Utilization of single whole body vibration training unit in rehabilitation of elderly patients with neurological disorders

Whole body vibration (WBV) techniques are increasingly applied in rehabilitation processes to improve patients' functional mobility. Therapeutic usage of WBV reported enhanced muscular strength, power or even bone density. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate immediate response of single WBV training unit on mobility of elderly patients with neurological disorders. Nineteen patients (66.74 ± 3.65 years, 6 males and 13 females) were assessed before WBV (10 min, 30 Hz, vertical 2 mm) and then 1 min afterwards. Individual changes in gait kinematics indicated positive effects of WBV, while kinematics of the gait was more symmetric considering right and left side. Individually, depending on the disease's severity, these changes were more or less significant. The improvements in gait kinematics convinced us that WBV can be carefully used in patients' therapy and it may be used together with individually planed rehabilitation processes to bring more satisfying results.