Table 2 Characteristics of included studies. Reference Design* Condition†  Sample size Mean age (SD) PrD‡ F§ (Hz) D|| (min) Control Neurological conditions Ahlborg et al. (2006)** RCT CP 14 31.2 (6.0) L 25-40 6 Ex Arias et al. (2009)† †  P-RCT PD 21 66.7 (8.4) L 6 10 Placebo Broekmans et al. (2010)** RCT MS 25 47.9 (1.9) L 25-45 2.5 Rest Brogardh et al. (2010)** Q-Ex Polio 5 64.0 (6.7) L 25 3.75 No C Ebersbach et al. (2008)† †  RCT PD 21 73.8 (6.1) L 25 15 PT Haas et al. (2006a)‡‡ RCT PD 68 65.0 (7.8) A 6±1 5 Rest Haas et al. (2006b)‡‡ P-RCT PD 28 63.1 (7.3) A 6±1 5 Rest Jackson et al. (2008)† †  RCT MS 15 54.6 (9.6) A 2/26 0.5 No C Ness et al. (2009)** Q-Ex SCI 17 47.6 (10.2) L 50 2-4 No C Schuhfried et al. (2005)‡‡ RCT MS 12 47.7 (12.5) A 2-4.4 5 TENS Schyns et al. (2009)** RCT MS 16 47.7 (7.4) L 40 0.5 No C Tihanyi et al. (2007)** RCT ST 16 58.2 (9.4) A 20 6 Ex Turbanski et al. (2005)‡‡ P-RCT PD 52 69.1 (8.9) A 6±1 5 Rest Van Nes et al. (2004)† †  P-RCT ST/H 46 61.2 (10.3) A 30 7 WBV Van Nes et al. (2006)† †  RCT ST 53 58.1 (11.4) L 30 3 Ex Musculoskeletal conditions Alentorn-Geli et al. (2008)** RCT FM 24 55.0 (3.0) L 30 4.5-18 Ex Alentorn-Geli et al. (2009)** RCT FM 33 56.9 (3.3) L 30 4.5-18 Rest Gusi et al. (2010)† †  RCT FM 41 52.7 (11.3) L 12.5 6-12 Rest Johnson et al. (2010)** RCT TKA 16 67.8 (8.0) L 35 2-18 Ex Moezy et al. (2008)** RCT ACLS 20 23.6 (3.7) L 30-50 4-16 PT Rittweger et al. (2002)† †  RCT LBP 50 51.7 (5.8) L 18 4-7 Ex Trans et al. (2009)§§ RCT OA 52 60.4 (9.6) L 25-30 3-10 Rest Metabolic conditions Baum et al. (2007)** RCT D 40 62.7 (5.7) L 30-35 4 FL/ST Iwamoto et al (2005)† †  RCT OP 50 71.3 (8.3) L 20 4 Rest Rietschel et al. (2008)† †  Q-Ex CF 10 35.2 (8.3) L 20-25 9 No C Roth et al. (2008)† †  Q-Ex CF 8 33.0 (6.6) L 12 6 No C Designs: Randomised-controled trial (RCT); Pseudo- RCT (P-RCT); Quasi-Experimental (Q-Ex) Conditions: Celebral Parsy (CP); Parkinson’s Disease (PD); Multiple Sclerosis (MS); Poliomyelitis (Polio); Spinal Cord Injury (SCI); Stroke (ST); Healthy (H); Fybromyalgia (FM); (TKA); Anterior Crutiate Ligament Surgury (ACLS); Low-back pain (LBP); Diabetes (D); Osteoporosis (OP); Cystic Fybrosis (CF); Osteoarthritis (OA) Program Duration (PrD): Long-term (L); Acute (A) Frequency (F) Duration (D) Conrol group(s): Exercise (Ex); No control (No C); Physiotherapy (PT); whole-body vibration (WBV); Flexibility (FL); Strengthening (ST) Platforms using l simultaneous vertical WBV Platforms using side-to-side alternating vertical WBV Platforms using multidirectional WBV Unidentified WBV platform type