Table 6.
Characteristics of studies using vibrations for the treatment of triceps spasticity after stroke.
| Author | Sample | Intervention and dosage | Comparator | Outcomes |
Follow-up (months) |
Within group difference (over the time) |
Between group difference after treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huang et al. (55) (RCT) | 36 patients with spasticity for at least 6 months (MAS ≥ 1) | WBV (30 Hz, 1.5 mm amplitude), knees bent standing on a platform Five 1-min bouts, one single session |
CG: Sham WBV on the same platform, 2 days later | H/M ratio Stiffness, Intramuscular blood perfusion (IBP) |
n.a. | IG: H/M ratio ↓
IBP ↑ Stiffness ↔ CG: H/M ratio, stiffness, IBP ↔ |
H/M ratio, IBP† |
| Miyara et al. (56) | 11 patients with spasticity for 3 months (MAS ≥ 1) | 5-min WBV (30 Hz, 4–8 mm amplitude), seated + simultaneous triceps stretching One single session |
Six healthy subjects | MAS aROM, pROM |
n.a. | MAS ↓
aROM, pROM ↑ |
n.a. |
| Alp et al. (57) (RCT) | 21 (10/11 IG/CG) patients with spasticity for at least 1 year (MAS ≥ 1) | Stretching + exercises + 5-min WBV (40 Hz, 4 mm amplitude), knees bent standing on a platform Three days a week, for 1 month |
CG: Stretching + exercises + sham WBV on the same platform | MAS FIM, 10 mAS |
One week, 1, 3, 6 | IG: MAS, FIM ↔
10 mAS (at 1 week, 1 and 3 months) ↑ CG: MAS, FIM, 10 mAS ↔ |
10 mAS† |
| Miyara et al. (58) | 16 patients with spasticity (MAS ≥ 1) | 5-min WBV (30Hz, 4 mm amplitude), seated One single session |
n.a. | MAS F-waves, F/M ratio, aROM, pROM |
n.a. | MAS, F-waves, F/M ratio ↓
aROM, pROM ↑ |
n.a. |
| Pang et al. (59) (RCT) | 76 (38/39 IG/CG) patients with spasticity for at least 6 months | WBV (20–30 Hz, 0.44–0.6 mm amplitude), standing on a platform while performing specific exercises Three days a week, for 2 months |
CG: Sham WBV on the same platform while performing specific exercises | MAS Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment (CMSA), Muscle power |
1 | IG: MAS, CMSA ↔
Muscle power ↑ CG: MAS, CMSA, Muscle power ↔ |
No statistical difference |
| Chan et al. (60) (RCT) | 30 (15/15 IG/CG) patients with spasticity for at least 6 months (MAS ≥ 2) | WBV (12 Hz, 4 mm amplitude), knees bent standing on a platform Two 10-min bouts, one single session |
CG: Sham WBV on the same platform | MAS Achilles Tendon reflex (ATR) excitability, H-reflex, H/M ratio, VAS, TUG, 10 mAS, Static Foot Contact Area (SFCA) |
n.a. | IG: MAS, VAS, H/M ratio, TUG ↓
10 mAS, SFCA ↑ ATR excitability, H-reflex ↔ CG: MAS, VAS, H/M ratio, TUG, 10mAS, SFCA, ATR excitability, H-reflex ↔ |
MAS, VAS, TUG, 10 mAS, SFCA† |
↑
Statistically significant increase.
↓
Statistically significant decrease.
↔
No statistical difference.
†
IG overcomes comparator.
IG, Intervention Group; CG, Control Group; n.a, not available; RCT, Randomized Controlled Trial; MAS, Modified Ashworth Scale; WBV, Whole Body Vibration; IBP, Intramuscular Blood Perfusion; FIM, Functional Independence Measurement; 10mAS, 10-meter Ambulation Scale; aROM, active Range of Motion; pROM, passive Range of Motion; CMSA, Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment; VAS, Visual Analog Scale; TUG, Timed Up and Go; SFCA, Static Foot Contact Area; ATR, Achilles Tendon Reflex.