The Health Benefits Of Using A Vibration Plate
The Health Benefits Of Using A Vibration Plate
The vibration plate is a great tool to have in your wellness toolbox. I use mine every morning, and I can tell a huge difference if I miss a session because of traveling, etc.
In this blog post we will be covering the history of the vibration plate.
Also many of the health and exercise benefits including:
Pain Relief
Low-Impact Exercise
Fast Recovery
Strength Training
Decreased Cellulite
Improved Blood Circulation
Better Balance And flexibility
Improved Bone Density
Lower Stress Levels
Healthier Endocrine System
Increased Metabolic Rate
Weight Loss
Fat Loss
Muscle Toning
Lets dig into the history of the vibration plate shall we?…
The first form of vibration therapy was created by the early greeks. The device they used was a lot different than the current devices that we are using today.
There device was simple and effective. It resembled a wooden bow, it had a wooden shaft covered with lumps of cloth and was repeatedly drawn across scabbed flesh wounds.
Their theory behind the design was that the bow would vibrate the injury as it was being drawn back and forth at high speed.
The vibration increased circulation to the affected area and increased HGH (Human Growth Hormone) levels unto the area, this process helps to speed up the healing treatment.
This process also helped with lymphatic drainage which would help remove puss and toxins from the area, making the body’s repair process more effective.
These greek physicians were for sure the forefathers of vibration therapy.
Lets jump ahead to 1870 when Swedish physician Dr. Jonas Gustav Zander designed and built a vibration therapy device around Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion.
Many of his devices were used in therapy centers and medical facilities, which eventually transformed into the gyms of today.
This same design was later redesigned by Arthur Jones and released under his Nautilus brand, which are still seen in gyms of today.
This brings us to the 1960’s.
It was in the 1960’s that Bierman starting testing the principles of the whole body vibration on lower body flexibility.
These tests were later used by the Russians to help athletes.
Russia also used these tests to aid with their cosmonauts in their space race of the time.
Nasa also quickly used vibration therapy to prepare their astronauts, with great results.
An Italian physiologist named Carmelo Bosco began studies for private manufactures at the turn of the century, leading to the vibration therapy devices we have today.
Modern day research using the latest technological advances has given manufacturers much more in depth knowledge to create the most effective, and the safest vibration machines ever made. (slim vibes)
Wow…that was a lot of vibration history!
Lets dive into the health benefits of this vibration train :)
Pain Relief:
Vibration plates can improve blood circulation, unwind sore muscles, and improve posture. There are plenty of studies showing the reduction of pain using vibration therapy, especially for muscle cramps, joint pain and those with sciatica.
Low impact exercise:
High impact exercise has its place, but is not always the route for some to begin with, or utilize in different situations.
Vibration therapy is a great tool to use for those suffering with Parkinson’s, sciatica, arthritis, low energy levels, or are pregnant.
You can’t rely solely on the vibration therapy for weight loss, but it has its place. According to research if you cannot participate in traditional exercise because of restrictions, vibration therapy will help improve how fast you can move and your strength level.
Fast recovery:
If you are recovering from an illness, or are bed ridden, more stimulated muscles and a better blood flow increase your recovery time. Always check with your doctor before starting any new therapy as always.
If you are cramped, stiff, and sore from along day of being at the office, your vibration plate can reduce aches and pains in as little as a few minutes.
After working out if you are extremely sore, simply resting or standing on your vibration plate gets the lactic acid out of your system and improves blood flow.
Strength training:
You can utilize your vibration plate for strength training as well as your recovery.
You can perform various body weight exercises including squats and lunges, all the way to push-ups.
The vibration plate will add a challenge to any exercise you wish to perform on it, this will intensify the exercise making you stronger, and more fit faster.
Decrease Cellulite:
One of the benefits from vibration therapy is increased collagen production.
This in accomplished because your hormones are all working at their peak level, your metabolism is in high gear, and your blood circulation is improved.
Collagen is the hormone that is involved in making your skin smoother.
As you reduce your fat levels and your collagen levels are accelerated, your cellulite levels are reduced.
Improve blood circulation:
Studies have shown that vibration therapy improves blood circulation because they activate blood flow.
Some effects of poor circulation are edema, and cold feet and hands.
Vibration therapy increases emphatic flow, which allows your blood to circulate freely, and drain fluid from your problem areas, which helps irrigate your limbs.
Improving your blood circulation may reduce your chance of diabetes, as your insulin is better metabolized throughout your body, your risk of heart issues may also be reduced.
Better balance and flexibility:
A vibration plate makes your brain think it is falling, this challenges your balance.
By contracting your lower-back and core muscles, your body is keeping you on the vibration plate, in turn working your core and improving your balance.
Improved core strength leads to better balance. This will also lead to better flexibility in your life every day.
Better core strength, balance, and flexibility lead to better overall posture Better posture will significantly decrease pre-existing chronic pain, also the chances of back pain.
Improved bone density:
In 2004 a study was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research by Belgium researchers showing a 1% increase in those who used vibration plates.
An increase in overall muscle strength was also noted in this six month study.
Those who were studied were using their vibration platforms for 30 minutes, three times weekly.
Lower stress levels:
Cortisol is the stress hormone, the one that makes you feel icky, agitated, anxious, and angry.
Good hormone production and a working metabolism help keep your cortisol levels in check.
High levels of cortisol will also effect your sleep, causing insomnia, or trouble achieving REM sleep, the stage that makes you feel more rested.
Using your vibration plate as as massager, and also by simply being exciting and fun to use, helps to release serotonin, and to activate endorphins, hormones produced by by the pleasure and happiness centers in your brain.
Healthier endocrine system:
Your Endocrine system is benefited by a healthy metabolism.
Using a vibration plate may improve hormonal problems such as menstrual pain, acne, or thyroid related problems.
Increased metabolic rate:
As you decrease your body fat, and improve your muscle mass, your resting metabolic rate increases.
If you are on a weight loss plateau, this will help counter balance the negative effects of such.
When you are resting/recovering, or on a crash diet (ewww), your body will turn on its survival mode , storing fat and decreasing your metabolic rate so you use less energy than your regular use.
An increased metabolic rate translates to an increased energy expenditure, even when you are resting so you will have a more healthy metabolism.
Weight Loss:
Toning your muscles and losing fat are the foundations of weight loss.
The more fat deposits you burn through, the better your chance at weight loss.
The reasoning behind this is that increased muscle mass burns more calories while you are at rest/recovery than your adipose tissue.
The vibration plate is a good tool in your weightless toolbox, healthy clean nutrition (clean food, clean water) and doing exercises that challenge you are crucial to your weight loss success.
Fat loss:
Researchers confirm that using a vibration plate is effective, just as running on the treadmill is when it comes to weight loss.
The whole body vibrations sent through your body can reduce fat deposits, especially in the core area, and activate your liver.
By activating your liver, the fat is metabolized at a faster rate instead of transforming it into glucose.
Muscle toning:
Different vibration platforms move at different frequencies. Some being as high as 30 to 50 vibrations per second.
These different vibration numbers make your muscles contract at different levels as well. The higher the number , your muscles think that you are exercising.
Vibration plates have their role in muscle toning, but do not replace weight training.
You will also have to embrace resistance training if you are wanting to get tone, but the vibration plate will help for sure.
As you can see there vibration plate is an amazing addition to your toolbox of wellness.
One thing I came across in my research was to make sure you buy a single motor vibration plate, not a dual motor.
The motors will never be quite in sync, and this not good for your body.
There are plenty of good vibration plates on amazon from $200 to $3500. Just remember you will get what you pay for with these devices.
If it is cheaper than $200, it may not do what you want it to do, or for as long.
The one we have was a couple hundred dollars, and works well. I will post a link below of a vibration plate similar to ours, I can no longer find ours on Amazon.
Enjoy your new adventure of health on your vibration plate…
Here’s to your health…
Cheers!
