Effects of lower limb exercise training with whole body vibration on femoral articular cartilage in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease leading to typical degradation of articular cartilage. Vibrations produced in oscillating/vibratory platform generate whole body vibration (WBV) exercises, which are important in sports, as well as in physiotherapy treatment. WBV exercise is a mechanically and biologically potential stimulus and a feasible, curative strength-exercise technique. Validity and reproducibility of ultrasonography (US) in detecting joint structural pathology in OA was reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lower-limb exercise training with WBV on femoral articular cartilage thickness in patients with knee OA by using US.