Side alternating vibration training in patients with mitochondrial disease: a pilot study.
Christopher Newell, Barbara Ramage, Ion Robu and 2 others
PMID 29340204WHAT IT FOUND
In seven patients with mitochondrial myopathy, 12 weeks of side alternating vibration training raised peak jumping power by 2.8 W/kg, while standing control fell 2.7 W/kg.
It was safe, but this pilot is too small to prove benefit.
Key findings
01Peak jumping power increased by 2.8 ± 0.6 W/kg after SAVT and decreased by 2.7 ± 1.7 W/kg after control, and the difference was statistically significant.
02No adverse events occurred during SAVT or jumping, patients often reported exercise-like soreness lasting a day or two, and no subject missed vibration sessions because of adverse effects.
03Creatine kinase and blood lactate did not differ significantly between control and SAVT phases.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only 7 of 13 recruited patients were analysed because the study required at least 80% session completion. The analysed group was small, ranged from 3 to 80 years, and included different mitochondrial diagnoses, so results may not apply to all patients. No sham vibration control was used because even 5 Hz produced muscle responses, so the comparison was vibration versus no vibration. Only peak jumping power was measured as the functional outcome; balance, muscle strength, endurance, ADLs, and direct mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation were not assessed. Patients had to be able to stand and jump, so findings do not apply to more severely impaired patients who cannot jump. The natural history group was a separate clinic cohort, and peak jumping power was measured 10 to 14 months apart. Compliance was affected by weather, transportation, and trial length.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the significant peak jumping power change as proof that SAVT improves walking, ADLs, or mitochondrial disease. It was a small pilot with 7 analysed patients, a single outcome, and no sham vibration control.