Immediate effects of plantar vibration stimuli during static upright posture following total hip arthroplasty in females

Abstract

Purpose

Proprioceptive function of the lower limbs deteriorates in patients following total hip arthroplasty. Patients show poor balance and rely more on visual information than proprioceptive information. Plantar vibration stimuli can mechanically enhance somatosensory input from the plantar cutaneous mechanoreceptors, thereby improving static balance. Plantar vibration stimuli may improve static balance in patients after total hip arthroplasty. This is the first study to investigate whether plantar vibration stimuli affects static balance during the early phase following total hip arthroplasty.

Materials and methods

In this cross-over design study, 16 female patients (aged 65.1 ± 11.0 years) received plantar vibration stimuli for 2 minutes or the sham interventions after total hip arthroplasty in a randomized order on different days. The foot centre of pressure was measured for the total path length, mediolateral path length, and anteroposterior path length directions before and immediately after the interventions in the static standing position both with eyes open and closed. Patients were instructed to minimize body sway when standing.

Results

A significant increase was observed in the centre of pressure parameters in the eyes closed condition than in the eyes open condition. The centre of pressure parameters for the eyes closed condition was significantly decreased after vibration interventions than that before intervention.

Conclusions

This study supports the view that plantar vibration stimuli can change static balance in patients in the early phase after total hip arthroplasty temporarily by up-weighting sensory information. These stimuli may serve as a treatment option for influencing balance following total hip arthroplasty.

Keywords:

• Vibration stimuli
• total hip arthroplasty
• static balance
• plantar cutaneous
• plantar soles
• centre of pressure

Acknowledgements

The authors are particularly grateful to the Nara Medical University, Hanna Central Hospital, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Waseda University and all of the co-workers who contributed to this study. The plantar vibration stimuli platform was provided free of cost by Takatori (Nara, Japan). However, Takatori did not play any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).