Rehabilitation Program Combined with Local Vibroacoustics Improves Psychophysiological Conditions in Patients with ACL Reconstruction

• Main Authors: Jung-Min Park, Sihwa Park, Yong-Seok Jee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: Medicina
• Subjects: vibration; pain; symptoms; peak torque; parasympathetic activation; range of motion
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/10/659

<i>Background and objective</i>: This study investigated the therapeutic effect of applying local body vibration (LBV) with built-in vibroacoustic sound on patients who had an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: Twenty-four participants were randomly classified into a LBV group (LBVG; n = 11) or a non-LBV group (nLBVG; n = 13). Both groups received the same program; however, the LBVG received LBV. Psychological measures included pain, anxiety, and symptoms; physiological measures included systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), sympathetic activation (SA), parasympathetic activation (PSA), range of motion (ROM), and isokinetic muscle strength at Weeks 0, 4, and 8. <i>Results</i>: Among the psychophysiological variables, pain, anxiety, symptoms, SBP, BR, and SA were significantly reduced in both groups, whereas HR, PSA, isokinetic peak torque (PT) of the knee joint, and ROM were significantly improved only in the LBVG. Comparing both groups, a significant difference appeared in pain, symptom, SA, PSA, isokinetic PT, and ROM at Weeks 4 and 8. <i>Conclusions</i>: The results indicate that the LBV intervention mitigated the participants&#8217; pain and symptoms and improved their leg strength and ROM, thus highlighting its effectiveness.