Whole Body Vibration therapy is one of the biggest things in fitness right now. Health centers dedicated to this passive form of exercise are popping up all over the country and, indeed, the world.
Vibration exercise proponents say it delivers a total body workout that promotes weight loss, tones muscles, and increases bone density.
They also claim that it can assist with pain management.
Sessions on the machine are relaxing and invigorating, and 3 x 15-minute sessions a week will get results.
This article will look at the Whole Body Vibration Machine – AKA the Vibration Platform or Vibration Plate – along with the potential benefits of Whole Body Vibration Therapy.
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Origins of Whole Body Vibration Machines
Whole Body Vibration therapy dates back to 1857. Invented by a Swede, Doctor Gustav Zander, Zander developed approximately 70 exercise machines and founded a chain of health clubs known as the Zander Institute.
Some 38 years later, in 1895, a Whole Body Vibration Machine in the form of a chair was invented by Kellog’s Cornflake creator, Dr. John Harvey Kellog.
It was advertised as a cure-all for everything from back pain to headaches and constipation. Unlike the gentle vibration of today’s machines, Dr. Kellog’s model shook violently.
Kellog later created a Vibration Platform, which the exerciser used while standing. This machine aimed to stimulate the internal organs.
Fast forward to 1960, when the Germans began using vibration therapy as a form of exercise. Known as Rhythmic Neuromuscular Stimulation, vibration exercise techniques soon caught the attention of Soviet gymnast and sports scientist Dr. Vladimir Nazarov.
A chairman for sports biomechanics at the State College in Minsk, Dr. Nazarov introduced vibration exercise to the medical field, professional athletes, and ballet dancers of the day.
It’s claimed that the primary reason Russian cosmonauts were able to spend a record-breaking 420 days in outer space was due to vibration exercise and its positive effect on building and strengthening bones and muscles.
This is in stark contrast to NASA astronauts who were forced to return to Earth after 120 days due to bone density and muscle tissue loss caused by exposure to zero gravity in outer space.
At the time, American astronauts used traditional exercise equipment to train for missions. NASA has since included vibration exercise in its training program.
How do Vibration Plates Work?
The platform of the WBV machine vibrates rapidly at around thirty times per second. When standing on the platform, our body “thinks” it is about to fall.
To maintain balance, our muscles involuntarily contract very rapidly in a process known as “stress reflex”. Stress reflex is said to be responsible for most of the benefits the Vibration Plate delivers.
Depending on your reason for using it, you can also recline or sit on the Vibration Plate.
What are Whole Body Vibration Benefits?
Proponents of Whole Body Vibration therapy count among its benefits: increased muscular strength, improved circulation, 
flexibility and stability, a greater range of motion, core conditioning, and a faster muscle recovery time after exercising.
It is also said to improve muscle tone without stressing the joints.
This is particularly beneficial for people who cannot do strenuous exercise due to joint or health problems.
Other possible Whole Body Vibration benefits include a faster metabolic rate and an increased sense of calm due to a reduction in cortisol (the stress hormone) that workouts deliver.
Additional advantages include a higher HGH level, better lymphatic flow, and increased bone density.
Other Whole Body Vibration benefits attributed to the therapy include cellulite reduction and increased collagen production for smoother and more youthful skin.
Does WBV Therapy Really Work?
Medical professionals have widely acknowledged that Whole Body Vibration Therapy does indeed have merit. Some have stated that it can increase bone density considerably beyond what traditional exercise can deliver.
Many healthcare professionals also agree that it effectively improves circulation and stimulates the muscles.
Some are skeptical about WBV’s ability to promote weight loss and reduce cellulite, as few studies have focused on this.
On the other hand, many fans of the machine claim to have steadily lost weight and eliminated or significantly reduced their cellulite since regularly engaging in vibration exercises.
Final Thoughts on Whole Body Vibration Therapy
Not everyone agrees on all of the advantages of vibration exercise. However, its ability to deliver some significant therapeutic benefits is not in dispute.
Though I don’t use a Vibration Plate myself, my mom does, and she swears by it. The brand she uses is the Confidence Fitness Vibration Plate. With regular use, mom is back at a weight she hasn’t been for 20 years.
Her muscle tone has improved, and her cellulite has all but disappeared. More importantly, mom attributes the apparatus with ridding her of debilitating back pain.
Mom’s always had great skin, so whether WBV sessions have built more collagen, I can’t say. Her skin does seem to have more of a glow these days, but that could be due to her feeling happier and better in herself.
I can’t guarantee Whole Body Vibration therapy will work for you, but knowing the difference it has made to my mom’s appearance and quality of life, I have no hesitation in recommending it, especially to anyone who has chronic pain and is unable to partake in traditional exercise.
It would also be a great option for those who want to do all they can to prevent osteoporosis and stay more fit and healthy as they age.
