Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice.

BACKGROUND: Vibration therapy (VT) has been proposed as an option to improve physical performance and reduce the negative effects of ageing on bone, muscles and tendons. Several discrepancies exist on the type of applications, frequency and magnitude. These differences reflex on the contradictory clinical results in literature. Aim of the present study is to carry on an exhaustive review to focus on technical options on the market, clinical applications in orthopaedic practice and expected outcomes.

METHODS: a literature review using the key words "vibration therapy" and "whole-body vibration" and "orthopaedics" was performed. After checking the available abstracts 71 full text articles were evaluated.

RESULTS: fifty-one articles focused on the effects of VT on muscles and tendons reporting ways of action and clinical outcomes. In a similar way 20 studies focused on the influence of VT on bone tissue with regard on ways of action and clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS: VT provides anabolic mechanical signals to bone and musculo-tendinous system. The best effects seem to be achieved with devices that deliver low-intensity stimuli at high frequencies providing linear horizontal displacement.