TC04
Comparing the Effects of Whole-Body Vibration to Standard Exercise in Ambulatory People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomised Controlled Feasibility Study
Objectives: This study aimed firstly to investigate the feasibility of the study protocol and outcome measures, secondly to obtain data in order to inform the power calculations for a larger randomised controlled trial (RCT), and finally to investigate if whole-body vibration (WBV) is more effective than the same duration and intensity of standard exercises (EXE) in people with Multiple Sclerosis.
Methods: Twenty seven PwMS (age mean (SD) 48.1 (11.2)) with minimal gait impairments were randomly allocated to WBV (n=14) or EXE (n=13). Participants were measured before and after 12 weeks of intervention with isokinetic muscle strength, vibration threshold, Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Mini-BESTest (MBT), 6 Minute Walk test (6MWT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale 29 (MSIS 29), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) and Verbal Analogue scale for sensation (VAS).
Results: WBV intervention was found feasible with low drop-out rate (11.1%) and high compliance (90%). Data suggest that a sample of 52 in each group would be sufficient to detect a moderate effect size, with 80% power and 5% significance for 6 minute walk test. Large effect sizes in favour of standard exercise were found for vibration threshold at 5thmetatarsophalangeal joint and heel (p=0.014, r= 0.5 and p=0.005, r=0.56 respectively). Although improvements were found within groups post interventions for muscle strength, balance or gait, no between group differences were found for those outcome measures (p>0.05).
Conclusions: Our data suggest that the protocol is feasible, there were no adverse effects. Future studies should be powered to detect a change in walking endurance. Although WBV is not more effective than exercise it may offer similar improvements to exercise.