BACKGROUND: Systemic vibratory therapy (SVT) is a clinical intervention in which individuals are exposed to mechanical vibrations transmitted through contact with the base of a functioning vibrating platform. SVT has been investigated in older individuals with various clinical conditions, with promising results reported in some populations. However, evidence regarding the effects of SVT specifically in individuals with hip osteoarthritis (HOA) remains limited. Therefore, further investigation is warranted to explore the potential effects of this intervention in this population.

CASE REPORT: We present a 73-year-old man with bilateral HOA, intense pain in both hips, moderate pain in both knees, and difficulty walking for 2 years. He was using analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications for pain control. He underwent SVT and showed improvement in clinical and functional outcomes after 10 sessions.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this case suggest that SVT may be associated with reduced pain and maintenance or improvement in function and quality of life in an older individual with HOA. However, studies with larger samples and more robust methodological designs are needed to determine the effects of SVT and to establish specific clinical protocols for this population.

KEYWORDS: Hip osteoarthritis; whole-body vibration; vibratory therapy; pain; function