The effect of whole body vibration therapy on older people

ISRCTN	ISRCTN19205068
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN19205068
Protocol serial number	5370
Sponsor	Kings College London (UK)
Funder	Research into Ageing (UK)

Submission date: 12/05/2010
Registration date: 12/05/2010
Last edited: 17/09/2012

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Injury, Occupational Diseases, Poisoning

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Mr Ross Pollock
Scientific

King's College London
Division of Applied Biomedical Research
London
WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Single centre randomised interventional trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	The effect of whole body vibration therapy on older people: a single centre randomised intervention trial
Study objectives	Exercise based programmes reduce the risk of falling and can improve quality of life for older people, but they are unlikely to increase bone strength. Although muscles become weaker with ageing, strengthening exercises are effective in all age groups but require a sustained effort over long periods of time. Many people, irrespective of age, do not enjoy exercise and also the type of exercise necessary to increase muscle and bone strength is difficult for the more frail to perform. Whole body vibration (WBV) has been reported to increase muscle strength and power, bone mineral density, balance and speed of movement all factors affecting the risk of both falling and sustaining a subsequent injury. The literature suggests that it is more effective for older and frail people than young highly trained ones. As relatively little effort is required for short periods the technique has real potential for improving the physical status of older people. We have therefore incorporated WBV exercise into a strength and balance exercise class run for older individuals who have had multiple falls. This randomised controlled trial is conducted over 8 weeks with measures of strength, balance, bone strength and health related quality of life being made at the start of the class, 4 weeks and at the end of the class. In addition a number of subjects will have a 6-month follow up.
Ethics approval(s)	St Thomas' Hospital Research Ethics Committee approved on the 9th June 2008 (ref: 08/H0802/65)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Topic: Generic Health Relevance and Cross Cutting Themes; Subtopic: Generic Health Relevance (all Subtopics); Disease: Age and ageing
Intervention	Intervention group: performing WBV for 5 mins at the end of the exercise class at a frequency of 15 - 30 Hz and amplitude of 1 - 4 mm Control group: exercise class only The exercise class runs 3 x per week for 8 weeks. The WBV group perform an additional 5 minutes of WBV at the end of each class. A follow up is performed 6 months after completion of the class. Study entry: single randomisation only.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Physiological Profile Assessment, measured before and immediately upon completion of the exercise class
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Six-metre walk test, measured at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks 2. Berg Balance Scale, measured at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks 3. Blood Analysis for markers of bone turnover, measured at baseline and 8 weeks 4. Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I), measured at baseline and 8 weeks 5. 12-item short form health survey (SF12) version 2, measured at baseline and 8 weeks 6. Timed Up and Go Test, measured at baseline, 4weeks and 8 weeks
Completion date	30/05/2009

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	70
Key inclusion criteria	1. Men and women of all ages 2. Having had one or more falls 3. Attending the strength and balance group run in the Older Person Assessment Unit at Guy's Hospital
Key exclusion criteria	1. Artificial joints 2. Mini-mental state examination (MSSE) less than 20
Date of first enrolment	01/09/2007
Date of final enrolment	30/05/2009

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
England

Study participating centre

King's College London

London
WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	01/10/2012		Yes	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes