Whole-Body Vibration Training Designed to Improve Functional Impairments After Pediatric Inpatient Anticancer Therapy: A Pilot Study
Rustler, Vanessa, MA; Prokop, Aram, MD; Baumann, Freerk T., PhD; Streckmann, Fiona, PhD; Bloch, Wilhelm, MD; Daeggelmann, Julia, PhD
Pediatric Physical Therapy:
October 2018 – Volume 30 – Issue 4 – p 341–349
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000536 RESEARCH REPORTS
Purpose: To assess a whole-body vibration (WBV) intervention for children after cancer treatment.
Methods: Eleven children after inpatient anticancer therapy participated in a 12-week supervised WBV intervention, which consisted of one 9- to 13-minute WBV session per week, with 5 to 9 minutes’ overall vibration time. Feasibility was defined as the ability to participate in WBV training without reporting adverse events. The number of offered and completed training sessions, program acceptance, and measures of function were assessed.
Results: Nine participants completed the WBV intervention without any WBV-related adverse events. The adherence rate was 87.96%. Only minor side effects were reported and there was general program acceptance. We found indications that WBV has positive effects on knee extensor strength and active ankle dorsiflexion range of motion.
Conclusions: WBV was feasible, safe, and well received among children after inpatient anticancer therapy. No health deteriorations were observed. Positive effects need to be confirmed in future trials
Copyright © 2018 Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association