Can vibration therapy increase bone length?

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Investigation of the effect of low intensity vibration (LIV) therapy on the rate of growth in length of tibial and femoral bones in the shorter leg of children 6-12 years of age with leg-length discrepancy (LLD).

• IRAS ID

  155851

• Contact name

  Mary Fewtrell

• Contact email

  m.fewtrell@ucl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  ICH - UCL

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 3 months, 16 days

• Research summary

  This research will assess whether low intensity vibration (LIV) therapy can increase bone-growth in length of the tibia and femur of the shorter leg in children aged 6-12 years with a documented history of leg length discrepancy, recruited via clinical musculoskeletal, orthopaedic, physiotherapy and podiatric practitioners.
  The aim is to assess the potential of this safe, non-invasive and potentially cost-effective method for levelling leg-length in children under clinical treatment for LLD to try to avoid epiphyseodesis surgery and minimise longterm musculoskeletal disability.

  All subjects will have accurate LL measurement at baseline and then LL measurement monthly over 13 months (4 months pre-treatment, 3 months intervention and 6 months follow-up). LL measurement is taken using a portable ultrasound and laser system, which is safe, accurate, reproducible and validated against standing digital x-ray measurement.

  At the fourth visit, the child will be randomised to one of the 2 intervention groups and will attend the clinic 3 times per week for treatment. All measurements will take place at the Sayer Clinic in London W8 outside school hours, at a time to suit the family.

  Randomisation
  Subjects will be randomised into one of 2 treatment groups with the following parameters:

  1. 0.4 g and 30 Hz
  2. 1.0 g and 30 Hz

  The randomisation schedule will be computer-generated with random permuted block sizes. Assignments will be kept in sealed opaque envelopes by a member of the study team who has no contact with subjects.

  The Intervention groups of children referred with pre-existing leg length difference, will receive LIV therapy for 15 minutes, 3 times per week over three months between months 4 and 7, standing with their shorter leg on a vibration platform at 30 Hz and low amplitude of 0.3 or 1.0g (less amplitude than experienced by a child walking or running)

• REC name

  London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/LO/1922

• Date of REC Opinion

  7 Dec 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion