Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Lower Limb Blood Flow in Children with Myelomeningocele—A Randomized Trial

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a three-week Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) training on the vascular blood flow of the lower limbs in children with myelomeningocele. The secondary goal was to evaluate the effect of WBV on the ROM of lower limb joints in this population. A total of 30 children with MMC (7–16 years old) were enrolled in the study. Children were randomly allocated to two groups of equal numbers, using an envelope code. The experimental group underwent a 3-week WBV training, while the control group received a 3-week conventional physiotherapy (PT) program. The examination consisted of two parts: (1) Doppler USG examination of the lower limb vascular blood flow; (2) evaluation of ROM. The results obtained revealed three main findings. First, WBV training effectively improved blood flow by increasing flow velocities in all tested arteries, while the impact of the PT program was limited to a single parameter. Second, WBV training effectively improved vascular resistance in arteries of the lower legs, while the PT program did not achieve any significant differences. Third, both types of treatment intervention significantly improved ROM in all joints of the lower limbs in MMC participants.