Vibration Therapy - research

Effect of vibratory stimulation on experimental and clinical pain, Lundeberg et al - Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitative Medicine, 1988

This paper by Lundeberg looked at the effect of vibratory stimulation on experimental pain. The study was carried out on 16 healthy subjects and 18 patients suffering with chronic plantar fasciitis. Experimental pain threshold was determined on the skin overlying the extensor muscle by means of electrical stimulation. Pain was measured using visual analogue scores and the peripheral blood flow was also measured using a laser Doppler and pulse plethysmograph.

The results of the study show that there was a significant difference in pain threshold before vibratory stimulation between the painful and the non-painful arms of the patients suffering with chronic plantar fasciitis. During vibratory stimulation the pain threshold increased significantly in the patients on the affected arm. The study also showed that there was an increase in peripheral blood flow during stimulation using vibratory stimulation.