Does Whole-Body Vibration Treatment Make Children’s Bones Stronger?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the last 10 years of literature regarding the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on bone in children, and if WBV results in increased bone acquisition. RECENT FINDINGS: WBV intervention appears to be a safe intervention with beneficial effects on bone mass in some diseases and syndromes, but there is still low evidence for WBV in clinical practice. The positive effects on muscle strength, balance, and walking speed are more conclusive. One of the takeaways of this review is that well-trained individuals may not further improve bone mass with WBV; thus, interventions are more beneficial in pediatric individuals with Down syndrome or severe motor disabilities with low bone mass and reduced activity levels. SUMMARY: WBV appears to be a safe non-pharmacological anabolic approach to increase bone mass in some pediatric populations; however, longer (> 6 months) and larger prospective studies are needed to elucidate the efficacy of WBV on bone health in young individuals.