Purpose: to study the effect of whole body mechanical vibration (WBMV) exercise alone or combined with auriculotherapy (AT) in the pain and in the range of movement of the knees of participants with knee osteoarthritis. Authors have reported that these interventions can reduce the pain and increase the muscle strength in various clinical situations. Materials and Methods: The level of pain was evaluated by the visual analogue scale and the range of movement of the knees by goniometry. In five weeks protocols, in the AT intervention, ear points (Shenmen, Kidney, corresponding point-Knee) were stimulated by two seeds (Semen vaccariae), approximated diameter of 1 mm that were previously in an adhesive tape and they were changed every week. The control group had no seeds in the ear's lobe adhesive tape. All the participants were instructed to use the fingers to press (manually) the adhesive tapes for 10 min, three times per day (six days) and to remove the tapes (7th day) before returning to the laboratory. In WBMV intervention, the biomechanical parameters of the mechanical vibration were (i) peak-to-peak displacement (D) with 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 mm and (ii) frequency ranging from 5 Hz on the first day, increasing by 1 Hz per session, ending with 14 Hz in the last session. The working time was 3 min with 1 min of rest. The evaluations were performed (i) before and after the first session (acute effect) and (ii) before the first (5 Hz) and after the last (14 Hz) session (cumulative effect). Results: A significant (p<0.05) decrease of the level of pain in the participants with knee osteoarthritis treated with WBMV exercise and with the combined intervention (WBMV and AT) was found in the acute and cumulative effects. The pain was importantly reduced due to WBMV exercise alone about 50% and reduced about 16% in the combination with AT, in the acute intervention. In the cumulative intervention, the pain was strongly reduced about 60% due to WBMV exercise alone and about 37% in the combination with AT. Possibility, this decrease in the effect may be related to inhibitory/competitive actions of the two interventions. In the control groups, no alteration on the level of the pain was observed. The range of the movement (knee´s flexion) was not altered in the participants of the all groups. Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that the level of the pain was decreased (acute and cumulative effects), with both interventions, WBMV exercise alone or combined with AT, However, more studies are need to widespread the use of these forms of treatment.

Background:Whole body vibration (WBV) exercises have been investigated as an alternative and complementary method to traditional resistance programs for fitness improvements in healthy subjects. Active militaries must have a high fitness level and have to improve some physical abilities to accomplish some specific tasks in Army, as climb ropes, climb walls and pull up.Materials and methods:Seven young and healthy soldiers from Brazilian Army were exposed to mechanical vibration in a push-up position, with different frequencies, as 25 (first session), 30 (second session), 35 (third session), 40 (fourth session) and 45 Hz (fifth session). The WBV intervention consisted of five WBV sessions over a consecutive two and a half-weeks period of time. A WBV session consisted of twenty bouts, each one with 10- second vibration, interspersed with 10 seconds of passive rest and 4 minutes pause after the first 10 bouts. Handgrip strength was measured, as proposed by American Society of Hand Therapists – ASHT, before and after the session using 25 Hz of frequency and 45 Hz of frequency (1st and 5th sessions).Results:No significant results were found between groups.Conclusion:Intervention of WBV exercises with 25 and 45 Hz of frequency applied by hands of healthy and young soldiers had no significant results. Further investigations should focus on the efficacy of WBV in the improvement of handgrip strength of young and healthy people.