Does whole-body vibration improve risk of falls, balance, and heart rate variability in post-COVID-19 patients? A randomized clinical trial

Author: Natalia Tarcila Santos Amorim1, Frederico Castelo Branco Cavalcanti2, Elaine Cristina Santa Cruz de Moura1, Dário Sobral Filho3, Clézio Cordeiro de Sá Leitão4, Marcella Markman de Almeida5, Patrícia Érika de Melo Marinho6
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Post-Graduation Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. <sup>2</sup> Real Portuguese Hospital of Beneficence of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. <sup>3</sup> Coronary Care Unit of Pernambuco Cardiac Emergency Hospital, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. <sup>4</sup> Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. <sup>5</sup> Clinical Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. <sup>6</sup> Post-Graduation Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. Electronic address: patricia.marinho@ufpe.br.
Conference/Journal: J Bodyw Mov Ther
Date published: 2024 Jul 1
Other: Volume ID: 39 , Pages: 518-524 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.03.013. , Word Count: 146

Introduction:
Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) can be a therapeutic recovery strategy for patients hospitalized for COVID-19.

Objectives:
To evaluate the effects of a 36-session WBV protocol on the risk of falls, balance, mobility and heart rate variability (HRV).

Study design:
A randomized clinical trial.

Methods:
13 patients affected by COVID-19, trained with WBV, 3×/week on alternate days, totaling 36 sessions, were evaluated before and after the intervention.

Results:
WBV training at 2 mm and 4 mm amplitude resulted in a reduction in the risk of falls when compared to Sham (p = 0.023), with effect size of 0.530. No changes were observed for mobility and balance outcomes (p = 0.127) or for any of the HRV variables (p = 0.386).

Conclusion:
WBV training reduced the risk of falls in post-COVID patients. No changes were observed regarding balance and mobility, nor for HRV.

Keywords: Autonomic nervous system diseases; Complementary therapeutic methods; Exercise; Lung diseases; SARS-CoV-2.

PMID: 38876678 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.03.013