Individuals who sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) experience sublesional osteoporosis (SLOP) which affects the bones of the lower extremities. As a result, these bones become fragile and susceptible to fractures. To tackle SLOP pharmacological and rehabilitation interventions have been proposed; however few have produced a significant and sustainable increase in bone mineral density (BMD). This study investigated whole-body vibration (WBV) as an alternative to tackling SLOP in SCI. Two commercially available vibration platforms, WAVE® and Juvent™, were tested for feasibility and efficacy in the SCI population. The effects of knee angle, frequency and amplitude of vibration in propagation characteristics were also assessed. The results demonstrated that variations in frequency generate the most noticeable changes in propagation characteristics, followed by variations in knee angle and amplitude. The recommended vibration parameters which could potentially have the greatest osteogenic effect on the bones of the lower extremity are 160o, 45 Hz, and 0.6 mm on the WAVE® platform.

Individuals who sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) experience sublesional osteoporosis (SLOP) which affects the bones of the lower extremities. As a result, these bones become fragile and susceptible to fractures. To tackle SLOP pharmacological and rehabilitation interventions have been proposed; however few have produced a significant and sustainable increase in bone mineral density (BMD). This study investigated whole-body vibration (WBV) as an alternative to tackling SLOP in SCI. Two commercially available vibration platforms, WAVE® and Juvent™, were tested for feasibility and efficacy in the SCI population. The effects of knee angle, frequency and amplitude of vibration in propagation characteristics were also assessed. The results demonstrated that variations in frequency generate the most noticeable changes in propagation characteristics, followed by variations in knee angle and amplitude. The recommended vibration parameters which could potentially have the greatest osteogenic effect on the bones of the lower extremity are 160o, 45 Hz, and 0.6 mm on the WAVE® platform.