Percussive Vibration Therapy as an Adjunct to Conventional Physiotherapy in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Kerem Aydinlar Campus, Kayisdagi No. 32, 34752 Istanbul, Türkiye
- 2Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Üsküdar University, NP Health Campus, Saray, Ahmet Tevfik İleri No. 5, 34774 Istanbul, Türkiye
- 3Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Üsküdar University, Mimar Sinan District, Selman-ı Pak, 34664 Istanbul, Türkiye
- 4Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Istanbul Gelişim University, Cihangir, Avcılar, 34310 Istanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Hand-held percussive vibration therapy (PVT) is widely used in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, yet its incremental benefit beyond an active physiotherapy program for chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is unclear. We investigated whether PVT added to conventional physiotherapy (CPT) improves disability, sleep quality, and pain. Methods: This single-center, parallel-group, assessor-blinded randomized trial enrolled 50 adults aged 18–65 years with CNLBP and baseline visual analogue scale (VAS) pain ≥4/10. Participants were allocated equally to PVT + CPT or CPT alone and attended three sessions weekly for eight weeks. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was the primary outcome; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and VAS scores were secondary outcomes. Week-8 scores were analyzed with baseline-adjusted ANCOVA using HC3 robust standard errors. Results: Follow-up data were complete for all participants. The adjusted ODI score at week 8 was 2.59 points higher with PVT + CPT than with CPT (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47 to 4.71; p = 0.017), a statistically significant difference in favor of CPT. PSQI scores did not differ between groups (adjusted difference, 0.25; 95% CI, −0.40 to 0.90; p = 0.451). VAS scores were lower with PVT + CPT (adjusted difference, −1.15; 95% CI, −1.45 to −0.85; p < 0.001). Conclusions: PVT did not provide an additional benefit for disability and did not improve sleep quality when added to CPT. The pain difference was a secondary, exploratory finding of uncertain clinical relevance.
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BibTeX
@article{bayraktar2026percussive,
title = {{Percussive Vibration Therapy as an Adjunct to Conventional Physiotherapy in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial}},
author = {Elif Esma Bayraktar and Ömer Şevgin and Ainaz Vahedi and Ertuğrul Safran},
journal = {Journal of clinical medicine},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/jcm15197711},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666512},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Percussive Vibration Therapy as an Adjunct to Conventional Physiotherapy in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Elif Esma Bayraktar
AU - Ömer Şevgin
AU - Ainaz Vahedi
AU - Ertuğrul Safran
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Journal of clinical medicine
DO - 10.3390/jcm15197711
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666512
AB - Background/Objectives: Hand-held percussive vibration therapy (PVT) is widely used in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, yet its incremental benefit beyond an active physiotherapy program for chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is unclear. We investigated whether PVT added to conventional physiotherapy (CPT) improves disability, sleep quality, and pain. Methods: This single-center, parallel-group, assessor-blinded randomized trial enrolled 50 adults aged 18–65 years with CNLBP and baseline visual analogue scale (VAS) pain ≥4/10. Participants were allocated equally to PVT + CPT or CPT alone and attended three sessions weekly for eight weeks. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was the primary outcome; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and VAS scores were secondary outcomes. Week-8 scores were analyzed with baseline-adjusted ANCOVA using HC3 robust standard errors. Results: Follow-up data were complete for all participants. The adjusted ODI score at week 8 was 2.59 points higher with PVT + CPT than with CPT (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47 to 4.71; p = 0.017), a statistically significant difference in favor of CPT. PSQI scores did not differ between groups (adjusted difference, 0.25; 95% CI, −0.40 to 0.90; p = 0.451). VAS scores were lower with PVT + CPT (adjusted difference, −1.15; 95% CI, −1.45 to −0.85; p < 0.001). Conclusions: PVT did not provide an additional benefit for disability and did not improve sleep quality when added to CPT. The pain difference was a secondary, exploratory finding of uncertain clinical relevance.
SN - 2077-0383
ER -