Effects of whole-body vibration on spasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Spasticity is one of the most common secondary complications of spinal cord injury (SCI). Whole-body vibration (WBV) has emerged as a potential non-pharmacological intervention for managing spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. This review aims to evaluate the effects of WBV on spasticity in individuals with SCI. METHODS: PUBMED, SCOPUS, PEDro, CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2026. Experimental studies investigating the effects of WBV in individuals with SCI that included spasticity-related outcome measures were included. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the studies included ranged from 3 to 8, with a median score of 7. The certainty of evidence on the GRADE approach ranged from very low to low across the evaluated outcomes. The findings demonstrated that WBV may reduce spasticity after SCI compared with control interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The initial findings suggest that WBV may be a promising complementary rehabilitation strategy to reduce spasticity following SCI. Nevertheless, the available evidence is limited and should be interpreted with caution due to the small number of participants and the limited number of included studies. Further high-quality studies using standardized WBV protocols, comprehensive outcome measures, and longer follow-up are required to establish clinical effectiveness, optimal treatment parameters, and patient populations most likely to benefit from WBV.