Vibration Therapy - research

Effects of vibratory stimulation on muscular pain threshold and blink response in human subjects, Pantaleo et al – Journal of Pain 1986

This paper investigated the effects of vibratory stimulation and muscular pain threshold in 28 healthy subjects. Pain was induced using electrical stimulation and the blink response was measured as a response to the electrical stimulation. High frequency vibration at 110Hz was administered to the patient.

The results of this study show that high frequency vibratory stimulation is able to elevate the muscular pain threshold. The paper discusses the mechanisms by which this occurs. It suggests a hypothesis that volleys in myelinated afferent fibres inhibit the transmission of nociceptive messages at segmental levels in agreement with the gait control theory.