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Effect of vibration on postural control and gait of elderly subjects: a systematic review

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Abstract

Background and aim

Gait and balance disorders are common in the elderly populations, and their prevalence increases with age. This systematic review was performed to summarize the current evidence for subthreshold vibration interventions on postural control and gait in elderly.

Method

A review of intervention studies including the following words in the title/abstract: insole, foot and ankle appliances, vibration, noise and elderly related to balance and gait. Databases searched included PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Ovid, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Fifteen articles were selected for final evaluation. The procedure was followed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis method.

Results

There was reduction in center of pressure velocity and displacement especially with eyes closed using vibration in healthy elderly subjects and this effect was greater in elderly faller and patients with more balance deficiency. Vibration programme training increased speed of walking, cadence, step time and length in stroke subjects. The vibratory insoles significantly improved performance on the Timed Up and Go and Functional Reach tests in older people.

Conclusion

Vibration was effective on balance improvement in elderly subject especially elderly with more balance deficiency and it can improve gait parameters in patients with greater baseline variability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Kodakyarst., Daneshjo Blvd., Evin, Tehran, 1985713834, Iran

    Atefeh Aboutorabi, Mokhtar Arazpour & Mahmood Bahramizadeh

  2. Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Atefeh Aboutorabi, Mahmood Bahramizadeh & Reza Fadayevatan

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Farzam Farahmand

Authors
  1. Atefeh Aboutorabi
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  2. Mokhtar Arazpour
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  3. Mahmood Bahramizadeh
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  4. Farzam Farahmand
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  5. Reza Fadayevatan
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Correspondence to Mokhtar Arazpour.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. For this type of study formal consent is not required.

Funding

We thank the University of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences for financial support of this research.

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Aboutorabi, A., Arazpour, M., Bahramizadeh, M. et al. Effect of vibration on postural control and gait of elderly subjects: a systematic review. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 713–726 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0831-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0831-7

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