Effect of Whole Body Horizontal Vibration Exercise in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients: Vertical Versus Horizontal Vibration Exercise

To elucidate the effect of a 12-week horizontal vibration exercise (HVE) in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients as compared to vertical vibration exercise (VVE). Twenty-eight CLBP patients were randomly assigned to either the HVE or VVE group. All participants performed the exercise for 30 minutes each day, three times a week, for a total of 12 weeks. Altered pain and functional ability were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), respectively. Changes in lumbar muscle strength, transverse abdominis (TrA) and multifidus muscle thicknesses, and standing balance were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer, ultrasonography, and balance parameters, respectively. These assessments were evaluated prior to treatment, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the first treatment, and 4 weeks after the end of treatment (that is, 16 weeks after the first treatment). According to the repeated-measures analysis of variance, there were significant improvements with time on VAS, ODI, standing balance score, lumbar flexor, and extensor muscle strength (all p