new protocol based on the focal mechanical muscle vibration may reduce the risk of falling of elderly women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pragmatic randomized controlled triple-blind trial with a 6-month follow-up after intervention randomized 350 women (mean age 73.4 years + 3.11), members of local senior citizen centers in Rome, into two groups: vibrated group (VG) and control group (CG). For VG participants a mechanical vibration (lasting 10 min) was focally applied on voluntary contracted quadriceps muscles, three times a day during three consecutive days. CG subjects received a placebo vibratory stimulation. Subjects were tested immediately before (T0) and 30 (T1) and 180 (T2) days after the intervention with the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) test. All subjects were asked not to change their lifestyle during the study. CG underwent sham vibratory treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While CG did not show any statistically significant change of POMA at T1 and T2, VG revealed significant differences. At T2, ≈47% of the subjects who completed the study obtained the full score on the POMA test and ≈59% reached the full POMA score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new protocol seems to be promising in reducing the risk of falling of elderly subjects.
authors: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy. clacelletti@gmail.com.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Celletti
authors: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Fattorini
authors: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Division, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Camerota
authors: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Ricciardi
authors: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: La Torre
authors: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Landi
authors: Institute of Human Physiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Guido Maria
authors: GM
authors: Filippi
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Fall; Muscle vibration; Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment; Postural instability; Rehabilitation; Tinetti test