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What are the benefits of vibration training? According to new research, the type of whole-body vibration treatment you get from a vibration machine could reduce the bone loss that occurs in older adults.
Originally developed to help Russian cosmonauts stay fit when in zero gravity, the benefits of vibration training include improvements in:
- Strength
- Speed
- Stamina
- Muscle and tissue recovery
- Flexibility, mobility and coordination
However, according to a new study, this type of training can produce a significant improvement in bone mineral density, as well as a reduction in back pain.
The benefits of vibration training for people who have fractures or are suffering from bone loss, seems to come from a slowing of stem cell proliferation - this leads to more of these cells becoming bone cells rather than continuing on to make more stem cells.
So how does it work? When you exercise on a vibration machine - whether you are standing, sitting, or lying down - the vibrations are transferred from the platform to your body. The plate on the machine is driven by a motor, causing it to move several millimetres up and down at high speed - typically between 30 and 50 times per second. These rapid oscillations produce G forces of anywhere between 2 and 8 Gs, depending on the size of the plate and the power of the motor. Your body responds to this by producing a stretch reflex - depending on the vibration frequency, this can cause your muscles to contract vigorously up to 50 times per second. It is the body's response to this vibration that leads to the benefits.
Initial research into the prevention of bone loss came from Russian cosmonauts, and the attempts to prevent the bone loss that occurs during space travel, but a recent study at the Medical College of Georgia found that mice using vibration therapy 30 minutes daily for 12 weeks improved their bone density.
This type of training is now becoming more and more common, with many gyms now having vibration plate machines. Indeed, they are now found in a variety of settings, with a different emphasis in each case.
Options include:
- Physical therapy
- Longevity and anti-aging
- Sports rehabilitation
- Beauty and wellness
- Alternative medicine
- Fighting osteoporosis
So how do you use them? There is a wide range of stretches and exercises that you can perform on these machines, including many popular body weight movements such as push-ups, squats, and triceps dips, as well as core exercises such as crunches, V-sits, and planks. You can also perform most different types of dumbbell exercises on the plate.
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