Parkinson’s Disease

Clinical Study

Random Whole Body Vibration over 5 Weeks Leads to Effects Similar to Placebo: A Controlled Study in Parkinson’s Disease

Table 2

Statistical differences between pretest and posttest (FRT = Functional Reach Test, CoP = Center of Pressure, TUG = Timed up and go test, and UPDRS = Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale).


		Experimental group				Placebo group				Interaction “timegroup”
		Pretest		Posttest		Pretest		Posttest
		Mean (SD)	95% CI	Mean (SD)	95% CI	Mean (SD)	95% CI	Mean (SD)	95% CI

FRT	Reach distance (m)	0.89 (7.4)	0.83–0.95	0.92 (8.4)	0.85–0.99	0.91 (3.9)	0.88–0.94	0.89 (3.9)	0.86–0.93	P = 0.004
	CoP (%) standing still	55.1 (5.8)	50.3–60.0	55.8 (4.1)	52.4–59.2	58.5 (8.8)	51.7–65.3	57.5 (9.2)	50.5–64.6	P = 0.538
	CoP (%) reaching forward	103.9 (7.3)	97.7–110.0	106.6 (4.1)	103.1–110.0	107.8 (5.5)	103.5–112.1	107.8 (6.3)	103.0–112.7	P = 0.360

Step-walk-turn task	Resulting ground reaction force (N/kg) in stepping down	17.2 (3.2)	14.6–19.9	19.2 (7.1)	13.3–25.0	19.3 (6.1)	14.6–24.0	21.3 (6.2)	16.6–26.1	P = 0.976
	Resulting velocity of the trunk in stepping down (m/s)	1.23 (0.12)	1.13–1.32	1.29 (0.15)	1.16–1.42	1.40 (0.23)	1.23–1.58	1.41 (0.19)	1.26–1.55	P = 0.418
	Steps for turning	4.8 (0.7)	4.2–5.3	4.0 (0.9)	3.2–4.7	4.4 (1.8)	3.1–5.8	4.2 (1.4)	3.1–5.3	P = 0.201
	Time to accomplish the task (s)	8.85 (1.22)	7.83–9.87	7.45 (1.51)	6.19–8.71	8.03 (1.75)	6.69–9.38	7.29 (1.67)	6.00–8.58	P = 0.209

Gait	Velocity (m/s)	1.05 (0.10)	0.97–1.13	1.17 (0.14)	1.05–1.29	1.11 (0.14)	1.00–1.22	1.20 (0.13)	1.10–1.31	P = 0.416
	Step length (m)	0.58 (0.06)	0.53–0.63	0.61 (0.09)	0.53–0.69	0.58 (0.05)	0.55–0.62	0.60 (0.04)	0.57–0.63	P = 0.501
	Cadence (steps/min)	110 (11.3)	100–119	118 (15.9)	104–131	114 (11.8)	105–123	121 (11.3)	111–129	P = 0.679
	Double support (s)	0.29 (0.05)	0.24–0.33	0.25 (0.05)	0.21–0.29	0.28 (0.05)	0.24–0.32	0.24 (0.05)	0.20–0.28	P = 0.855
	Single support (s)	0.42 (0.04)	0.38–0.45	0.40 (0.05)	0.36–0.44	0.40 (0.04)	0.37–0.43	0.38 (0.03)	0.36–0.41	P = 0.581

TUG	Time (s)	11.0 (2.5)	8.9–13.1	9.0 (2.2)	7.2–10.8	10.1 (1.6)	8.9–11.4	9.7 (1.3)	8.7–10.7	P = 0.041

One leg stance	Time (s)	18.9 (14.4)	6.9–30.9	31.5 (17.1)	17.2–45.8	29.4 (18.0)	15.6–43.3	40.8 (19.6)	25.8–55.8	P = 0.822

UPDRS Motor Score	Score	29 (14)	17–41	27 (13)	17–38	19 (7)	14–24	18 (6)	13–22	P = 0.708

Subitems
Postural stability	Score	1.4 (0.5)	0.9–1.8	1.1 (0.4)	0.6–1.5	0.9 (0.6)	0.5–1.3	0.7 (0.7)	0.2–1.1	P = 0.725
Rigidity	Score	5.1 (4.1)	2.8–7.5	5.8 (4.4)	3.3–8.2	3.3 (1.9)	1.1–5.5	2.8 (1.6)	0.5–5.1	P = 0.024
Tremor	Score	2.1 (3.8)	0.5–4.3	1.4 (2.3)	0.0–2.7	1.3 (1.7)	0.7–3.3	1.0 (1.3)	0.3–2.3	P = 0.596
Bradykinesia	Score	1.8 (0.9)	1.0–2.5	1.8 (0.9)	1.0–2.5	1.3 (0.5)	1.0–1.7	1.2 (0.7)	0.7–1.7	P = 0.362