Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Therapy on Physical Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

OBJECTIVE: Although whole-body vibration (WBV) is often employed alongside traditional physical therapies to treat cerebral palsy, its effects on motor function remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of WBV either alone or in combination with other therapies in children with cerebral palsy, compared with control groups that underwent traditional physical therapy or remained untreated. METHODS: We analyzed randomized controlled trials published up to September 2024 that assessed motor function in WBV and control groups, including those receiving conventional physical therapy or no intervention. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. The random-effects model was used to analyze the outcomes of these trials. RESULTS: Our search yielded 23 studies involving 729 participants. Compared with the control group, the WBV group exhibited significantly greater improvements in walking speed (pooled mean difference: 14.26 cm/s [95% CI = 6.45 to 22.08 cm/s]), Timed "Up & Go" test (TUG) results (pooled mean difference = -2.52 seconds [95% CI = -3.66 to -1.37 seconds]), Gross Motor Function Measure scores (total score: pooled mean difference = 0.69 [95% CI = 0.30 to 1.08]; dimension D: pooled mean difference = 3.41 [95% CI = 0.53 to 6.29]; dimension E: pooled mean difference = 3.28 [95% CI = 1.36 to 5.20]), and overall stability index values (standardized mean difference = -1.20 [95% CI = -2.28 to -0.11]). The Modified Ashworth Scale results varied between the muscle groups, and no intolerable adverse effects of WBV were reported. CONCLUSION: WBV improves postural control and motor performance in children with cerebral palsy by enhancing walking speed, TUG performance, and gross motor function without causing intolerable adverse effects. However, the certainty of the current evidence on the topic is very low or low. Additional well-structured trials are required to determine the optimal intensity of WBV treatment. IMPACT: Given its therapeutic benefits and safety, WBV may be considered as an adjunctive therapy for managing cerebral palsy, particularly for children with spastic cerebral palsy.