Effectiveness of whole-body vibration in patients with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of systemic vibration exercises on cerebral palsy patients. METHODS: Literature published in Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane library, Embase, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and PubMed was reviewed. A total of 2978 studies were initially retrieved. After further reading of the full texts 17 articles were finally included. A quality assessment of the included studies was conducted using the risk of bias (RoB) 2.0, and the Funnel plot and the Egger test were conducted to confirm the publication bias. Subgroup analysis was carried out according to the dependent variables, the international classification of functioning, disability, and health (ICF), frequency, treatment period and age. RESULTS: The overall effect size of homogeneity was 0.474 (CI = 0.148-0.801). The analysis of the dependent variables showed the following order of the effect size: balance, muscle strength, spasticity, bone density, range of motion of the joint, gait function, and motor function. In the ICF classification, the effect size was observed to follow the order of body structure and function, activity, and participation. The effect size in the intervention according to the treatment period showed the following order: 7 to 12 weeks, 1 to 6 weeks, and 14 to 24 weeks. The age-dependent classification showed the following order in the effect size: school age, adolescent and adult, and infant and school age. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic vibration is the most effective intervention to improve the balance and gait in patients with cerebral palsy and improve the body structure and function according to the ICF.

Effectiveness of treadmill training on gait function in children with cerebral palsy: meta-analysis.

The purpose of this review was to analysis the effects of treadmill training on gait function in children with cerebral palsy. Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PubMed and Web of Science were searched. Investigating the effects of treadmill training on gait endurance, gait speed, limb support time, cadence, and step length in children with cerebral palsy. Similar outcomes were pooled by calculating the standardized mean difference. Of the eight studies, 179 participants were included. The average PEDro score was 6.25/10. The results of the sensitivity test for bias evaluation using the duval and tweedie's trim and fill method showed low publication bias. The test regarding the effect of treadmill training on overall gait function yielded a moderate effect size of 0.53, which was a statistically significant effect as its confidence interval did not include. The overall effect size of gait endurance was 0.85. The overall effect size of gait speed and limb support time were 0.52 and 0.73. The overall effect size of cadence and step length were 0.14 and 0.21, indicating a nonsignificant improvement. These findings suggested that treadmill training on cerebral palsy was effective for gait endurance, gait speed and limb support time than cadence and step length.

The immediate influence of various whole-body vibration frequency on balance and walking ability in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study.

The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the immediate effect of interventions based on the frequency of whole-body vibration on children with cerebral palsy's balance and walking abilities. A total of 12 were selected as subjects. All subjects measured 10-m walking test (10MWT), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and measured sway length (SL) and limit of stability (LOS) by bio-rescue. And those were performed again after the frequencies of the 12, 18, and 26 Hz were applied respectively. To check the immediate effect, all subjects performed only one frequency of interventions per day and no other treatment was performed in parallel to control the foreign variables. After intervention, 10MWT were significantly increased in the 12 and 18 Hz groups (P<0.05). TUG test and LOS were significantly increased in the 18 Hz group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences on TUG, SL, and LOS in the 12 Hz group. There were no significant differences on 10MWT, TUG, SL, and LOS in the 26 Hz group. Looking at the results of this study, the immediate effect of whole-body vibration shows that the frequency of the 18 Hz group is the most effective interventions in promoting walking and balancing abilities in children with cerebral palsy than frequencies of the 12 and 26 Hz groups.