Short Research Summary: In this animal study cow tails were “treated” with a focused vibration at a range of frequencies (0 to 200 Hz) and lengths of time (10 to 60 minutes). Expression of mRNA implicated in spinal health, biglycan, collagen type I, collagen type II, decorin, and versican, were significantly affected while in this study aggrecan was unaffected. This effect occurred in as little as 10 minutes.
Research Evidence: Desmoulin, G.T.; Hewitt, C.R.; Hunter, C.J. Disc strain and resulting positive mRNA expression from application of a non-invasive treatment. Spine (Phila. Pa. 1976). 2011, 36.
Short Research Summary: In this animal study spinal discs were treated with the SONIK treatment (formerly KKT) at several frequencies to determine if the sound vibration treatment would affect mRNA gene expression. The results showed that expression of mRNAs for aggrecan, collagen type II, and versican were significantly positively affected by the intervention while Collagen type I, biglycan, and decorin were unaffected. This indicates a positive therapeutic effect.
Research Evidence: Desmoulin, G.T.; Reno, C.R.; Hunter, C.J. Free axial vibrations at 0 to 200 Hz positively affect extracellular matrix messenger ribonucleic acid expression in bovine nucleus pulposi. Spine (Phila. Pa. 1976). 2010, 35, 1437–1444.
Short Research Summary: A randomized, blinded, sham controlled study with 44 patients who had chronic neck pain were assessed for Mean Axis of Rotation (MAR) of spinal vertebrae with results showing that SONIK (formerly KKT) corrected 62 percent of abnormal spinal misalignment and that correction was related to improved pain and neck disability across all subjects.
SONIK treatment applied to the spine activates gene expression and improves spinal health.
Research Evidence: Desmoulin, G.T.; Enns-Bray, W.S.; Hewitt, C.R.; Hunter, C.J. Multi-unit sustained vibration loading platform for biological tissues: Design, validation and experimentation. J. Biomech. 2013, 46, 116–121.
Short Research Summary: This animal study applied a novel multi-unit vibration treatment to spinal discs with the intent to maximize target mRNA expression as reported in previous research. Aggrecan, decorin, and versican mRNA all reported statistically significant increases above control levels. Biglycan, collagen type I and II showed no significant difference from the control group. However, the study again provided convincing results for the effect of sound vibration on increased mRNA expressions and long-term disc health.