Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 7 , Pages 852-857, July 2007

High-Frequency Whole-Body Vibration Improves Balancing Ability in Elderly Women

  • Wing-Hoi Cheung, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
    • ,
  • Hoi-Wa Mok, HD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
    • ,
  • Ling Qin, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
    • ,
  • Pan-Ching Sze, BSc

      Affiliations

    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
    • ,
  • Kwong-Man Lee, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Lee Hysan Clinical Research Laboratories, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
    • ,
  • Kwok-Sui Leung, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Kwok-Sui Leung, MD, Dept of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 5/F, Clinical Science Bldg, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong

Abstract 

Cheung W-H, Mok H-W, Qin L, Sze P-C, Lee K-M, Leung K-S. High-frequency whole-body vibration improves balancing ability in elderly women.

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of high-frequency whole-body vibration (WBV) on balancing ability in elderly women.

Design

Randomized controlled trial. Subjects were randomized to either the WBV intervention or the no-treatment control group.

Setting

Community-living elderly women.

Participants

Sixty-nine elderly women aged 60 or above without habitual exercise.

Intervention

Side alternating WBV at 20Hz with 3 minutes a day and 3 days a week for 3 months in the WBV intervention group. Those in control group remained sedentary with normal daily life for the whole study period.

Main Outcome Measures

Limits of stability in terms of reaction time, movement velocity, directional control, endpoint excursion, maximum excursion, and the functional reach test were performed at baseline and endpoint.

Results

Significant enhancement of stability was detected in movement velocity (P<.01), maximum point excursion (P<.01), in directional control (P<.05).

Conclusions

WBV was effective in improving the balancing ability in elderly women. This also provides evidence to support our user-friendly WBV treatment protocol of 3 minutes a day for the elderly to maintain their balancing ability and reduce risks of fall.

Key Words: Accidental falls, Balance, Frail elderly, Posture, Randomized controlled trials, Rehabilitation, Vibration

 

 Supported by the Direct Grant Research Committee, Chinese University of Hong Kong (grant nos. 2003.1.025, 2003.2.025).No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(07)00258-4

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2007.03.028

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 7 , Pages 852-857, July 2007

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