{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T19:40:11Z","timestamp":1792093211689,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769990400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Postural instability is a key feature of Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD), contributing to disability and increased risk of falls. Pharmacological treatments are important, but it is necessary to integrate them with rehabilitation programs that provide benefits for gait and balance. Focal muscle vibration (fMV) has been proposed as a proprioceptive-oriented intervention to enhance postural control, but evidence in PD remains heterogeneous. This observational, retrospective, and controlled pilot study aimed to evaluate whether the integration of fMV into a standardized rehabilitation program provides additional benefits for balance, gait, and fall risk compared to standardized exercise alone in patients with PD. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 35 outpatients with Parkinson\u2019s disease (Hoehn &amp; Yahr stage II\u2013III) were reviewed. All practiced a standardized rehabilitation exercise group program. Of these, 18 patients agreed to undergo fMV before the exercise sessions (fMV group); 17 patients did not accept fMV due to personal organizational reasons (EG) and were considered a retrospective control group. In detail, (i) the fMV group receivdc focal muscle vibration during the first three weeks in addition to a standardized group rehabilitation exercise program, and (ii) the EG underwent a standardized rehabilitation program only. Both groups then completed an identical 16-week standardized rehabilitation program. Functional outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0) and after one month (T1). Results: Groups were homogeneous at baseline. The fMV group showed significant improvements in SPPB (from 8.16 \u00b1 1.6 to 10.2 \u00b1 1.6 p &lt; 0.001) in the Tinetti total (from 18.38 \u00b1 3.2 to 21.5 \u00b1 2.9 p &lt; 0.05). Stabilometric analysis revealed a significant improvement in the Romberg Quotient in the fMV group (p &lt; 0.005). Conclusions: A short time-limited fMV intervention may act as a sensory primer, enhancing the effects of a subsequent standardized rehabilitation program in PD.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina62020300","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]],"date-time":"2026-02-02T12:49:44Z","timestamp":1770036584000},"page":"300","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Effects of Focal Muscle Vibration on Static and Dynamic Balance in Patients with Parkinson\u2019s Disease: Preliminary Results of a Retrospective Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"62","author":[{"given":"Paola Emilia","family":"Ferrara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, L.go A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emiddio","family":"Della Casa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-9069-5089","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rossella","family":"Calciano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, L.go A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Diego","family":"Ricciardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, L.go A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-4287-1849","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ludovica","family":"Tassi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, L.go A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-7427-238X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Cutaia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elisabetta","family":"Lama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Claudia","family":"Lombardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8528-7834","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Augusto","family":"Fusco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UOSD High-Intensity Neurorehabilitation, Department of Neurosciences, Sensory Organs and Thorax, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giorgio","family":"Ferriero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 21049 Tradate, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, 21110 Varese, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gianpaolo","family":"Ronconi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatrics, Orthopedics and Rheumatology, University Hospital Foundation Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, L.go A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"University Department of Geriatric and Orthopedic Sciences, Cattolica del Sacro Cuore University, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Peppe, A., Paravati, S., Baldassarre, M.G., Bakdounes, L., Spolaor, F., Guiotto, A., Pavan, D., Sawacha, Z., Bottino, S., and Clerici, D. (2019). Proprioceptive Focal Stimulation (Equistasi\u00ae) May Improve the Quality of Gait in Middle-Moderate Parkinson\u2019s Disease Patients. Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Randomized, Crossover, Italian Multicentric Study. Front. 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