Common Benefits From Whole Body Vibration Exercise Machines

I’ve shared the story of my five-year battle with a series of disabling injuries beginning with a misdiagnosed gym injury, followed by a terrible fall on a street in Philadelphia in April 2011 and a four-month disabling burn in August 2015 – with each injury seriously impacting my right-side pelvis and the muscles and tendons encasing it and my right hip. This sequence of injuries had dramatic ability on my mobility and strength, and was accompanied by a great deal of pain.

Greeting the 2015 New Year, my mood was positive but seriously concerned about my ability to recover what had been an incredible vitality for a woman my age. And then out of nowhere, I noticed an article on vibration plates – a discovery that, for me, would dramatically impact my recovery and restore my health.

Hopping Aboard A Confidence Fitness Vibration Plate Power Plus Machine

There are many kinds of vibration plates, and I’m no expert on any of them except my Confidence Fitness Vibration Plate Power Plus that I ordered from Amazon in March 2015.  It’s the top-selling vibration machine on Amazon with almost 1000 reviews and a 4.5* rating.

In the coming days I will review extensive – but still young – research on whole body vibration machines and their enthusiastic response among both medical professionals and practitioners like myself. Most exciting is the potential for whole body vibration exercise as an anti-aging assist, where it has encouraging research results among post-menopausal women.

What Are Vibration Plates & What Are Their Benefits

The vibration plate machine creates vibration energy of varying speeds and intensity which can be felt throughout the body and in particular the targeted working muscle. These vibrations cause the muscles to continuously contract and relax at a rapid rate.

There are two main types of systems: pivotal/oscillating and linear. Pivotal systems have higher amplitudes of oscillation and lower frequencies, while linear systems have lower amplitudes and higher frequencies. Linear machines are popular with football and basketball teams while pivotal machines are more popular in general and inhabit more studies on WBV.

My Confidence Fitness Vibration Plate Power Plus plates gyrate from a lower intensity to a level that my body can’t yet handle. The impact of the vibrations is very visible especially on those parts of the body closest to the plate. Limbs are moving and depending on how I adjust my body’s position standing on the machine, I can direct the vibrations into different parts of my legs and injury zone.

Standing straight on the vibration machine will send currents of energy into one’s head. Most manuals and research that I’ve read recommend a knees-bent form when standing on the vibrating plates. Squats bring some of the most significant results and avoid head vibrations until the research is clear about any potential negative impact.

Because I am targeting a specific injury zone with greater intensity, aiming to impact the site of my injury by feeling the directions and most intense impact areas of the vibrations is key to my workout. Of course, I also use the machine for overall conditioning in a sequence of exercises and am on it far more than the suggested 10 minutes a day. My own time of 20-30 minutes is cited frequently in the literature, although many Amazon users say 10 minutes brings their desired results.

Perceived Benefits From Whole Body Vibration Exercise

Research indicates that the following beneficial gains from properly-executed, whole body vibration exercise accrue to significant numbers of users:

• Enhanced muscle and bone growth.
• Enhanced levels of flexibility in the target muscle.
• Enhanced calorie burning and overall metabolism rates.
• Enhanced delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscle.
• Reduced stress, fat and cellulite.
• Reduced cortisol hormone
• Enhanced overall strength.
• Enhanced balance
• Reduced back pain
• Reduced joint pain

Although the research regarding vibration plate machines is relatively new, companies carrying out their own product reviews into its effectiveness have reported significant alterations in weight loss, muscle tone and strength and flexibility. The equipment has also been demonstrated to bring about beneficial changes in mood, energy levels and blood pressure readings.

Increasing numbers of medical studies confirm these results for large numbers — but not all users — of whole body vibration machines.

Greater Health Benefits In Less Time & Effort

The main selling point of the vibration plate machine is that when used correctly, the physiological benefits are much greater in significantly less time, compared to traditional workouts. I’m not sure I believe that 10 minutes on my machine is the equivalent of an hour of exercise, but a 3-4x factor is very believable to me.

Generally all reviews cite an uncontested improvement in bone density with the vibrating plates, but if you are already suffering from osteoarthritis, do not use the machine without consulting your doctor.

Some reviews argue that there is no significant increase in muscle performance compared to lifting weights or using other exercise equipment. These same reviews don’t give the equivalent amounts of weight that must be lifted and for how long to get the same results. As research about the benefits of whole body vibration exercise accumulates, it’s clear that different benefits accrue with different types of machine vibration plates, with intensity of vibrations (more is not always better) and with the age and overall physical condition of the user.

Vibration Only Is Not Enough

Whole body vibrating machines should not be the only form of exercise but a vehicle for jumpstarting additional aerobic and strength training sessions. Today I will walk two miles outside, a feat that was impossible two months ago. And I train again with weights. Even three weeks ago, I was so comparatively weak that walking one mile with multiple breaks was a challenge.

It’s this rapid response strengthening and loosening of my body, accompanied by a dramatic drop in pain, that has me so enthusiastic about my vibration machine. Each day I set new goals for myself of walking still further. Two miles today is 2.5 miles minimum by next Sunday.

When Googling for information on the health benefits of whole body vibration machines, search for results in the last year. They are much more informative and coming from educational institutions like the University of Calgary and University of Arizona. I will post shortly (in days) as many qualified new research studies as possible on the benefits and drawbacks of vibration plate machines. ~ Anne

Related: A Whole Body Vibration Machine Has High, Quick Impact On Anne’s Injuries

Health Warning

Please note that whole body vibration therapy is comparatively new and should be approached with caution. This week I will share the best of available research on vibration therapy. which is overwhelmingly positive. Understand, though, that even an entry-level machine like the Confidence Fitness Vibration Power Plate Plus machine has a wide range of motion controls. As well as I’m doing, I’ve already ‘overdone it’ and scaled back the intensity of my vibration workout.

Vibration therapy may be dangerous if the intensity of the vibrations is too high. This can cause lumbar injuries and severe back pain. You should not use vibration therapy without first consulting your physician if you have any of the following conditions:

* You are taking blood thinning medications.
* You have advanced diabetes.
* You have heart disease or use a pacemaker.
* You are pregnant.* You have existing joint problems.