[Purpose] The beneficial neuromuscular effects of whole-body vibration are explained by the tonic vibration or bone myoregulation reflex. Depending on factors that remain undefined, whole-body vibration may activate the tonic vibration or bone myoregulation reflex. We aimed to examine whether voluntary contraction facilitates activation of the tonic vibration reflex during whole-body vibration. [Participants and Methods] Eleven volunteers were included in this study. Local and whole-body vibrations were applied in a quiet standing (without voluntary contraction) and a semi-squatting (isometric soleus contraction) position. Local vibration was applied to the Achilles tendon. Surface electromyography was obtained from the soleus muscle. The cumulative average method was used to determine soleus reflex latency. [Results] In the quiet standing position, the bone myoregulation reflex latency was 39.9 ± 4.1 milliseconds and the tonic vibration reflex latency was 35.4 ± 3.6 milliseconds. Whole-body vibration application in the semi-squatting position activated the tonic vibration reflex in four participants and the bone myoregulation reflex in seven participants. Local vibration activated the tonic vibration reflex in both positions for all participants. [Conclusion] Simultaneous whole-body vibration application and voluntary contraction may activate the tonic vibration reflex. Determining the spinal mechanisms underlying the whole-body vibration exercises will enable their effective and efficient use in rehabilitation and sports.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine whether high-frequency whole-body vibration activates the tonic vibration reflex (TVR). Patients and methods: The experimental study was conducted with seven volunteers (mean age: 30.8±3.3 years; range, 26 to 35 years) between December 2021 and January 2022. To elicit soleus TVR, high-frequency (100-150 Hz) vibration was applied to the Achilles tendon. High-frequency (100-150 Hz) whole-body vibration and low-frequency (30-40 Hz) whole-body vibration were applied in quiet standing. Whole-body vibration-induced reflexes were recorded from the soleus muscle using surface electromyography. The cumulative average method was used to determine the reflex latencies. Results: Soleus TVR latency was 35.6±5.9 msec, the latency of the reflex activated by high-frequency whole-body vibration was 34.8±6.2 msec, and the latency of the reflex activated by low-frequency whole-body vibration was 42.8±3.4 msec (F _{(2, 12)} =40.07, p=0.0001, ƞ ² =0.87). The low-frequency whole-body vibration-induced reflex latency was significantly longer than high-frequency whole-body vibration-induced reflex latency and TVR latency (p=0.002 and p=0.001, respectively). High-frequency whole-body vibration-induced reflex latency and TVR latency were found to be similar (p=0.526). Conclusion: This study showed that high-frequency whole-body vibration activates TVR.

Background: Chronic plantar fasciitis (CPF) is a prevalent cause of heel pain, often refractory to conservative treatments. Corticosteroid injections (CSIs) are frequently used for symptom relief but may provide only transient benefits and are associated with potential adverse effects. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained attention as an alternative because of its regenerative properties. This study compares the effectiveness of PRP injections (n = 75) and CSI (n = 77) in reducing pain and improving function over six months in patients with CPF. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 152 patients diagnosed with CPF who received ultrasound-guided injection therapy at a tertiary university hospital between September 2021 and September 2024. Patients were divided into CSI (n = 77) and PRP injection (n = 75). Pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), and functional status was assessed with the Foot Function Index (FFI). Evaluations were performed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months postinjection. Results: At baseline, VAS ( P = .449) and FFI ( P = .462) scores were comparable between groups. At 1 month, no significant differences were found for VAS ( P = .368) and FFI ( P = .392). At 3 months, VAS ( P = .586) and FFI ( P = .578) scores remained similar. At 6 months, PRP showed significantly lower VAS scores (1.98 ± 0.35) compared with corticosteroids (2.79 ± 1.13; P < .001); however, the difference did not exceed the MCID threshold (0.9 cm), suggesting limited clinical significance. Conversely, FFI scores improved more in the PRP group (22.3 ± 4.1) than in the corticosteroid group (29.8 ± 5.5; P < .001), exceeding the MCID threshold (7 points), confirming clinical relevance. Conclusion: PRP injections were associated with superior 6-month functional improvement over corticosteroids in CPF, with statistically significant gains that met the MCID threshold. Although both treatments were effective in the short term, only functional improvements reached clinical significance. These findings support PRP’s role in providing a modest functional advantage and highlight the need for future trials to optimize injection protocols and assess long-term outcomes.

Objective: Our aim was to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture in post-stroke depression/anxiety disorders and to determine whether it reduces the need for anxiolytic and sedative drug use. Methods: This study included 54 stroke patients with depression and/or anxiety disorder. Patients were randomly assigned to the acupuncture treatment group (n = 27) or the control group (n = 27). A conventional rehabilitation program was applied to all patients and acupuncture was performed twice a week for 4 weeks. Patients were evaluated blindly by a psychiatrist at baseline (week 0), week 4 and week 8, using the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A), and drug doses were adjusted when necessary. The HAM-D and HAM-A scores at week 4 were pre-specified as the two primary outcome measures. Results: Within each group, there was a significant decrease in the mean scores of HAM-D and HAM-A at weeks 4 and 8. No between-group differences in HAM-A or HAM-D scores were seen at 4 weeks but there was a significant decrease in HAM-D scores in favor of the acupuncture group at week 8 (p < 0.025). At week 4, the number of cases whose selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) dose was increased was found to be significantly higher in the control group. Conclusion: While the study was negative with respect to its primary outcomes, the findings with respect to certain secondary outcomes suggests further research is warranted to determine if acupuncture treatment is an effective/safe treatment to alleviate post-stroke depression/anxiety. Trial registration number: NCT04283591 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nutritional status, assessed by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, and functional recovery in patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Methods: A total of 113 patients diagnosed with stroke were included in this observational study. Nutritional status was evaluated using the CONUT score, and functional independence and baseline disability were assessed with the Modified Barthel Index (mBI) and the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at admission. Functional independence was reassessed with the mBI at discharge. Patients were divided into four groups based on their CONUT score: normal, mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition risk. Results: According to CONUT classification, 37.2% of patients were normal, 46.0% were at mild, 13.3% at moderate, and 3.5% at severe risk of malnutrition. A weak positive correlation was found between CONUT score and age (r = 0.186, p = 0.049). CONUT score was negatively correlated with vitamin D (r = –0.212, p = 0.024), albumin (r = –0.636, p < 0.001), total protein (r = –0.387, p < 0.001), LDL (r = –0.445, p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (r = –0.444, p < 0.001). Within-group comparisons showed significant improvement in mBI scores from admission to discharge in the normal (p < 0.001), mild (p < 0.001), and moderate (p = 0.024) groups, but not in the severe malnutrition group (p = 0.317). Conclusions: Although no statistically significant association was found between the CONUT score and mBI outcomes, patients with better nutritional status showed a clinical trend toward greater functional improvement during rehabilitation, whereas those with severe malnutrition demonstrated limited gains. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the very small number of patients in the severe malnutrition group. Early screening and appropriate nutritional management using objective tools such as the CONUT score may still support rehabilitation planning in stroke patients.