Boucher et al. (2013)20 | Study | 20 Patients, 21 Healthy; Single session, 15 Hz, 10 mm peak-to-peak displacement, 5 × 60 sec WBV, 60 s rest, Standing position; Pre- and posttest | EMG erector spinae L2-L2, L4-L5, lumbopelvic kinematic variables | Increased lumbar EMG activity in flexion and extension phases, no change in standing and fully flexed phases, kinematic data decreased contribution to the movement of lumbar region in second extension quartile. No differences between patients and healthy |
Chen (2016)21 | RCT | 46 patients (23 WBV + exercise, 23 exercise); 8 weeks, 3 sessions/week | Body perception (position perception); Static balance (eyes open/closed); Isometric muscle strength; VAS | Significant differences between groups in posttest for body perception, maximum torque, relative peak torque, static balance to advantage for WBV. For all variables greater improvement for WBV, but not significant |
Del Pozo Cruz et al. (2011)22 | RCT | 50 Patients (25 WBV, 25 control/no WBV); 12 weeks, 24 sessions, 20 Hz, Each 4 weeks: 6 × 60 s, 3 × 120 s, 2 × 180 s, 2 × 240 s, 1 × 360 s, 30 s rest, Standing position; Pre- and posttest | PSI, ODI, RMI, EuroQol 5D-3L, Sens test, VAS, PILE | Significant improvements in all variables between 8.57 % and 25.15 % |
Dong et al. (2020)23 | RCT | 21 patients; 4 exercises with WBV/without WBV, 5/10/15 Hz, control (no WBV), 4 × 10 s/exercise, 30 s rest, 5 min rest between different exercises; Pre- and posttest | EMG abdominal oblique externus, rectus abdominis, multifidus, erector spinae | Significant increased muscle activity for frequency and exercise in all investigated muscles. Interaction effect frequency*exercise only for multifidus |
Dong et al. (2019)11 | Review + meta-analysis | Search: online databases, Published January 1980 – September 2018, Only RCT’s in English or Chinese, Musculoskeletal pain in different disorders | Methodological quality: PEDro; Meta-analysis: SMD ± 95 % CI | 16 RCT’s, of which only 5 treat LBP: Chen (2016)21: PEDro = 5, SMD = −.56; Del Pozo-Cruz et al. (2011)22: PEDro = 6, SMD = −.60; Iwamoto et al. (2005)24: PEDro = 3, SMD = −.43; Rittweger et al. (2002)29: PEDro = 3, SMD = .00; Yang et al. (2015)35: PEDro = 4, SMD = −.68; Overall SMD = −.44 for pain reduction |
Iwamoto et al. (2005)24 | RCT | 50 patients (25 medication, 25 medication + WBV); 20 Hz, 12 months, 1 session/week, 4 min/session; Pre-, between- and posttest | Self-reported pain scale | Greater reduction in pain in WBV group |
Kaeding et al. (2017)25 | RCT | 41 patients (21 WBV, 20 control); 3 months, 2.5 sessions/week, 10–30 Hz, amplitude 1.5–3.5 mm, Standing position, 5 × 60–120 s; Pre- and posttest | RMI, ODI, WAI, SF-36, FAQ, Isokinetic test trunk muscles | Significant changes for all variables excepting Work Ability Index |
Kim et al. (2018)26 | RCT | 28 patients (14 horizontal WBV, 14 vertical WBV); 12 weeks, 3 sessions/week, 30 min/session, 2 × 10 min, 3–5 Hz, 1–48 mm amplitude horizontal, 28–34 Hz, 2.5–5 mm amplitude vertical, standing position; Pre-, between and posttest, 4-week follow-up | VAS, ODI, Lumbar muscle strength and transverse abdominis and multifidus thickness, Standing balance (isokinetic dynamometer, ultrasonography, balance parameters) | Significant changes in both groups for all variables excepting muscle thickness of transverse abdominis and multifidus. No significant group differences |
Maddalozzo et al. (2016)27 | RCT | 125 patients (70 WBV, 55 control); 20–50 Hz, .6–1.2 mm amplitude; Pre- and posttest | NRS, ODI; | Significant improvements in both groups. No significant group differences |
Micke et al. (2021)28 | RCT | 240 patients (80 WBV, 80 WBV-EMS, 80 conventional training); 12 weeks, WBV: 2 × /week, 5 exercises/session, 2 sets/exercise, 60 s/exercise, 30 s rest, 5–10 Hz, WBV-EMS: 1 session/week, 6 exercises/session, 3 sets/exercise, 3 repetitions/set, bipolar 85 Hz, 350µs, 6 s stimulation, 4 s rest, Conventional: 1 ×/week, 30 min/session 10 exercises, 2 sets, 50 s exercise, 25 s rest; Pre- and posttest | Mean back pain intensity (diary), Trunk extension and flexion strength (Back Check) | Significant improvement in pain and muscle strength in all groups. No interaction effects |
Perraton et al. (2009)9 | Review | Search: online-databases, no restrictions in year, language, design, Suitability: PICO | Methodological quality: PEDro | 3 RCT’s of which only 2 treat LBP: Iwamoto et al. (2005),24 PEDro 6; Rittweger (2002)29: PEDro 3 |
Rittweger et al. (2002)29 | RCT | 60 patients (30 WBV, 30 control); 12 weeks, WBV: 18 Hz, 6 mm amplitude, semi squat movements, 4–7 min/session, 2 sessions/week (week 1–6), 1 ×/week (week 7–12), Control: isodynamic lumbar extension; Pre- and posttest, 6-month follow-up | Lumbar extension torque, VAS, PDI | Significant improvements in both groups. No correlation between gain in lumbar torque and pain relief/pain-related disability |
Ruan et al. (2008)30 | Study | 94 patients (51 WBV, 43 control); 6 months, 5 sessions/week, 10 min/session, 30 Hz, 5 mm amplitude, Standing position; Pre- and posttest | VAS | Significant improvement in VAS after 3 months of WBV and in posttest. Group differences are not investigated |
Sajadi et al. (2019)31 | RCT crossover | 24 patients (group 1 50 Hz/30 Hz, group 2 30 Hz/50 Hz); Semi-squat position, 2 sessions, 5 min/session, 2 weeks rest between sessions; Pre- and posttest | Lumbar repositioning error at 30 % and 60 % of lumbar full flexion and neutral position (electrogoniometer) | Improvements in both conditions, effect in 30 Hz-treatment significantly higher |
Shargh et al. (2020)32 | RCT | 50 patients (25 WBV, 25 control, placebo); Single session, 20 Hz, 3–17 g acceleration, 6 × 60 s; Pre- and posttest | Trunk repositioning error at 30 %, 60 % of lumbar full flexion and neutral position (Dual Digital inclinometer) | Significant differences from pre- to posttest for WBV and for interaction group*time, significant difference between groups in posttest |
Wang et al. (2019)33 | RCT | 89 patients (45 WBV, 44 control); 12 weeks, 3 sessions/week, 15 min exercises with WBV; control: general exercises; Pre- and posttest | VAS, ODI, Lumbar joint position sense, SF-36, GPE | Significant improvements in experimental group in all variables compared to control group |
Wang et al. (2020)10 | Review | Search: online databases up to December 2019, Inclusion: RCT’s effect of WBV on pain intensity and/or functional ability | Methodological quality: PEDro | 7 RCT’s that treat LBP: Del Pozo-Cruz et al. (2011),22 PEDro 7; Kaeding et al. (2017),25 PEDro 6; Rittweger et al. (2002),29 PEDro 4; Ruan et al. (2008),30 PEDro 4; Wegener et al. (2019),34 PEDro 4; Wang et al. (2019),33 PEDro 8; Yang, & Seo (2015),35 PEDro 5 |
Wegener et al. (2019)34 | RCT | 44 patients (22 control exercises, 22 WBV); 18 weeks, 2 sessions/week, 5 exercises/session, 1/1.5/2 min/exercise, WBV: 5–12 Hz/12–20 Hz/20 Hz; Pre- and posttest | MFT-S3 Check (STI, SMI, SI), SF-36, NASS lumbar, ODI, HADS (depression) | Significant improvements in control group in STI and SMI. Significant group difference only in NASS (neurol. Symptoms) |
Yang, & Seo (2015)35 | RCT | 40 patients (20 WBV, 20 control); 6 weeks, 3 sessions/week, WBV: 30 min stability training + 5 min WBV, control: 30 min stability training; Pre- and posttest | Tetrax (static balance); 3D tomography (Spinal curvature), VAS, ODI | Significant improvements in all variables for WBV, significant improvements in pain and disability. Significant group differences in fall index and VAS in posttest |
Zheng et al. (2021)36 | RCT | 40 patients (20 WBV, 20 control); Single session, 6 exercises, 2 sets/exercise, 20 s/set, 15 s rest, WBV: 20 Hz, 2 mm amplitude; Pre- and posttest | sEMG (relative muscle activation time) deltoid, erector spinae, multifidus, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominalis/internal oblique | Significant improvements for WBV in multifidus, transversus abdominalis/internal oblique. Significant group differences in posttest in right transversus abdominalis/internal oblique and left rectus abdominis |
Zheng et al. (2019)37 | Single group | 42 patients (WBV); 12 weeks, 3 sessions/week, 6 exercises/session, 2 sets/exercise, 60 – 90 s/exercise, 30 s rest, 9 Hz, 2 mm amplitude; Pre- and posttest | Con-Trex Multi-Joint System (Joint position sense/lumbar proprioception), VAS | Significant improvements in all variables |