Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35468994›Full record

Trial reportSpinal cord2022

Effects of whole-body vibration on neuropathic pain and the relationship between pain and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury.

Marlon L Wong, Eva Widerstrom-Noga, Edelle C Field-Fote

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Spinal cord, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Exploring the Impact of Muscle Vibration Therapy in Neurologic Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Marlon L WongMiami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. mwong2@miami.edu.ORCID 0000-0001-8730-2092
Eva Widerstrom-NogaMiami Project to Cure Paralysis, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
Edelle C Field-FoteShepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA.
University of Miami · USGeorgia Institute of Technology · US

Funding

Dose-Response Effects of Whole Body Vibration on Spasticity and Walking in SCIR01HD079009 · NICHD · SHEPHERD CENTER · PI FIELD-FOTE, EDELLE C. · 2014 to 2019
$1.6M
NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD079009
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWhole-body vibration (WBV) appears to modulate reflex hyperexcitability and spasticity. Due to common underlying neural mechanisms between spasticity and neuropathic pain, WBV may also reduce chronic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). Our objective was to determine whether there are dose-related changes in pain following WBV and to examine the relationships between neuropathic pain and reflex excitability. STUDY

designSecondary analysis of a sub-population (participants with neuropathic pain, n = 16) from a larger trial comparing the effects of two different doses of WBV on spasticity in persons with SCI.

settingHospital/Rehabilitation Center in Atlanta, GA, USA.

methodsParticipants were randomized to 8-bout or 16-bout WBV groups. Both groups received ten sessions of sham intervention, followed by ten sessions of WBV. Primary measures included the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) for pain symptom severity and H-reflex paired-pulse depression (PPD) for reflex excitability.

resultsMean change in NPSI scores were not significantly different between the groups (7 ± 6; p = 0.29; ES = 0.57); however, 8-bouts of WBV were consistently beneficial for participants with high neuropathic pain symptom severity (NPSI total score >30), while 16-bouts of WBV appeared to increase pain in some individuals with high NPSI scores. A baseline NPSI cut score of 30 predicted PPD response (sensitivity = 1.0, specificity = 0.83), with higher NPSI scores associated with decreased PPD in response to WBV.

conclusionsWBV in moderate doses appears to decrease neuropathic pain symptoms and improve reflex modulation. However, at higher doses neuropathic pain symptoms may be aggravated. Lower baseline NPSI scores were associated with improved reflex modulation.

Indexed as

NeuralgiaSpinal Cord InjuriesHumansMuscle SpasticityPain MeasurementVibration

Identifiers

PMID35468994
OpenAlexW4224942846

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.