Vibrations shake it up, for some
If you’ve been told to rid yourself of some weight, a machine on its own can’t do it
Vibration machines have popped up in gyms alongside traditional equipment, and manufacturers claim 10 minutes of vibration a day can be equivalent to an hour working out. Standing on a rapidly shaking platform will, according to claims, improve muscle tone and circulation, and accelerate weight loss.
It’s an appealing prospect: stand on a platform and do, well, nothing, while your body seemingly tones and loses weight on its own. But is there evidence these vibration machines actually work as they say they do?
Whole-body vibration therapy was initially developed for athletes to improve the effectiveness of their training. Vibration platforms would be included in some regular conditioning and gym exercises such as squats, press-ups and step-ups.
The athlete stands, sits, lies or does exercises on specifically designed equipment that oscillates, generally in a horizontal plane, at relatively high frequencies.
The theory is that the vibration signals are transferred into body tissues, tendons and muscles, which increases muscle contractions and ultimately improves muscle strength, co-ordination and balance. In the long term, such contractions would increase muscle mass and energy expenditure, leading to better control of blood sugar levels.
Current theory also suggests bone cells are sensitive to this vibration and respond by increasing bone density. This has a further effect on better sugar control.
But these are still only theories. Conclusions remain elusive, because scientific studies vary largely in the vibration parameters used.
A study comparing whole-body vibration with exercise in male mice specifically bred to be become obese and diabetic showed vibration was equivalent to exercise for improving muscle quality, control of blood sugar and improving bone health.
It was also equivalent in reducing fat tissue — especially in the abdomen, which is known as “bad” fat.
But exercise caution when applying findings from this or any other animal study to humans.
There are a number of significant differences between humans and mice. These include size and gait (two legs compared to four). The vibration protocol for rodents would also have probably been more extreme compared with what humans could safely tolerate.
A review of trials for whole body vibration therapy in humans showed the outcomes were far less convincing. Vibration therapy alone (without exercise) — usually three times a week, 10 to 60 minutes a day over periods of six to 52 weeks — does not support meaningful weight loss (more than 5% body weight).
Although small individual studies report weight loss, their methodologies often combine diet or other exercises with vibration therapy. Such benefits are rarely seen with whole body vibration therapy alone.
But isolated whole-body vibration therapy in similar time doses (30 to 60 minutes) does promote physical conditioning, muscle strength, bone health and functional capacity to a similar extent as the currently recommended 30 to 60 minutes of light to moderate exercise a day.
Whole-body vibration therapy has now been tested as a potential stand-alone therapy for a number of patient groups for whom mobility, capacity or desire to undertake exercise is limited but for whom exercise is a recommended therapy.
These groups include those who have suffered cerebrovascular events such as a stroke; those with osteoarthritis with limited mobility; those with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases who find exercising difficult because they struggle to breathe; and those with type 2 diabetes and postmenopausal women who may have limited motivation to undertake exercise.
The studies found benefits of whole-body vibration therapy in these groups. But it was limited to improved bone health and capacity to walk or move from a seated to standing position. These outcomes ultimately reduce the risk of falls and fractures, and increase capacity to undertake activities of daily living.
Body vibration may have a role in preventing weight gain and improving functional capacity and bone health in groups of people for which normal exercise or physical activities are significantly impaired. More rigorous research is still needed.
Overall, if you’re physically able, you’ll have far more benefits taking a 30-minute walk with friends, or spending 30 minutes doing outdoor activities with your family, than from standing in one place being vibrated for 30 to 60 minutes. — theconversation.com