Data collection procedure
traumatic injuries, epilepsy, degenerative disease of the grade II, paresis, aneurysms, dizziness, post-thrombotic syndrome, neurological diseases, myocardial infarctions, hemorrhages, active cancer, hemiplegia, strokes
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE, EPILEPSY, INFLAMMATION, GALLBLADDER STONES, PARESIS, POLAND, RECRUITMENT, ANEURYSMS, MALIGNANT DISEASE, MYOCARDIAL INFARCTIONS, HEMORRHAGES, SENSORY DISTURBANCES, ATHEROSCLEROSIS, DISEASES, VENOUS THROMBOSIS, STROKES
The data collection was started after the approval from Institutional Review Board, Academy of Physical Education in Cracow. The recruitment of patients to participate in the presented studies lasted from 2019 to 2021 (from medical facilities in Nowy Sącz, Poland). Participants were assigned to the random numbers from random number tables to the treatment conditions. The block size was determined by the researcher and was multiple with two treatment groups. Thirty-two patients enrolled in the study were divided into those who underwent therapy (the group that underwent vibrotherapy treatments) and those that were the control group (sham treatments). The study included people with no contraindications to vibrotherapy in accordance with the Instructions for Use of the RAM Vitberg + vibrotherapy apparatus (Vitberg + Rehabilitation Massage Unit; Vitberg, Poland, previous generation of Vitberg Recovery System models); diagnosed with degenerative disease of the grade II according to the Kellgren-Lawrence scale with reference to at least one knee joint, lasting at least 4 years. The following inclusion and exclusion criteria were adopted for the presented studies: age between 40 and 85; no contraindications to vibrotherapy in accordance with the RAM Vitberg + Instructions for Use (aneurysms, venous thrombosis, atherosclerosis, conditions after recent myocardial infarctions and strokes, severe inflammation, epilepsy, diseases with dizziness, intellectual limitations and mental performance, recent traumatic injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles, chronic kidney and gallbladder stones, hemorrhages, active cancer processes, increased body temperature, skin wounds, pregnancy and the postpartum period), no sensory disturbances in the area of ​​examination; no venous thrombosis or post-thrombotic syndrome; lack of neurological diseases, including those resulting in paresis or hemiplegia; no malignant disease. The recruitment to the proposed study was based on medical qualifications, including available medical documentation (medical history, information sheets, outpatient treatment cards, including physiotherapy treatment cards). During the study, participants were asked not to change their eating habits, take the medications administered so far, not to change their current physical (recreational) activities, not to use any physiotherapeutic procedures except those administered during the study. The order of applications and the availability of patients determined the assignment to a group in a given round. The data was collected through questionnaires and measurements before initiating the first physiotherapy session for baseline comparison of both groups and after the last physiotherapy session. Then 4 weeks after the last session to get information about follow up period. The whole procedure for assessing outcomes has taken 8–16 min.