Evidence Spotlight: Vibroacoustic Therapy and Spasticity in Spinal Cord and Brain Injury

STUDY OVERVIEW

A short-term clinical study examining whether daily 40 Hz vibroacoustic treatment could support reductions in self-perceived spasticity, pain, and physical discomfort while improving perceived health condition in adults living with chronic spinal cord and brain injuries during rehabilitation.

STUDY DETAILS

• Study Type: Short-term clinical rehabilitation study

• Participants: 53 adults

• Population: Adults ages 20–72 living with chronic spinal cord or brain injuries

• Frequency Used: 40 Hz low-frequency vibroacoustic treatment

• Study Duration: 4–5 consecutive days

• Session Length: 23 minutes

• Treatment Frequency: 1 session daily

Important Note: Participants had chronic spinal cord or brain injuries with lower-limb spasticity. The study included people with significant mobility limitations, including some who used wheelchairs; however, the article does not specify how many participants were living with paralysis or the severity of each participant’s impairment.

WHAT THEY DID

• Participants received 40 Hz Vibroacoustic Treatment once daily for either 4 or 5 consecutive days.

• Each treatment session lasted 23 minutes.

• Researchers used self-report numerical rating scales before and after treatment sessions.

• Participants rated changes in:

  • Spasticity

  • Pain

  • Physical discomfort

  • General health condition

  • Fatigue

  • Anxiety

OUTCOMES MEASURED

• Self-perceived spasticity

• Pain

• Physical discomfort

• General health condition

• Fatigue

• Anxiety

MAJOR FINDINGS

• Researchers reported statistically significant changes across all six self-report measures.

• Reduced self-perceived spasticity

• Reduced pain

• Reduced physical discomfort

• Improved perceived general health condition

• Reduced fatigue

• Reduced anxiety

ADDITIONAL REPORTED BENEFITS

• Pain reduction was greater after 5 treatment days than after 4 treatment days.

• Improvement in perceived general health condition was greater after 5 treatment days than after 4 treatment days.

• Reductions in spasticity and physical discomfort did not differ significantly between the 4-day and 5-day treatment groups.

• The findings suggest that some reported outcomes may have continued to improve with an additional day of treatment.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

This short-term clinical study suggests Vibroacoustic Treatment may offer meaningful supportive benefits for adults living with chronic spinal cord and brain injuries, particularly in relation to self-perceived spasticity, pain, physical discomfort, fatigue, anxiety, and perceived general health condition.

WHY IT MATTERS

This research suggests Vibroacoustic Treatment may offer meaningful support for:

• Spasticity management

• Pain and physical comfort

• Fatigue reduction

• Anxiety support

• Perceived health condition

• Neurological rehabilitation support

• Quality-of-life care

• Participation in broader rehabilitation programming

PUBLICATION & RESEARCH ACCESS

Published In: Music and Medicine

DOI: 10.47513/mmd.v9i3.541

Full Citation: Rüütel, E., Vinkel, I., & Eelmäe, P. (2017). The Effect of Short-Term Vibroacoustic Treatment on Spasticity and Perceived Health Condition of Patients with Spinal Cord and Brain Injuries. Music and Medicine, 9(3), 202–208.

Research Access: https://mmd.iammonline.com/index.php/musmed/article/download/541/pdf/0