Effects of whole-body vibration on neuropathic pain and the relationship between pain and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury


Author: Marlon L Wong1,2, Eva Widerstrom-Noga3,4,5, Edelle C Field-Fote6,7,8

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. mwong2@miami.edu.

<sup>2</sup> Department of Physical Therapy, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. mwong2@miami.edu.

<sup>3</sup> Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.

<sup>4</sup> Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.

<sup>5</sup> Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.

<sup>6</sup> Shepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA.

<sup>7</sup> Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy, Atlanta, GA, USA.

<sup>8</sup> Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Conference/Journal: Spinal Cord
Date published: 2022 Apr 25
Other:
  Special Notes: doi: 10.1038/s41393-022-00806-w.   ,  Word Count: 255  
    Objective:

Whole-body vibration (WBV) appears to modulate reflex hyperexcitability and spasticity. Due to common underlying neural mechanisms between spasticity and neuropathic pain, WBV may also reduce chronic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Our objective was to determine whether there are dose-related changes in pain following WBV and to examine the relationships between neuropathic pain and reflex excitability.



Study design:

Secondary analysis of a sub-population (participants with neuropathic pain, n = 16) from a larger trial comparing the effects of two different doses of WBV on spasticity in persons with SCI.



Setting:

Hospital/Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, GA, USA.



Methods:

Participants were randomized to 8-bout or 16-bout WBV groups. Both groups received ten sessions of sham intervention, followed by ten sessions of WBV. Primary measures included the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) for pain symptom severity and H-reflex paired-pulse depression (PPD) for reflex excitability.



Results:

Mean change in NPSI scores were not significantly different between the groups (7 ± 6; p = 0.29; ES = 0.57); however, 8-bouts of WBV were consistently beneficial for participants with high neuropathic pain symptom severity (NPSI total score >30), while 16-bouts of WBV appeared to increase pain in some individuals with high NPSI scores. A baseline NPSI cut score of 30 predicted PPD response (sensitivity = 1.0, specificity = 0.83), with higher NPSI scores associated with decreased PPD in response to WBV.



Conclusions:

WBV in moderate doses appears to decrease neuropathic pain symptoms and improve reflex modulation. However, at higher doses neuropathic pain symptoms may be aggravated. Lower baseline NPSI scores were associated with improved reflex modulation.





PMID: 35468994 DOI: 10.1038/s41393-022-00806-w