Retrospective study of effect of whole-body vibration training on balance and walking function in stroke patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction in stroke patients has been a problem that we committed to solve and explore. Physical therapy has some effect to regain strength, balance, and coordination. However, it is not a complete cure, so we are trying to find more effective treatments. AIM: To observe the effect of whole-body vibration training (WVT) on the recovery of balance and walking function in stroke patients, which could provide us some useful evidence for planning rehabilitation. METHODS: The clinical data of 130 stroke participants who underwent conventional rehabilitation treatment in our hospital from January 2019 to August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The participants were divided into whole-body vibration training (WVT) group and non-WVT (NWVT) group according to whether they were given WVT. In the WVT group, routine rehabilitation therapy was combined with WVT by the Galileo Med L Plus vibration trainer at a frequency of 20 Hz and a vibration amplitude of 0+ACY-plusmn+ADs-5.2 mm, and in the NWVT group, routine rehabilitation therapy only was provided. The treatment course of the two groups was 4 wk. Before and after treatment, the Berg balance scale (BBS), 3 m timed up-and-go test (TUGT), the maximum walking speed test (MWS), and upper limb functional reaching (FR) test were performed. RESULTS: After 4 wk training, in both groups, the BBS score and the FR distance respectively increased to a certain amount (WVT = 46.08 +/- 3.41 vs NWVT = 40.22 +/- 3.75; WVT = 20.48 +/- 2.23 vs NWVT = 16.60 +/- 2.82), with P < 0.05. Furthermore, in the WVT group, both BBS score and FR distance (BBS: 18.32 +/- 2.18; FR: 10.00 +/- 0.92) increased more than that in the NWVT group (BBS: 13.29 +/- 1.66; FR: 6.16 +/- 0.95), with P < 0.05. Meanwhile, in both groups, the TUGT and the MWS were improved after training (WVT = 32.64 +/- 3.81 vs NWVT = 39.56 +/- 3.68; WVT = 12.73 +/- 2.26 vs NWVT = 15.04 +/- 2.27, respectively), with P < 0.05. The change in the WVT group (TUGT: 17.49 +/- 1.88; MWS: 6.79 +/- 0.81) was greater than that in the NWVT group (TUGT: 10.76 +/- 1.42; MWS: 4.84 +/- 0.58), with P < 0.05. CONCLUSION: The WVT could effectively improve the balance and walking function in stroke patients, which may be good for improving their quality of life.