Affiliations: The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of
Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA | Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Miami, Miami, FL, USA | Department of Physical Therapy, Miller School of
Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Edelle C. Field-Fote, PhD, PT, The Miami
Project to Cure Paralysis, 1095 NW 14th Terrace (R-48), Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Tel.: +1 305 243 7119; Fax: +1 305 243 3913; E-mail: edee@miami.edu
Abstract: Purpose: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) often have
involuntary, reflex-evoked muscle activity resulting in spasticity. Vibration
may modulate reflex activity thereby decreasing spasticity. This study suggests
feasibility of using whole-body vibration (WBV) to decrease quadriceps
spasticity in individuals with SCI. Methods: Participants were individuals (n=16) with spastic
quadriceps hypertonia due to chronic SCI (> 1 year). Quadriceps spasticity
was measured by gravity-provoked stretch (Pendulum Test) before (initial) and
after (final) a 3 day/week, 12-session WBV intervention. In addition,
differences between immediate (immediate post-WBV) and delayed (delayed
post-WBV) within-session effects were quantified. Finally, we assessed response
differences between subjects who did and those who did not use antispastic
agents. Results: There was a significant reduction in quadriceps spasticity
after participation in a WBV intervention that persisted for at least eight
days. Within a WBV session, spasticity was reduced in the delayed post-WBV test
compared to the immediate post-WBV test. The WBV intervention was associated
with similar changes in quadriceps spasticity in subjects who did and those who
did not use antispastic agents. Conclusions: Vibration may be a useful adjunct to training in those
with spasticity. Future studies should directly compare the antispastic effects
of vibration to those of antispastic agents.
Keywords: Spinal reflex, human movement system, rehabilitation, stretch reflex, reflex modulation, Pendulum Test
