The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of lifelong physical disability, affecting approximately 17 million individuals worldwide. Upper extremity dysfunction, alongside spasticity and coordination challenges, significantly impacts independence in daily activities. Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has be...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Marianna Kelaiditi Alexandra Lepoura Anna Christakou Nikolaos Chrysagis Vasiliki Sakellari |
| author_facet | Marianna Kelaiditi Alexandra Lepoura Anna Christakou Nikolaos Chrysagis Vasiliki Sakellari |
| author_sort | Marianna Kelaiditi |
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| description | Cerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of lifelong physical disability, affecting approximately 17 million individuals worldwide. Upper extremity dysfunction, alongside spasticity and coordination challenges, significantly impacts independence in daily activities. Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has been proposed as a therapeutic modality to improve functionality in neurological populations, though its effects on upper extremity function in children with CP remain relatively unclear. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of Upper Extremity Vibration Therapy using a Whole-Body Vibration Platform (UEVT-WBV) combined with conventional physiotherapy, in enhancing upper extremity function and reducing spasticity in children with CP. Ten children aged 4.5–18 years with upper extremity dysfunction due to CP were randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving UEVT-WBV alongside conventional physiotherapy or a control group receiving only conventional physiotherapy. Both interventions were implemented over eight weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (spasticity), ABILHAND (manual ability), and a quality-of-life questionnaire. Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in spasticity and improvements in upper extremity function over time, as measured by MAS and ABILHAND, respectively. However, no statistically significant differences were found between groups, indicating comparable outcomes between UEVT-WBV and conventional physiotherapy alone. While hemiplegic participants achieved greater functional gains than those with quadriplegia regardless of intervention, quality-of-life improvements were minor and limited to emotional well-being and pain reduction in the intervention group. This pilot study highlights the feasibility of UEVT-WBV as an adjunct therapy in pediatric CP rehabilitation, providing foundational data for future studies. Further studies are needed to isolate the effects of UEVT-WBV and to identify its potential in targeted subpopulations. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f55aeebc3e94829a0493c4a0f52efbe2025-01-24T13:19:48ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-0115255210.3390/app15020552The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot StudyMarianna Kelaiditi0Alexandra Lepoura1Anna Christakou2Nikolaos Chrysagis3Vasiliki Sakellari4M.Sc “New Methods of Physiotherapy”, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spidonos 28, Egaleo, 12243 Athens, GreeceM.Sc “New Methods of Physiotherapy”, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spidonos 28, Egaleo, 12243 Athens, GreeceM.Sc “New Methods of Physiotherapy”, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spidonos 28, Egaleo, 12243 Athens, GreeceM.Sc “New Methods of Physiotherapy”, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spidonos 28, Egaleo, 12243 Athens, GreeceM.Sc “New Methods of Physiotherapy”, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, Agiou Spidonos 28, Egaleo, 12243 Athens, GreeceCerebral palsy (CP) is the leading cause of lifelong physical disability, affecting approximately 17 million individuals worldwide. Upper extremity dysfunction, alongside spasticity and coordination challenges, significantly impacts independence in daily activities. Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) has been proposed as a therapeutic modality to improve functionality in neurological populations, though its effects on upper extremity function in children with CP remain relatively unclear. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of Upper Extremity Vibration Therapy using a Whole-Body Vibration Platform (UEVT-WBV) combined with conventional physiotherapy, in enhancing upper extremity function and reducing spasticity in children with CP. Ten children aged 4.5–18 years with upper extremity dysfunction due to CP were randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving UEVT-WBV alongside conventional physiotherapy or a control group receiving only conventional physiotherapy. Both interventions were implemented over eight weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8 using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (spasticity), ABILHAND (manual ability), and a quality-of-life questionnaire. Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in spasticity and improvements in upper extremity function over time, as measured by MAS and ABILHAND, respectively. However, no statistically significant differences were found between groups, indicating comparable outcomes between UEVT-WBV and conventional physiotherapy alone. While hemiplegic participants achieved greater functional gains than those with quadriplegia regardless of intervention, quality-of-life improvements were minor and limited to emotional well-being and pain reduction in the intervention group. This pilot study highlights the feasibility of UEVT-WBV as an adjunct therapy in pediatric CP rehabilitation, providing foundational data for future studies. Further studies are needed to isolate the effects of UEVT-WBV and to identify its potential in targeted subpopulations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/552cerebral palsyupper extremity functionvibration therapyspasticityphysiotherapyABILHAND |
| spellingShingle | Marianna Kelaiditi Alexandra Lepoura Anna Christakou Nikolaos Chrysagis Vasiliki Sakellari The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study Applied Sciences cerebral palsy upper extremity function vibration therapy spasticity physiotherapy ABILHAND |
| title | The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study |
| title_full | The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study |
| title_short | The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Upper Extremity Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | effect of whole body vibration on upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy a pilot study |
| topic | cerebral palsy upper extremity function vibration therapy spasticity physiotherapy ABILHAND |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/2/552 |
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