Motor, sensitive, and vegetative recovery in rats with compressive spinal-cord injury after combined treatment with erythropoietin and whole-body vibration.

Background: Physical therapy with whole body vibration (WBV) following compressive spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats restores density of perisomatic synapses, improves body weight support and leads to a better bladder function. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the combined treatment with WBV plus erythropoietin (EPO) would further improve motor, sensory and vegetative functions after SCI in rats.

Methods: Severe compressive SCI at low thoracic level was followed by a single i.