1 month after surgery: TG: 10 sessions 1 daily session/2 weeks CG: standard + isometrics in the same position of TG 10 sessions 1 daily session/2 weeks
Synchronous vibration Freq: 30 Hz Duration: 1 min/repetition, 5 repetitions Rest: 1 min rest/set Isometric contraction with position: Knee flexion of 25°
1 week
TG: significant increase in extensor strength after intervention. Significant increase from baseline to follow-up but not between postintervention and follow-up CG: significant increase in extensor strength after intervention. Significant increase from baseline to follow-up but not between postintervention and follow-up.
20 male subjects (23 initially, 3 dropped out during intervention, 2 in TG and 1 in CG) TG: 12 subjects (;;;) CG: 11 subjects (;;;)
Patellar tendon
12 weeks after surgery: TG: WBV 12 sessions 3x/week for 1 month CG: conventional strength, flexibility, and proprioceptive training program 12 sessions 3x/week for 1 month
Synchronous vibration Parameters changed during intervention Freq: 30-50 Hz Duration: 30-60 secs/set Rest: 30-60secs Amplitude: 2.5–5 mm Modality: static-static and dynamic Session duration: 4-16 min Position: several exercises, different knee position
None
TG: significant improvement in overall stability, anteroposterior and mediolateral indexes in opened and closed eye tests. Significant improvements in absolute angular errors in both knees in both testing amplitudes (except in healthy knee at 30°) CG: significant improvements in overall stability in opened and closed eyes and significant improvement in mediolateral index in closed eye test. No significant differences in proprioceptive acuity. The improvement in stability and proprioceptive acuity scores was significantly higher in the TG, except in absolute angular error in healthy knees at 30°
48 subjects (32 males/16 females, 9 dropped out, 5 in TG and 4 in CG but were included in the analysis) TG: 24 subjects (18 males, ;;;) CG: 24 subjects (14 males, ;;;)
Hamstrings
1 month after surgery: TG: WBV+conventional training 16 sessions 2x/week for 2 months CG: conventional training
Synchronous vibration Parameters changed during intervention Freq: 35-50 Hz Duration of sets: 30-45 secs Rest: 15-30 secs Amplitude: 4 mm Modality: static-static and dynamic Session duration: 4-16 min Position: several exercises, different knee position
3 months
No significant differences regarding joint position sense throughout 6 months between groups, in both limbs. With eyes closed, the TG had significantly better overall anteroposterior and mediolateral stability indexes than the CG. The TG evidenced significant improvements in overall anteroposterior and mediolateral stability indexes 3 months after surgery, but the anteroposterior index significantly decreased in the CG. Reconstructed limb’s knee extensors in the TG evidenced significantly higher peak torques than the CG in all velocities (60, 180, and 300°/s) at 6 months after surgery. Reconstructed limb’s knee flexors in the TG evidenced significantly higher peak torques than the CG at 60 and 300°/s. 3 months after training only the TG evidenced significant improvement in knee extensors and flexors at 300°/s. The TG also evidenced better limb symmetry throughout the rehabilitation process. The TG performed significantly better in the shuttle run test. In the single-legged hop test, the reconstructed limb in both groups performed significantly better. Subjects in the TG had better limb symmetry throughout the rehabilitation process. No significant differences between both groups regarding triple hop and carioca tests. No significant differences regarding joint laxity between the two groups and both groups achieved full range of motion.
2 weeks after surgery: TG: WBV exercise protocol average Unclear number of sessions 3-4x/week for 10 weeks CG: standard strengthening protocol average Unclear number of sessions 3-4x/week for 10 weeks
Side alternating vibration Parameters changed during intervention (3 phases) Freq: 10-30 Hz Duration of sets: 1-2 min Rest: not clearly stated Amplitude: 5-9 mm Modality: static-dynamic Position: slight knee flexion in static, varying in dynamic exercise
None
Range of motion increased in both groups to full motion with no significant differences between groups. No significant changes in joint laxity in both groups after intervention. Extensor and flexor strength improved significantly in both groups with similar results in isometric and isokinetic testing, except for isometric extensor testing at 11 weeks which was significantly higher in the CG. The TG evidenced a significant increase in stability index, but not the CG. Significant differences in this outcome between groups in the 8th and 11th weeks. Knee function (Lysholm score) improved significantly in both groups without significant differences between groups.
after surgery TG: WBV, 1 session TG2: local muscle vibration, 1 session CG: no intervention
Synchronous vibration Freq: 30 Hz Duration: 1 min/repetition 6 repetitions Rest: 2 min between repetitions Amplitude: not stated Acceleration: 2 g Modality: static Position: knee flexion 60°
None
No significant changes were observed in the rate of torque development, motor-evoked potential amplitude, -reflex amplitude, hamstrings electromyographic amplitude, and quadriceps -wave amplitude. Significant improvements in active motor threshold (corticomotor excitability), central activation ratio, quadriceps peak torque, and quadriceps electromyographic amplitude. Improvements after WBV were not significantly different from those observed in local muscle vibration.
1 month after surgery: TG: traditional rehabilitation program and WBV 5 days/week TRP+12 sessions, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks, of WBV CG: traditional rehabilitation program 5 days/week TRP
Synchronous vibration Freq: optimal vibration frequency—frequency (Hz) with maximal muscle activation Duration: 1 min/repetition; number of repetitions increased during protocol from 3 to 10 Rest: 1 min between repetitions Amplitude: 2 mm Modality: static Position: knee flexion of 60°
1 month
Limb symmetry index in knee extension MVC increased significantly between baseline and postintervention and between baseline and follow-up in both groups equally. Limb symmetry in knee flexor MVC increased significantly between baseline and follow-up in the CG and between baseline and postintervention, between baseline and follow-up, and between postintervention and follow-up in the TG. LSI of knee flexion in the TG was significantly higher than CG at postintervention and follow-up. During balance trials with eyes open, significant changes were observed over time in both groups, but at follow-up, the TG performed significantly better. During balance trials with eyes closed, there were no significant changes over time, but at follow-up, the TG performed significantly better. Improvements in the Lysholm score were greater in TG than in the CG at postintervention and follow-up.
50.6 (95% CI: 41.3-59.9) months after surgery TG: WBV, 1 session TG2: local muscle vibration, 1 session CG: no intervention
Synchronous vibration Freq: 30 Hz Duration: 1 min/repetition 6 repetitions Rest: 2 min between repetitions Amplitude: not stated Acceleration: 2 g Modality: static Position: knee flexion 60°
None
WBV, but not the other conditions, significantly increased the early rate of torque development (0-100 ms) during a maximal isometric knee extension. Late rate of torque development and electromechanical delay has not changed significantly. No differences between conditions were observed after intervention.
38 female subjects (39 initially, 1 dropped during intervention in the TG) TG: 19 subjects (;;;) CG: 19 subjects (;;;)
Patellar tendon
13 weeks after surgery: TG: 2 static exercises with WBV in addition to the rehabilitation protocol 3 sessions/week for 8 weeks. CG: 2 static exercises without WBV in addition to the rehabilitation protocol 3 sessions/week for 8 weeks.
Synchronous vibration Freq: 26 Hz Duration: 1 min/repetition, 6 repetitions/exercise Rest: 1 min between repetitions, 2 min between sets Amplitude: 4 mm Modality: static Position: knee flexion of 25°
None
All strength parameters (peak torque and maximum power) in knee extensors and knee flexors improved significantly in both groups. TG had a significantly higher improvement than the CG.
after surgery TG: WBV, 1 session CG: no intervention
Synchronous vibration Freq: 30 Hz Duration: 1 min/repetition 6 repetitions Rest: 2 min between repetitions Amplitude: not stated Acceleration: 2 g Modality: static Position: knee flexion 60°
None
WBV vibration significantly increased knee flexion excursion in the injured limb but not loading rate, peak knee flexion angle, peak knee flexion moment, and peak vertical ground reaction force. Subjects with more baseline impairment had larger changes in knee flexion excursion.
44 male subjects (48 initially, 4 dropped out during evaluation due to fatigue and/or discomfort, before intervention) TG: 22 subjects (;;) CG: 22 subjects (;;)
Synchronous vibration Freq: 50 Hz Duration: 10 sets of 30 secs Rest: 30 secs between sets Amplitude: 4 mm Modality: static Position: knee flexion of 40°
None
No significant improvements in any of the outcome variables (peak torque, total work, electromyographic activity, and oscillation of the centre of pressure) and no significant differences between groups were observed.
RCT: randomized controlled trial; COP: centre of pressure; Freq: frequency; CG: control group; LSI: limb symmetry index; MVC: maximal voluntary contraction; TG: training group; ROM: range of motion; TRP: traditional rehabilitation program; WBV: whole-body vibration.
