Effects of whole body vibration on spinal proprioception in normal individuals

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem with high reoccurrence rate. While most LBP cases are classified as non-specific, patients in general often present impaired proprioception. Whole body vibration (WBV) has been proven to improve muscle function and proprioception in the lumbo-pelvic region. The aim of this study was to determine whether WBV would affect spinal proprioception. Eleven young normal individuals were recruited. Their body alignment, lumbar repositioning error and lumbo-pelvic coordination during dynamic motion were assessed before and after 5 minutes WBV (18Hz, 6mm amplitude). Assessments were conducted before, immediately after, 30 minutes after and 1 hour after WBV. Subjects were found to have improved lumbo-pelvic coordination and flexibility without any adverse effect on the neuromuscular system after WBV. However, WBV had no significant immediate effect on lumbar repositioning ability and body alignment. Future studies of the effects of different WBV protocols on LBP patients are recommended.