LAUSR

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Objectives: To investigate whether the addition of whole-body vibration therapy to standard rehabilitation improves postural stability and lower limb strength following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Data sources: A computer-based literature search of MEDLINE, AMED, SPORTDiscus, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) included studies up to October 2019. Main results: Seven randomised controlled trials of moderate-to-high methodological quality involving 244 participants were included. Meta-analysis found statistically significant improvements in medial–lateral stability [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.12-0.88] and overall stability (SMD = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.14-1.06) favoring whole-body vibration therapy, but effects were not significant for quadriceps strength (SMD = 0.24; 95% CI, −0.65 to 1.13), hamstring strength (SMD = 0.84; 95% CI, −0.05 to 1.72), lower limb strength (SMD = 0.76; 95% CI, −0.16 to 1.67), or anterior-posterior stability (SMD = 0.19; 95% CI, −0.39 to 0.76). Conclusions: The addition of whole-body vibration therapy to standard postoperative rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction does not appear to significantly improve lower limb strength and anterior–posterior stability but may improve medial–lateral and overall postural stability. We found small sample sizes in all included trials, statistical heterogeneity, and methodological quality concerns, including publication bias, suggesting that larger high-quality trials are likely to be influential in this field. Registration: PROSPERO 155531.