The effect of whole body vibration on fracture healing - a systematic review

Eur Cell Mater. 2017 Sep 7:34:108-127. doi: 10.22203/eCM.v034a08.

Abstract

This systematic review examines the efficacy and safety of whole body vibration (WBV) on fracture healing. A systematic literature search was conducted with relevant keywords in PubMed and Embase, independently, by two reviewers. Original animal and clinical studies about WBV effects on fracture healing with available full-text and written in English were included. Information was extracted from the included studies for review. In total, 19 articles about pre-clinical studies were selected. Various vibration regimes are reported; of those, the frequencies of 35 Hz and 50 Hz show better results than others. Most of the studies show positive effects on fracture healing after vibration treatment and the responses to vibration are better in ovariectomised (OVX) animals than non-OVX ones. However, several studies provide insufficient evidence to support an improvement of fracture healing after vibration and one study even reports disruption of fracture healing after vibration. In three studies, vibration results in positive effects on angiogenesis at the fracture site and surrounding muscles during fracture healing. No serious complications or side effects of vibration are found in these studies. WBV is suggested to be beneficial in improving fracture healing in animals without safety problem reported. In order to apply vibration on fractured patients, more well-designed randomised controlled clinical trials are needed to examine its efficacy, regimes and safety.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomechanical Phenomena / drug effects
  • Estrogens / pharmacology
  • Fracture Healing* / drug effects
  • Fracture Healing* / genetics
  • Fracture Healing* / radiation effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / genetics
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vibration* / adverse effects

Substances

  • Estrogens