Different types of plantar vibration affect gait characteristics differently while walking on different inclines.

Background: Plantar vibration has been widely used to strengthen the sensation of the somatosensory system, further enhancing balance during walking on a level surface in patients with stroke. However, previous studies with plantar vibration only involved the level surface, which neglected the importance of inclined/declined walking in daily life. Thus, combining the plantar vibration and inclined/declined walking might answer a critical research question: whether different types of plantar vibration had different effects on gait characteristics during walking on different inclines.