The acute effects of whole-body vibration on gait parameters in adults with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVES As adults with cerebral palsy (CP) are surviving longer, interventions are needed to reduce spasticity and increase strength to improve mobility and life quality. Adults with CP are lacking a form of independent exercise that allows them to maintain or improve their ambulation skills. A new approach to increase muscle strength and flexibility called whole-body vibration (WBV) was assessed. METHODS Using an individualized frequency (I-Freq) approach to WBV therapy the acute effects on gait in adults with CP was measured. In this study, eight adults with CP (age 20-51 years, two female) participated in two testing sessions: session one determined each individual's I-Freq; and session two included a 3D gait analysis before and after a WBV treatment. The WBV was administered in five, one minute bouts of vibration followed by one minute of rest. RESULTS Following WBV exposure subjects experienced a significant increase in walking speed (P=0.047), stride length (P=0.017) and dynamic ankle range of motion (P=0.042). CONCLUSIONS These data show that acute WBV treatments at I-Freq can improve measures of gait and mobility in adults with CP, however, future should assess potential long-term improvements.