Effects of the Whole-Body Vibration Exercise on Sleep Disorders, Body Temperature, Body Composition, Tone, and Clinical Parameters in a Child with Down Syndrome Who Underwent Total Atrioventricular Septal Defect Surgery: A Case-Report

Luiza Torres-Nunes; Patrícia Prado da Costa-Borges; Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos; José Alexandre Bachur; Ana Carolina Coelho-Oliveira; Danúbia da Cunha de Sá-Caputo; Mario Bernardo-Filho

doi:10.3390/children10020213

Effects of the Whole-Body Vibration Exercise on Sleep Disorders, Body Temperature, Body Composition, Tone, and Clinical Parameters in a Child with Down Syndrome Who Underwent Total Atrioventricular Septal Defect Surgery: A Case-Report

Children (Basel). 2023 Jan 25;10(2):213. doi: 10.3390/children10020213.

Authors

Luiza Torres-Nunes^{1

2}, Patrícia Prado da Costa-Borges¹, Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos^{1

3}, José Alexandre Bachur⁴, Ana Carolina Coelho-Oliveira^{1

2}, Danúbia da Cunha de Sá-Caputo^{1

2}, Mario Bernardo-Filho¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Mechanical Vibrations and Integrative Practices, Department of Biophysics and Biometrics, Roberto Alcântara Gomes Institute of Biology and Piquet Carneiro University Polyclinic, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20950-003, Brazil.
² Program of Postgraduate Degree in Clinical and Experimental Pathophysiology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20550-170, Brazil.
³ Department of Physiotherapy, Multidisciplinary Institute of Rehabilitation and Health, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador 40110-909, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Physiotherapy, University of Franca, Franca 14404-600, Brazil.

Abstract

Background: The health and developmental issues of people with Down syndrome (DS) are complex and are associated with many medical, psychological, and social problems from childhood through into adulthood. DS children have an increased risk of multiorgan comorbidities, including congenital heart disease. Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is a congenital heart malformation that often occurs in DS people.

Aim: Physical activity and exercise are recommended for patients with cardiovascular disease and are considered to be the gold standard of cardiac rehabilitation. Whole-body vibration exercise (WBVE) is considered a form of exercises. The aim of this case report is to show the effects of WBVE on sleep disturbances, body temperature, body composition, tone, and clinical parameters in a child with DS with corrected total AVSD. The subject is a 10-year-old girl, with free-type DS, who underwent surgery to correct a total AVSD at 6 months. She underwent periodic cardiological monitoring and was released to perform any type of physical exercise, including WBVE. WBVE improved sleep quality and body composition.

Conclusion: WBVE leads to physiological effects that benefit the DS child.

Keywords: child; congenital heart; down syndrome; physical exercise; whole-body vibration.

Publication types

Case Reports

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brazil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.