Whole Body Vibration Therapy for Children with Disabilities: A Survey of Potential Risks and Benefits.
David Godley, John Csongradi
PMID 38163033WHAT IT FOUND
Whole body vibration machines may pose risks to children with disabilities.
Many studies used intensities exceeding safety limits, and long-term effects are unknown. Clinicians should avoid unsupervised use and prioritize low-intensity protocols with strict safety monitoring.
Key findings
01Many published whole body vibration protocols for children appear to use intensities greater than accepted safety limits, posing potential harm.
02Adverse events are rarely reported or systematically searched for in the literature, and long-term safety data is missing.
03A specific low-intensity protocol (0.3g to 0.4g) was associated with improved bone mineral density in 65 children over one year without adverse events.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not a systematic review or meta-analysis, so the selection of studies may be biased. Many primary studies did not report vibration intensity (g-force), requiring the authors to estimate it from frequency and displacement, which introduces uncertainty. The evidence base for efficacy is weak, and long-term safety data is virtually non-existent. Adverse events were likely underreported in the primary studies. The ISO safety guidelines were developed for healthy adults in workplace environments, so their direct applicability to children with disabilities is uncertain.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The paper notes that financial considerations of WBV therapy are beyond its scope.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume whole body vibration is safe simply because it is used in therapy. Many machines and protocols deliver intensities that exceed established safety limits for adults, let alone children with disabilities, and long-term risks to the brain and eyes are unknown.