Whole-body vibration (WBV) training is a kind of new technology on the practice of rehabilitation medicine and is used to improve muscle strength, mobility, balance, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, metabolic syndrome and osteoarthritis in aging adults. The definition, safety, effectiveness, and biomechanics of WBV training were reviewed in this paper.

Virtual reality (VR) offers the possibility of creating an interactive, motivating environment in which training intensity and feedback can be manipulated to provide individualized treatments or motor rehabilitation under a range of stimulus conditions that are not easily controllable and quantifiable in the real world, especially in elderly. This paper reviewed the studies illustrating the application, development and effectiveness of VR on rehabilitation in the elderly, that suggested VR may be useful to augment rehabilitation of a range of disabilities in elderly patients. The prospect of VR is discussed as well.

Whole-body vibration therapy (WBVT), in which energy produced by a forced oscillation is transferred to the muscle and bone of an individual from a mechanical vibration platform, has been proposed as an alternative or adjunctive intervention for osteoporosis. In this review, the safety, effectiveness and the biomechanics of WBVT for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis were discussed.

Frailty is a physiological state of nonspecific vulnerability to stressors resulting from decreased physiological reserves and the deregulation of multiple physiological systems associated with advancing age. Frailty is more than an association with specific diseases or disabilities, but rather a systemic manifestation of physical and cognitive deficits, including signs, symptoms, illnesses, and impairments, that accumulate over the life course. This paper reviewed the studies illustrating the concept, evaluation, risk factor and application of frailty on rehabilitation.

Objective To explore if the treatments with the diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, massage therapy and quadriceps muscle strengthen training can promote the recovery of prorpioception in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods On the basis of health education, 30 elderly patients aged 60 or over with knee osteoarthritis were accepted treatments with 10 times of diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, 6 times of massage therapy in 2 weeks, and quadriceps muscle strengthen training once or twice a day. Results There were significant differences in the scores of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the maximum isometric extension strength of involved knees, the average isometric extension strength of involved knees and the reposition accuracy error mean of involved knees before and after the treatments (P<0.05). Conclusion The treatments with the diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, massage therapy and quadriceps muscle strengthen training can not only play a therapeutic effect and shorten the duration of treatment, but also promote the recovery of proprioception in subjects with knee osteoarthritis significantly.

ObjectiveTo observe the short-term efficacy of treatment with the diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, massage therapy and quadriceps muscle strengthen training to the patients with knee osteoarthritis for elderly.MethodsOn the basis of health education, 30 elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis were accepted treatments with 10 times of diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, 6 times of massage therapy and then they completed quadriceps muscle strengthen training once or twice a day.ResultsThe pain, walking ability, sit-to-stand ability and lower extremities muscle strength improved significantly for the patients after treatments (P<0.05 or P<0.001). ConclusionThe diclofenac diethylamine emulge import by pulsed ultrasound, massage therapy and quadriceps muscle strengthen training have a good short-term efficacy to the elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Falls occurring in populations of elder people are prevalent as dangerous public health events that can result in the considerable institutionalization or even postfall morbidity and mortality. The prevention and intervention of falls in the elderly are the important fields of geriatric rehabilitation medicine. This paper reviewed the literature related to the falls in the elderly, involving the conception, incidence, evaluation and identification of risk factors, and multiple-risk-factor intervention strategy, and indicates the further research direction.

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effects of modified constraint-induced movememt therapy(mCIMT) on upper extremity motor function of stroke patients with hemiparasis, and to compare the effects of mCIMT with those of conventional rehabilitation.MethodsThirty stroke patients with hemiparesis were divided into mCIMT group and control group (conventional rehabilitalion), 15 cases in each group. The mCIMT group received mCIMT (by shaping) in the affected extremity without restriction of movement of intact upper extremity, 6 h a day, five times a week, for two weeks while the control group was treated with traditional rehabilitation in upper-limb and hands functional exercises. Motor activity logs(MAL) score and simple test for evaluating hand function(STEF ) score were measured in two groups before treatment and 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months after treatment.ResultsThere were improvement in MAL and STEF scores in both mCIMT group and control group 2 weeks after treatment compared with pre-treatment(P<0-01), and the scores of MAL and STEF on post-treatment 1 month and 3 months were higher than those of pre-treatment in mCIMT group (P<0-05, P<0-01), but there was no significant difference in MAL and STEF score between pre-treatment and post-treatment 1 month and 3 months in control group(P>0-05).ConclusionSignificant improvement in the affected hand function could be achieved with modified constraint-induced movement therapy in stroke patients, better than conventional rehabilitation therapy.

ObjectiveTo examine the the inter-rater reliability of the Chinese version of Lequesne index as the effective treatment evaluation of patients with knee osteoarthritis.Methods30 patients with radiological findings and clinical symptoms of knee osteoarthritis were evaluated the Chinese version of Lequesne index twice by two staff who passed the Lequesne index formal training within 24 hours. Inter-rater reliability was assessed by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland & Altman method.ResultsInter-rater reliability was excellent with ICC=0.94. The Bland & Altman analysis revealed no systematic errors between inter-raters.ConclusionThe Chinese version of Lequesne index has high inter-rater reliability in subjects with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective To evaluate the concurrent validity and preference of pain intensity assessment scales in elderly with back pain. Methods 30 elderly with back pain were asked to rate their pains by using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Verbal Descriptor Scale (VDS), Facial Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R), and Mix scale (MIX). Concurrent validity was assessed using the Spearman correlations. The preference for using scales were collected. Results FPS-R、MIX、VAS and VDS correlated with NRS (r=0.753~0.957, P<0.001). The preference for using scales was ranked by FPS-R, NRS, VDS, MIX, VAS. Conclusion FPS-R、MIX、VAS and VDS show good concurrent validity, and they were appropriated to evaluate the back pain among elderly. FPS-R had the highest scale preference.