Effect of whole body vibration training on mobility in children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled experimenter-blinded study

Thirty children with cerebral palsy were randomized to receive either 8 weeks of whole body vibration (WBV) plus conventional physical therapy or conventional physical therapy alone. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of WBV therapy on leg muscle power and gait function. Following the 8 weeks of therapy, results indicated that patients who received whole body vibration improved significantly more in gait speed, stride length, cycle time, ankle angle, and tibialis anterior and soleus muscle thickness. Accordingly, the improvements in these parameters indicated better walking ability in the whole body vibration group.