You might not be familiar with vibration therapy.
But here’s a secret: This simple wellness technique has improved healing since Ancient Greece. Now, growing evidence suggests vibration therapy may be the key to enhancing your fitness, bone health, and overall well-being.
Thanks to technological advances and ongoing research, it is gaining renewed interest. People have seen the benefits of vibration therapy and are using it in various fields, including:
- Sports medicine
- Pain Management
- Physical rehabilitation and exercise
- Elderly care
- Orthopedic care
- Treatment of diabetic peripheral small fiber neuropathy
Why the Growing Interest in Vibration Therapy?
Vibration therapy has been a tried-and-tested form of treatment for ages that’s backed by research.
Plus, it’s a non-invasive and natural form of treatment. Here are a few reasons why vibration therapy is rising in popularity:
1. Potential Benefits
The potential benefits are vast. Research suggests vibration therapy may help build muscle strength, improve bone density, enhance mobility, and even reduce Parkinson’s symptoms.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Vibration therapy is user-friendly and cost-effective. Sonic vibration therapy devices are becoming a huge part of wellness clinics and homes, making it easier for people to try vibration therapy.
3. Promotes Health
Vibration therapy promotes a healthy lifestyle by providing patients with pain relief, and it can improve sleep quality. Moreover, research suggests that it can improve blood circulation, which contributes to a wide range of positive impacts.
4. Natural and Non-Invasive
Patients are focusing on holistic approaches. And vibration therapy fits right in with holistic health programs.
Sounds promising? Let’s take a closer look at what vibration therapy is and how it works.
What Is Vibration Therapy?
Vibration therapy is a holistic approach that uses vibration to improve well-being and promote healing. Vibration waves are delivered through the body via a vibration plate or machine.
For example, a vibration platform sends energy waves through the entire body. This is referred to as whole-body vibration therapy. This wave energy is then transferred to your body’s muscles.
Gentle vibrations stimulate muscle contractions and engage a broad range of muscle groups. Further, this exercise helps promote strength, flexibility, balance, and mobility.
Vibration therapy may also help relieve pain, enhance bone health, and boost blood circulation.
How Does Vibration Therapy Work?
Vibration therapy delivers rapid, gentle oscillations that transmit energy into the body’s muscles and tissues. These vibrations stimulate muscle fibers, improve circulation, and promote various physiological changes.
Here’s a closer look at how it works:
1. Muscle Contractions
When your body vibrates, it tries to stabilize itself. In addition, this balancing act triggers rapid muscle contractions, typically 20-50 times per second. The number of contractions is ultimately dependent on the frequency of the vibrations.
This involuntary muscle activity helps strengthen and tone the muscles, which is like what happens during exercise.
2. Circulation Improvement
The rapid muscle contractions also boost blood circulation, delivering more nutrients and oxygen to your muscles and flushing out waste products.
For example, a handheld vibrating massage device will increase blood flow to tight muscles, promoting healing and reducing discomfort.
3. Bone Health
There’s also evidence that vibration therapy may stimulate bone-forming cells (osteoblasts), which could help to improve bone density. This has been of interest in treating conditions like osteoporosis.
In this case, whole-body vibration acts like traditional exercise on the body. It applies mechanical stress to the bones, a key factor in maintaining bone health.
4. Pain Relief
Vibrations may stimulate the release of natural endorphins, the body’s pain-relieving compounds, which can help to reduce feelings of pain.
For example, using vibration on areas affected by chronic pain may help to alleviate some of the discomfort, and it’s an emerging treatment option for neuropathy pain.
What factors matter in vibration therapy?
The effectiveness of vibration therapy depends on several factors, such as the technique used, frequency and amplitude of vibrations, duration, and individual health status.
What Are the Health Benefits of Vibration Therapy?
Vibration therapy is a simple, holistic, and non-invasive approach that offers a range of potential benefits for improving well-being. With continuous research and practical applications, here are some key benefits of vibration therapy:
1. Muscle Health & Strength
The rapid muscle contractions caused by vibration stimulate muscle fibers, increasing muscle strength and tone. Research suggests that whole-body vibration therapy can improve physical function and give effects like a workout.
For example, exercise strengthens the bones and tones muscles due to rapid muscle contraction. Vibration therapy works similarly, with the only difference being staying idle or lying on a vibration device.
2. Bone Density Improvement
Vibration therapy can stimulate the activity of osteoblasts, the cells that produce new bone. It’s believed this can lead to improved bone mineral density. This can be especially beneficial for individuals with osteoporosis or those unable to perform traditional weight-bearing exercises.
3. Blood Circulation Improvement
Vibration therapy boosts blood flow, which improves circulation and may speed up the healing process. According to research conducted by NCBI, whole-body vibration therapy positively influences blood flow. Besides healing, improved blood circulation can help improve oxygen and reduce swelling and body pain.
4. Lymphatic Drainage
Lymphatic drainage relieves swelling and pressure from the lymphatic system. It is usually done manually by applying pressure and massaging the targeted area to encourage natural lymph drainage. Another great way of carrying out lymphatic drainage is through vibration therapy.
A whole-body vibration improves circulation, which helps increase lymphatic drainage. It is better than manual massage as it offers quicker results and saves time.
5. Reduce Joint and Back Pain
Vibration therapy can stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Therefore, vibration training has been shown to reduce chronic pain or discomfort from injuries.
6. Improved Balance and Coordination
Vibration therapy can improve proprioception and the body’s ability to sense movement and positioning. In turn, this therapy is used to enhance balance and coordination. This is particularly beneficial for older adults or individuals recovering from injuries.
7. Metabolism Enhancement
We have previously determined that research papers have studied the positive effects of vibration on improved blood flow and muscle tone. This increased activity of muscle toning and body exertion helps enhance metabolism.
8. Enhanced Recovery
Athletes and those recovering from surgeries or injuries may experience quicker recovery times. This is due to increased blood flow and muscle and tissue healing stimulation.
9. Alleviate Stress
Some users find vibration therapy relaxing, which helps reduce stress and promote overall wellness. Mayo Clinic writes, “15 minutes of whole-body vibration therapy at least 3 times a week can help with improved blood flow, weight loss and reduces stress hormone.”
Vibration Therapy: Uses and Key Benefits
What Are the Risks of Vibration Therapy?
While vibration therapy can offer many benefits, it has potential side effects and may not be suitable for everyone. Potential side effects include:
1. Motion Sickness or Dizziness
Some people may experience motion sickness or dizziness during or after using a vibration therapy device. This is especially likely if they are sensitive to movement or have a balance disorder.
2. Headaches
The rapid vibrations may sometimes trigger headaches, particularly in individuals who are prone to migraines or tension headaches.
3. Back or Joint Pain
If not used correctly, the vibrations could potentially lead to or exacerbate back or joint pain. Using a vibration therapy device is important to use correct posture and.
4. Numbness, Tingling Sensation, and Discomfort
Overexposure can lead to a temporary feeling of numbness or tingling. If the vibration intensity is too high, discomfort or pain may occur.
Underlying health conditions may also contribute to pain.
5. Overuse Injuries or Over-Exertion
Like any exercise, overdoing vibration therapy can lead to overuse injuries. It’s important to start slow, monitor your body’s reactions, and not exceed recommended usage times.
6. Prevailing Illness or Medical Conditions
Certain groups of people should avoid vibration therapy altogether.
For example, pregnant women and individuals with acute inflammation or infections should avoid vibration training.
Additionally, those with implanted medical devices, surgical wounds, and certain cardiovascular or neurological conditions should avoid vibration training.
Types of Vibration Therapy
There are two primary types of vibration therapy: Whole-Body Vibration Therapy (WBV) and Focal Vibration Therapy.
1. Whole-Body Vibration Therapy (WBV)
In WBV, the individual stands, sits, or lies on a machine with a vibrating platform. (The Sonix Sonicwave vibration therapy machine is a WBV machine.) As the machine vibrates, it transmits energy to the body, causing muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second.
WBV machines have a range of settings you can adjust for therapeutic effects, including frequency, amplitude, and vibration duration. This therapy often improves bone density, balance, muscle strength, and overall fitness.
2. Focal Vibration Therapy
As opposed to WBV, which aims to stimulate the whole body, focal vibration therapy targets specific muscles or muscle groups. This therapy uses handheld devices like percussive massage guns. Therefore, the wave energy can be delivered to a targeted area.
Focal vibration therapy is now widely used in physical rehabilitation and sports medicine. It enhances muscle performance, speeds up recovery, and manages pain.
Similar Forms of Vibration Therapy
In addition to these, variations in therapy exist. For example, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) and Percussive Therapy are similar treatments that use handheld massage devices. However, they utilize different mechanisms and are not strictly classified as vibration therapy.
Common Uses of Vibration Therapy
Vibration machine therapy has a range of applications. Today, it’s widely used in sports medicine and elderly care to promote strength and mobility. Here are some common uses of vibration therapy:
1. Physical Rehabilitation
Vibration therapy is commonly used in physical therapy and rehab settings. It’s widely used in rehab settings to improve strength, flexibility, and balance. And that’s why it’s useful for patients who are recovering from injuries or surgeries.
2. Sports Medicine
Athletes use vibration therapy to improve performance and aid recovery. It can help increase power and strength, improve flexibility, and reduce muscle soreness after intense workouts.
3. Chronic Pain Management
Vibration therapy may be an effective tool for managing chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis. It reduces muscle tension and improves circulation, which can help alleviate pain.
4. Bone Health
Particularly for conditions such as osteoporosis, vibration therapy can be beneficial. The treatment promotes bone density by stimulating the activity of osteoblasts, the cells that produce new bone.
5. Mobility in the Aging Population
People often experience loss of strength, flexibility, and balance with age, leading to mobility issues. Vibration therapy can assist in combating these problems by improving muscle performance and enhancing balance, thereby reducing the risk of falls.
6. Neurological Disorders
Emerging research suggests vibration therapy may help manage symptoms of neurological conditions. Vibration training has been used for Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and stroke recovery with promising results.
7. Weight Loss and Fitness
Vibration therapy may aid weight loss and fitness by increasing metabolism and muscle growth. High-frequency vibration machines can help stimulate weight loss as the intense vibrations help break down fat cells, further decreasing fat accumulation in that specific area.
Learn More with Hue Light USA
Hue Light is a leader in the alternative healthcare industry. Browse our selection of vibration therapy machines, like the Sonix vibration plate. Vibration is the first phase of our exclusive BAHI therapy wellness program.
To learn more about vibration and BAHI therapy, see the latest Hue Light resources and blog posts. The second phase of BAHI includes molecular hydrogen therapy and red light therapy.