Vibration plates have become a popular exercise tool due to their weight-loss benefits, however, despite being known best for their role in improving body composition, the use of vibration plates goes beyond weight loss alone. Vibration therapy has been shown to result in systemic health improvements when used regularly and is commonly used towards the treatment of back pain and to reduce cellulite.
Here, we’ll discuss these health benefits in further detail and review some of the leading studies available on vibration plates and the use of vibration therapy.
Vibration Plate Benefits
In general, vibration plate training requires standing on a vibration plate while maintaining several poses. As the vibration begins, you’ll notice that there are far more muscle contractions taking place. Vibration plates increase muscle contraction up to 30 to 50 times per second, compared to the usual contraction rate of one to two times per second. They also cause more than 90% of muscle fibers to work throughout a vibration plate session, all while allowing you to exert less effort than you normally would while performing standard exercises.
Some people may ask if vibration plates are indeed effective and credible. Well, the answer to that is yes. Numerous studies support the efficacy of vibration plates and they come with more than one benefit. Here are the following key benefits of using vibration plates.
Vibration Plates For Weight Loss
Vibration plates are commonly advertised and marketed as an excellent way to lose weight while building muscle. They may not be effective for everyone, but research has shown that their use can aid weight loss in some individuals, especially in people who are obese.
The concept of whole-body vibration training involves exercising on a vibration platform. Numerous muscle groups respond to the mechanically generated vibrations which stimulates eccentric-concentric muscular work and reflexive muscle contraction.
A 2018 study from Italy focused on whole-body vibration training (WBVT) in obese subjects. Researchers discovered improvements in cardiac autonomic function and reductions in central/peripheral arterial stiffness in obese women who participated in 3 vibration therapy sessions per week for at least 6 weeks. Each session involved exercises that were performed on platforms vibrating at 25-40 Hz and they also discovered that 10 weeks of WBVT resulted in significant fat mass reduction and enhanced glucose regulation when added to a hypocaloric diet.
Another study examined the effectiveness of vibration plates combined with activities by combining whole-body vibration training and endurance training in obese women. The results showed that weight loss was not common during the training period, however, there was a significant decrease in waist circumference and fat mass percentage, thus showing that whole-body vibration training has a beneficial effect when combined with endurance training.
Vibration Plates For Back Pain
It’s no secret that poor posture or overuse of the back muscles are common causes of back pain. While this pain is rarely life-threatening, it can have an impact on your overall well-being. There are various methods for treating back pain, one of which is using vibration plates. Studies have shown that standing on a vibration plate will train and relax the back muscles, causing muscle tension and circulation changes.
A Chinese study used a systematic review design to investigate the effects of whole-body vibration therapy on patients with lower back pain. Related literature included 6 published articles, 4 of which showed that whole-body vibration training reduced pain compared to a control group.
Another research study explored the effects of whole-body vibration therapy and physiotherapy on the postural stability of people suffering from back pain. The study optimized a two-step prospective randomized trial by evaluating the postural stability of 65 patients with back pain. The first goal was to assess the difference in postural stability in back pain and non-back pain patients. The next was to determine the impact of whole-body vibration therapy and physiotherapy on postural stability and the effect of depressive symptoms and pain.
According to the study’s findings, both physiotherapy and whole-body vibration therapy improve postural stability, with the physiotherapy group showing a partial improvement. Aside from that, there was no difference between the two treatments. It was also found that whole-body vibration therapy is less effective than physiotherapy in improving strength, dealing with pain, and maintaining postural stability. This could be due to the vibration intensity protocols and exercise settings that were implemented.
Vibration Plates For Cellulite
Cellulite makes the skin look bloated and lumpy due to the collection of fat pushing tissues beneath the skin. Cellulite commonly appears on the stomach, thighs, legs, and buttocks.
Cellulite is widely visible in overweight individuals, but it can also occur in thin, average, and underweight people. Altogether, body fat percentage has nothing to do with cellulite, but rather it’s due to fat structure.
There are different remedies in reducing cellulite and one of the most effective is the use of vibration plates. A particular study evaluated the effect of whole-body vibration on cellulite in women’s gluteal regions. The researchers used a controlled clinical trial with 42 women split into two groups, one which underwent whole-body vibration testing and another was a control group.
The study results showed no difference in intra- and intergroup analysis in body contour and perimetry. Although in terms of assessment improvement and aesthetic satisfaction, the whole-body vibration group was significantly higher than the control group. Additionally, whole-body vibration improved the cellulite aspect when subjected to a blind review.
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Studies You Can Read About Vibration Plate Benefits
- Whole-body vibration training in obese subjects: A systematic review (PLoS One, 2018)
- Whole-body vibration slows the acquisition of fat in mature female rats (International Journal of Obesity, 2008)
- Whole Body Vibration Added to Endurance Training in Obese Women – A Pilot Study (International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2012)
- Efficacy of whole-body vibration therapy on pain and functional ability in people with non-specific low back pain: A systematic review (BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2020)
- Effects of Whole Body Vibration Therapy and Classic Physiotherapy on Postural Stability in People With Back Pain (Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., 2019)
- Whole-body vibration in the reduction of the cellulite (Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2018)
Editor’s note: we are regularly updating this review. If you see any problems, weird interpretations of the data, or just want to say hi, please reach out to hello@the-unwinder.com.
Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya on Unsplash
