Effects of whole-body vibration on postural control in elderly: An update of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Author: Rogan S1, Taeymans J2, Radlinger L3, Naepflin S4, Ruppen S5, Bruelhart Y6, Hilfiker R7
Affiliation:
1Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: slavko.rogan@bfh.ch.
2Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: jan.taeymans@bfh.ch.
3Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: lorenz.radlinger@bfh.ch.
4Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: sandro.naepflin@bfh.ch.
5Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: stefan.ruppen@bfh.ch.
6Discipline of Physiotherapy, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: ybruelhart@bluewin.ch.
7HES-SO Valais-Wallis, School of Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, Leukerbad, Switzerland. Electronic address: roger.hilfiker@gmail.com.
Conference/Journal: Arch Gerontol Geriatr.
Date published: 2017 Aug 3
Other: Volume ID: 73 , Pages: 95-112 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2017.07.022. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 206


The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to offer an updated overview of the current studies on all types of whole-body vibration (WBV), to determine the effects of WBV on balance in Go-Go (active, independent), Slow-Go (some physical activity limitations) and No-Go (in need of care) elderly and to provide recommendations on available evidence on WBV for clinicians and researchers. An electronic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and CINAHL (Ebsco Host) to identify studies on WBV therapy in Go-Goes, Slow-Goes and No-Goes. Outcomes were static, dynamic and functional balance. Thirty-tree studies were included in this systematic review. Pooling was possible for static balance and dynamic balance. Effect size (SMD) of WBV on static balance was 0.34 (95% CI 0.18, 0.49) in Go-Goes. Effect size (SMD) of WBV on dynamic balance was -0.15 (95% CI -0.44, 0.15) in Slow-Go and -0.90 (95% CI -1.63, -0.17) in No-Go elderly people respectively. The results of this current meta-analysis suggest that WBV can be used for improving static balance in Go-Go elderly and that it has the potential to positively influence dynamic balance in Slow-Go and No-Go elderly.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS: Age; Aged 80 and over; Balance

PMID: 28800481 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2017.07.022

BACK