Vibration Plates
The use of vibration plates (aka vibration platforms) has increased significantly in recent years but what they do is not as obvious as it is for bikes, treadmills or rowing machines; nor are the benefits of vibration training as well-known as straightforward cardio-training.
So if you’re wondering what vibration plates do and what the benefits of vibration training are, you’re in the right place.
Unlike pedalling, rowing etc. on cardio machines to raise the heart rate, with the vibration machine, you stand, or sit or lie or place part of your body on the plate while it vibrates. The effect is to help increase the amount of work the muscles do.
How do they work?
To understand how it works, you have to understand a little about how the body works –
The purpose of the cardio-vascular system is to provide oxygen and nutrients for the muscles as and when required. The only thing a muscle can do is contract (or release its contraction), so the amount of work they do is determined by the number of times and the intensity with which your muscles are contracted and released.
When we stand still, there are numerous muscles which act in opposition to each other to retain our balance. Generally, because our reactions to losing balance are fine-tuned, the muscles are constantly micro-managing our balance and not much contraction is required. If, however, the platform you are standing on is unbalanced, your muscles are called in to action to a greater extent. This is termed ‘instability training’.
What vibration machines do is create an unstable platform to which your muscles instantly respond. The rate at which the machine vibrates, and its amplitude – the size of the wobble – is much greater than normal, so your muscles are having to do much more work in a short period of time.
Engaging muscles while using the plate will therefore have a greater effect and, basically, magnifies whatever the exercise is. If your time is at a premium, exercising with a vibration machine can reduce your exercise time to a fraction of your current regime.
Origins of the vibration plate
Most of the normal exercise that we do relies on lifting our bodies or external weights against the force of gravity, which is something of a problem for astronauts, since gravity is seriously lacking in space! Thus the idea of using repeating vibrations to stimulate muscles was proposed. In fact, NASA have tested it with a view to compensating for loss of muscle and bone density experienced by Astronauts in extended space trips. There could well be a vibration plate on the first manned trip to Mars!
What kind of exercise does Vibration Training involve?
The most basic and passive exercise using a vibration platform merely involves standing on it with the knee slightly bent and, for some people, that may be all that there can manage. Just standing on the machine can provide some instability training and is definitely better than not exercising.
One can also use a vibration plate as a source of Vibration Massage. One study found that 5 minutes of massage at either 30 Hz or 50 Hz significantly increases the skin blood flow and thus circulation in the arms. Performing massage on the 50 Hz setting has additional benefits by increasing the blood flow more rapidly and retaining the level during the recovery period, making the effects longer lasting.
However, you will achieve much better results and realise the potential of the vibration machine if you include active exercises with the plate.
Most exercises which can be performed while standing in one place – e.g. many routines involving weights – can add to their effectiveness. Other exercises such as push-ups, with feet on the floor and hands on the platform, or vice-versa; crunches, stretches, and strength training using the straps attached to the machine can all make a difference to the results achieved.
Whole Body Vibration (WBV) Training
As mentioned above, while some exercises can either be performed with only part of the body on the platform, the majority are conducted while standing on it. When all of your weight is on the machine, your whole body will vibrate accordingly, hence the term Whole Body Vibration (or WBV) training.
Claims for WBV training include the following:
- Increased Muscle Strength
- Increased fat loss / weight loss
- Increased bone mineral density
- Increased flexibility and mobility
- Improved balance and proprioception
- Improved blood circulation
- Increased lymphatic drainage
- Improved speed of recovery from injury
- Increased testosterone
- Increased Growth Hormone
- Reduction in Cortisol level
- Pain reduction
- Reduced cellulite
- Improved overall fitness with a significant reduction in time required for exercise
- … and more
Quite a list! Given the many claims made about it, you’ve probably got a few questions.
Is there evidence to back up the claims about vibration training?
A fair amount of vibration training research has been conducted in recent times but it’s fair to say that more is needed, especially in regard to long-term effects, and more large-scale studies are needed. Many of the studies so far have involved relatively small numbers of people. Nonetheless, we’ll summarise some below:
Studies of Vibration Training on Younger People
WBV Training on Young Men
One study observed an increase in the mechanical power output of the leg extensor muscles, improvement in neuromuscular efficiency and enhanced jumping performance. The biological mechanism produced by vibration is similar to the effect produced by explosive power training. Furthermore, blood plasma samples taken showed a significant increase in the concentration of Testosterone and Growth Hormone and a decrease in Cortisol levels
Posture in young men
A four-week study on posture to determine both the short- and long-term effects of whole-body vibration. The subjects were exposed to vibrations three times each week.
Over the long term, vibration training significantly shortened rambling and trembling motions in a frontal plane. Based on these results, researchers concluded that long-term vibration training improves posture stability of young men in the frontal plane.
Passive WBV on young people
A study involving young men & women receiving passive WBV sitting on a chair mounted on a vibrating platform showed that 2 minutes passive WBV has positive acute effects on attention and inhibition in young adults.
Vibration Training for Post-Menopausal Women
A 24-week study compared WBV with Resistance training. The duration of the WBV program was a maximum of 30 minutes, which included warming up and cooling down.
Each Resistance program lasted for about 1 hour in total. Vibration training significantly increased bone mineral density of the hip. These findings suggest that WBV training might be useful in the prevention of osteoporosis. WBV training resulted in a significant 17.6% net benefit in isometric quadriceps strength and a 14.2% net benefit in Dynamic strength.
Another study concluded that, in older women, resistance training alone and with whole-body vibration resulted in positive body composition changes by increasing lean tissue. However, only the combination of resistance training and whole-body vibration was effective for decreasing percent body fat.
Benefits of Vibration Training for Elderly People
A one-year trial concluded that WBV training in community-dwelling elderly appears to be efficient to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength.
Another study among people with an average age of 72.6, standing on a ‘low frequency oscillation loading device’ at 20-30Hz vibrations 3 times a week demonstrated that, after 6 months, balance-function improved significantly. This suggests that WBV could possibly prevents falls by improving standing balance in elderly subjects. This, combined with the positive effects on bone-density – a main reason why NASA became interested – could be a major help in preventing fractures in those with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide – approximately one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80 and two-thirds of women aged 90. It is estimated that the residual lifetime risk of experiencing an osteoporotic fracture in men over the age of 50 is up to 27%, higher than the lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer (11.3%)[https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-statistics]
A 3rd study with elderly subjects concluded that fast and easy exercises, 3 times a week during 6 weeks, using WBV apparatus, could improve the quality of life, the walk, the balance and the motor capacity in elderly patients
Benefits of Vibration Training for Fat-Loss
In one longer term study, it was found that, in obese adults, Whole Body Vibration training may have the potential to reduce fat around internal organs (Visceral Adipose Tissue) more than aerobic exercise, making it a meaningful addition to weight loss programs.
Vibration Training & Cellulite Reduction
A study suggested that Vibration plate training can reduce the appearance of cellulite, and accelerate and enhance collagen remodelling. In six months, exercising 2 or 3 times a week in 8-13 minute sessions, the WBV group achieved a 25.7% reduction of cellulite on thighs and buttocks. The WBV + cardio group exercising as above plus 24-48 minutes of cardio training achieved a 32.3% reduction.
Are there any dangers / downsides to vibration training?
There is a small potential risk involved in the use of vibration. However, the main risks seem to involve heavy vibration over a sustained period, such as those suffered by users of pneumatic power tools.
With the more powerful, high-end vibration platforms, it may be advisable for older people to avoid prolonged use at higher magnitude settings.
As mentioned above, most experts recommend bending the knees while standing on the platform to absorb some of the impact and avoid any jarring or transmission through the spine which may occur if you put your weight on your heels.
For most use, however, use of vibration training is considered zero-to-low risk and the benefits seem to vastly outweigh what little risk there is.
As always, it would be worthwhile, especially for the elderly or those with osteoporosis, to get advice from your medical practitioner before going ahead with a programme of vibration training.
Conclusion
Vibration training seems to be able to everyone to some extent, young or old, fit or infirm, healthy or not, but some groups do seem to benefit even more than others.
Because you don’t have to put much strain onto any particular muscle, and because you can maintain a good posture, it can be a useful way to exercise and regain strength when you have been injured or, for example, have a bad back.
In the young and healthy, the greatest benefits seem to be gained from combining vibration training together with resistance training and other forms of fitness activity.
For post-menopausal women and the elderly, improvements in muscle strength, balance, and bone density are a big incentive (and the main reason my wife bought one as her mother suffered from osteoporosis).
Studies have shown increased weight loss in comparison with standard exercise regimes, but more specifically a reduction in the fat surrounding internal organs – in tandem with a managed diet. There is simply no type of exercise, or exercise machine, which will make you lose weight without also eating healthily.
There are also apparent benefits for the reduction of cellulite. But the apparent benefits are not merely physical. One study on young men showed that they seemed to gain benefits in cognitive function (e.g. attention, memory, reasoning ability etc…) even from passive vibration training, but there does not seem to be any reason to assume that such benefits are restricted to young men.
The research so far does clearly seem to indicate that vibration training has the potential to help anyone, regardless of current fitness level. But if you’re elderly, osteopoenic, overweight or wishing to reduce cellulite, you have an extra incentive to get one and use it every day.
I have the model below and bought one for my parents, which is my recommendation in a nutshell.
[amazon box=”B00GNEE3TQ”]
References
- Hormonal responses to whole-body vibration in men. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10774867
- ref: https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/4-promising-studies-on-the-benefits-of-vibration-training
- PLoS One. 2014 Jun 20;9(6):e100506. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100506. eCollection 2014.
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1359/JBMR.0301245/full
- Age and Ageing, Volume 38, Issue 4, 1 July 2009, Pages 448–454, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afp067
- http://www.fullbodyvibration.com/PDF/Whole-Body%20Vibration%20Exercise%20In%20The%20Elderly%20People.pdf
- http://www.fullbodyvibration.com/PDF/Controlled%20WBV%20to%20decrease%20fall%20risk%20and%20improve%20related%20quality%20of%20life%20in%20elderly.pdf
- Obesity facts. Online published April 7, 2010 ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20484941
- https://powerplate.com/Education-and-Training/Research/Whole-Body-Vibration-Helps-Reduce-Cellulite
- https://powerplate.com/Education-and-Training/Research/Regular-Massage-on-a-Power-Plate-Can-Help-Improve
