Effects of low frequency continuous muscle vibration on learning and transfer of a knee joint positioning task

The use of continuous low frequency vibration has been shown to improve perception of limb motion under certain conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether practice combined with continuous low frequency vibration could be used to enhance learning and subsequent transfer of a knee joint positioning task. Absolute and constant error were compared between a Control group, that did not receive vibration during practice and an Experimental group, that received 15Hz vibration on the quadriceps tendon during each practice trial. Both groups were able to reduce absolute and constant error with practice but vibration had no impact on learning or transfer. These findings indicate that subjects effectively ignore the vibration induced input instead of using it in a beneficial way to augment the sensory input associated with limb motion. This suggests that the vibration induced haptic input may be down weighted by the sensory motor system such that ongoing movement was not disrupted. It is possible that vibration may only be useful when the haptic input generated by vibration is meaningfully related to the task.