Vibration during supine decompression: Med Eng Phys Nov. 2014

The combination of 12 Hz vibration along with traction (angles greater than 10° for Lumbar erectus) could provide a better treatment for reduction of lower muscle fatigue for back pain compared with either vibration or traction alone.
This is one of the conclusions of a 2014 study from China investigating the effect of axial traction with vibration along the X-axis. They were looking to see if vibration had an adverse effect on blood pressure or pulse pressure…which it didn’t. They determined muscle activity was reduced and such decreases could significantly improve the benefit of traction and muscle discomforts. In some cases vibration isn’t tolerated by the patient but there is no known mechanism by which it could ever really worsen any condition. If the patient complains, don’t force them to use it. However vibration does give a more potential unique selling proposition to a percent of your patients and its’ worth exploiting when possible.