Sciatica isn’t a disorder. Instead, sciatica is a symptom of another problem involving the nerve.  Sciatica frequently occurs when a nerve root is compressed in your lower spine, often as a result of a herniated disk in your lower back. Disks are pads of cartilage that separate the vertebrae in your spine. They keep your spine flexible and act as shock absorbers to cushion the vertebrae when you move.  Depending on the cause, the pain of acute sciatica can be very uncomfortable.  

Whole Body Vibration has proven to be effective in reducing pain sensation and pain-related disability in people affected by chronic low back pain and sciatica. 

WBV creates a “micro-massaging” effect on all tissues in the body helping to improve blood flow and loosen tight areas.  It is known that a loss of proprioception can lead to neuromuscular dysfunction and likely poor segmental stability in people with low back pain.  This can lead to an increased risk of injury or further injury. 

  
In order to effectively treat low back pain or sciatica, proprioception training is usually considered as an important element of a rehabilitation exercise program.
Whole Body Vibration is a therapy and exercise modality that improves muscle function along with proprioception.  A person’s proprioception is challenged just by standing on the machine. Performing dynamic exercises while on the platform adds a greater challenge that produces extraordinary results. 

Whole Body Vibration is a great tool for increasing flexibility, range of motion and mobility.  It has also been shown to reduce joint, ligament stress, and chronic pain.

It is important to focus on range of motion, strengthening, and aerobic benefits when exercising to benefit arthritis.  A lot of times a rebounder (aka: mini trampoline) is recommended for a light workout.  By bouncing lightly on the rebounder it helps to stimulate lymphatic drainage. 

Whole Body Vibration can provide these same results, but in a much shorter amount of time.  For example: when standing on a vertical vibration platform that is set for 20 HZ your muscles are contracting and relaxing 20 times per second in response to the vibrations.  This is like jumping 20 times per second on a rebounder!  The vibration stimulus travels straight up through the body.  Your whole bodyweight is being mobilized to circulate lymphatic fluids.  This creates the same benefits as a rebounder, just in a much shorter amount of time.

Exercise can reduce pain and disability by decreasing muscle inhibition and by improving local circulation.  Unfortunately, most arthritis sufferers tend to not adhere to an exercise regimen due to the discomfort associated with working out.  The more difficult the exercise, the less likely they will do it.  Whole body vibration is particularly suited for these people because it exercises the postural system.  WBV is easy to use, the exercise sessions are short and best of all it is safe.      

Whole Body Vibration is a great option to relieve arthritis pain and suffering, maybe even reverse the effects naturally.

This can allow the patient to perform traction with higher loads for longer periods of time.  The physical effects of prolonged vibration may be very beneficial in 10-20 minute intervals for postural/structural corrective traction procedures.   

When the body is stimulated by vibration, muscle activity is necessary for dampening the vibratory waves.  This is called the “tonic vibration reflex” where the muscle tension linearly increases with the frequency of the vibration.  Frequencies of vibration between 20-50 Hz spread well through contracted or stretched muscles.  Using WBV will also create more circulation of the blood in the muscles creating a thermal effect that enhances flexibility.  Stretching exercises are enhanced if done on a vibrating platform. Not only because of the increased blood flow already mentioned, but because vibration appears to inhibit activation of antagonist muscles, improve neuromuscular coordination and produce a pronounced analgesic effect.
Doctors have reported seeing fast results while combining WBV with traction over an entire treatment cycle.  Often, the patient’s posture along with overall extension and flexion will be greatly improved.

There is growing support for the use of resistance training in stroke rehabilitation, but there are several factors that still limit the use in a rehabilitation program.  After a stroke many patients have low motivation, attention and tolerance to discomfort, and an increased vulnerability to stress. In addition, activation of muscles is reduced due to changes in motor unit number, recruitment, discharge rates, and in balance between agonist and antagonist muscles. Therefore, exertion of high voluntary force may not be an ideal rehabilitation option for stroke patients.

A study was completed to determine the effect of Whole Body Vibration on isometric and eccentric torque and electromyography (EMG) variables of knee extensors on the affected side of stroke patients.  Sixteen patients were enrolled in an inpatient rehabilitation program after a stroke.  Eight patients were randomly assigned to the vibration group and received 20 Hz vibration (5mm amplitude) while standing on a vibration platform for 1 minute six times in one session. Patients in the control group also stood on the platform but did not receive vibration. 

Isometric and eccentric knee extension torque increased 36.6% and 22.2%, respectively, after vibration and 8.4% and 5.3% in the control group. Vibration increased EMG amplitude 44.9% and the median frequency in the vastus lateralis by 13.1% without changes in the control group (10.6% and 3.9%). Vibration improved the ability to generate mechanical work during eccentric contraction by 17.5%.

These results suggest that one session of whole body vibration can quickly increase voluntary force and muscle activation of the quadriceps muscle affected by a stroke.  One session of whole body vibration (20 Hz frequency, 5mm amplitude) was shown to quickly increase isometric and eccentric strength of knee extensors at the affected side.  Whole body vibration may help to increase the effectiveness of an additional functional rehabilitation program.

A doctor may recommend therapies to help relieve your pain. For example:

• Rest your knee or avoid activities that make your pain worse.
• Put ice on your knee for 20 to 30 minutes a few times a day to reduce inflammation and ease the pain.
• Take an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
• Do physical therapy or certain exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the joint.

For physical therapy and strengthening exercises of the knee Whole Body Vibration is a great option.   A study was completed to assess the effects of WBV exercise on muscle strength and proprioception in female patients with osteoarthritis in the knee.  They were randomly assigned to one of three groups:  WBV-on a stable platform, WBV-on a balance board, or a control group. 

The WBV groups trained twice a week for 8 weeks with an intensity gradually increasing.  The WBV groups performed unloaded static WBV exercise.  The following were measured: knee muscle strength (extension/flexion) and proprioception (threshold for detection of passive movement (TDPM).

It was found that muscle strength increased significantly in the WBV-stable platform compared to the control group.  TDPM was also significantly improved in the WBV-balance board group compared to the control group.  This study showed that the WBV-exercise regime on a stable platform yielded increased muscle strength, while the WBV-exercise on a balance board showed improved threshold for detection of passive movement.

This study shows that WBV exercise is a safe, fast, and effective method for rehabilitation of women with knee Osteoarthritis.

Research has shown that Whole Body Vibration can help improve skin by reducing cellulite.  WBV causes increased local circulation to targeted areas resulting in a decrease of fat, stronger skin and connective tissue.  By using WBV regularly muscle mass will increase, and fat burning increases helping to keep cellulite away. 

A study was completed to determine if WBV was beneficial in treating cellulite.  For this study, 24 women participated in vibration training for 24 weeks, and 31 women participated in vibration training with cardio exercise.  After 24 weeks the results were amazing!  The vibration training group showed a decrease of 25.68% in cellulite.  The vibration training combined with cardio provided a decrease of 32.30% in cellulite. 

To reduce cellulite, it’s important to increase muscle tone and replace fat stores with lean muscle.  Whole Body Vibration is a safe, fast solution in fighting cellulite.  To help maintain results it is important to eat a healthy diet and reduce intake of alcohol, refined sugars, and caffeine.

If you’ve been battling cellulite, try adding Whole Body Vibration to your workout and get amazing results….fast!

A dual motor machine can produce a significant amount of force causing the vibrations to feel very intense.  If the machine has a large workout platform and is being used to primarily increase athletic performance this is a good thing.  However, dual motors with a smaller platform may cause too much neurologic integration causing sensory overload.  Whole Body Vibration stimulates every muscle, ligament, and tendon providing feedback to the brain.  Vibrations that are too strong can be very uncomfortable and can actually harm someone that is using the machine to treat a condition.  It’s almost impossible to get 2 motors to work at the exact same frequency at the same time.  Therefore it is not really delivering a consistent stimulus to do the right brain mapping for neurologic integration.  

A single motor machine is capable of producing adequate force for a more comfortable vibration.  These types of machines are great for 98% of the general public that tend to be de-conditioned.  They produce a desired amount of amplitude that is beneficial to the human body and not too intense.  Single motor machines provide a consistent stimulus for neurologic integration.   A single motor device therefore will balance the body and brain, helping to put your body into a whole brain functioning state.  High amplitudes are not typically achieved using a single motor system but the beneficial effect is still obtained. High amplitude is really not the most important mechanical objective in Whole Body Vibration.   

If you plan on using a machine for home use or rehabilitation, a one motor unit is best.  Only stand on a dual motor system if being supervised by a personal trainer or other WBV expert.  A more intense muscle contraction can be achieved using a dual motor system but guidance is necessary.

Most people believe that more is better, but when it comes to Whole Body Vibration this is not the case.

 One study recruited moderately trained individuals that have jumping as an important part of their training.  Participants were allocated to an intervention or control group.  The intervention group was exposed to Whole Body Vibration training at 35 HZ for 5 minutes twice a week.  The control group was exposed to similar isometric contraction stress without WBV. 

After only 6 weeks it was found that vertical jump height increased significantly in the WBV group.  Whole Body Vibration was also able to maintain vertical jump height with less than 10 minutes of use per week.  WBV should be considered an efficient intervention for maintaining jump performance.

Whole Body Vibration exercises primarily rely on the involuntary stretch reflex of mechanoreceptors creating greater communication between the brain and contracting muscles. This concept is important during neuromuscular re-education because the increase in involuntary muscle response creates a jump-start effect on the muscle spindles.  The response is called a tonic vibration reflex. The reflex amplifies the neuromuscular efficiency by stimulating 100 percent of muscle spindles at the same frequency of the vibration.

Current research on WBV reveals promising results for increasing endocrine function, metabolic processes, and for neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation. Studies also confirm that its use has produced successful functional outcomes in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI), and improved postural stability and balance in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients.

Whole Body Vibration offers a low-impact exercise program that offers results without the risk of hurting fragile or injured joints and bones.  Also, the benefit of exercise to the brain is clearly documented and is responsible for enhancing memory and cognitive function.  Research supports that voluntary exercise increases neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus and improves spatial learning ability.  Research from over 30 years ago led to many more studies showing that axons of neurons in the brain and spinal cord can regrow to some degree after trauma. This research has encouraged universities and rehabilitation centers across the world to study the effects of WBV in the Central Nervous System.

Read more about the positive effects of WBV on Spinal Cord Injury and Parkinson’s disease patients.

Whole Body Vibration increases circulation very quickly. The increased blood flow to an injury helps it to heal much quicker.  Whole Body Vibration can be used at a much earlier stage of acute injury rehabilitation for this reason.  With increased circulation the muscles are working more efficiently.  The vibration stimulates the muscles without having to go through a range of motion with the injured area.  It’s important to increase the circulation to these areas to allow your body to naturally do the healing.

Whole Body Vibration has also been shown to increase muscle strength and flexibility. This is also important to help you heal faster, and prevent future injuries. Vibration therapy assists by allowing new tissues to build and grow, allows the oxygenation of cells, and flushes the toxins out of the body at a higher and faster rate.  This is an incredible benefit if you have a muscular injury that has given you trouble in the past, because strengthening it may be the answer to preventing any future problems.

Whole Body Vibration can be a great addition to your rehabilitation program for fast more efficient healing results.