Are you super stressed? Where things get bad is if the stress becomes chronic and your body and brain are constantly producing stress hormones like norepinephrine and cortisol.  Physical activity can stop the production of cortisol and get rid of tension held in your muscles.

WBV is perfect for loosening up your entire body and relieving pent up stress. Standing on a whole body vibration platform even for just a few minutes will supercharge all the cells in your body and give you energy to continue working.   WBV increases your blood flow and oxygenation to your entire body. In order for a muscle to do any contraction, it needs to burn glucose and oxygen which are both in your blood. As muscle contractions increase, so does the need for oxygen and glucose for the muscle. Your body supplies it by increasing your heart rate to get the necessary nutrients to the muscle. Improved circulation of blood and oxygen increases your body’s ability to absorb good nutrients, respond to hormones, and eliminate waste.

Many corporations are including WBV equipment in corporate fitness centers. Because WBV is safe, fast and highly effective, it’s become a great solution for boosting employee health.

From a liability standpoint it is imperative that companies make a health warning readily available. Customers need to be aware of the contraindications so that they can protect themselves from using equipment that may potentially affect a preexisting condition. As a rule of thumb it is important to remember that Whole Body Vibration gives the user all the physiologic benefits of exercise and does so in a very compressed time frame. WBV promotes circulation, oxygenation and lymphatic drainage in the injured tissue and therefore speeds up healing. Additionally, the stimulus that the tissues experience on the neurological level gives the body a tremendous proprioceptive input.

Because the platforms moves 3-4 mm at a rate of 20 to 50 times a second, the challenge that the bone, muscle, and ligament tissues experience in a 30 to 60 second time frame are considerable. This is where the biggest advantages are realized in the Fitness world. Because significant improvements in strength and flexibility can be achieved in a short period of time WBV has become a very desirable exercise method.

The contraindications associated with WBV training apply to the chiropractic or fitness setting alike. The typical chiropractic patient is “unconditioned” and may more likely be rehabilitating from an injury. People using WBV in a fitness/accelerated training capacity are more likely to be fit and in shape, but the contraindications must be observed in any case.

Regardless of who is using WBV, beginners must phase in training at an appropriate rate and not over use the modality to avoid negative side effects. People that start out too fast or use WBV more than the recommended amount are prone to experiencing headaches and/or soreness. This is due to the body detoxifying and/or over-stimulation. It’s common for any exercise equipment or rehabilitation modality to include a health warning for liability purposes. WBV is no different.

For the health care clinician the physiologic advantages play a big role in the implementation of WBV for rehabilitation. Since soft tissues can be exercised without having to take an injured area or extremity through active ranges of motion, WBV can be introduced very early in the treatment protocol.

Yet these physiologic changes also lead the clinician to be aware of contraindications. A doctor can clearly deduct that one would not utilize WBV on a patient with recent fractures and surgeries, large open wounds, metastatic cancers, recent metal implants and the like. If someone has any known medical condition, or any physical limitation on their ability to exercise, PowerVibe strongly recommends that they seek the advice of a physician before using Whole Body Vibration.

It is always advisable for everyone to consult with a physician before starting any exercise program. Ongoing research in the field of Whole Body Vibration indicates that many conditions can actually benefit from this form of therapy. However, if you have any of the following contraindications PowerVibe strongly recommends that you seek the advice of a physician before using any PowerVibe machine, in order to avoid any possible personal injury.

o Pregnancy

o Acute/ Deep Vein Thrombosis

o Serious Cardiovascular Disease

o Pacemaker

o Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

o Acute hernia, Discopathy

o Acute disc related problems, Spondylosis, gliding Spondylolisthesis or fractures

o Severe Diabetic neuropathy

o Tumors

o Recent Surgeries

o Epilepsy

o Gallstones, Kidney stones, Bladder stones

o Cardiac dysrhythmias

o Acute Rheumatoid Arthritis

o Acute/sever inflammations, infections and/ or fever

o Acute Migraine

o Fresh (surgical) wounds

o Surgical metal implants

o Osteonecrosis

o Severe Osteoporosis with BMD

Naturopathic doctors have been around for decades, but most people are unfamiliar with their training and expertise.  Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is based on six principles. 

• Let nature heal
• Identify and treat causes
• First, do no harm
• Educate patients
• Treat the whole person
• Prevent illness

A licensed naturopathic doctor is a primary care physician who is trained as an expert in natural medicine while also being able to function in the same capacity as a general family medical doctor.  Typically they start with the least invasive treatment and get to the “root cause” of illness instead of just controlling symptoms.   This is the biggest difference between an ND and MD.  Naturopathic Doctors promote the healing power of nature, focusing on health rather than disease, and use natural therapies that are gentle, non-toxic and non-invasive.

Currently, only 15 states license Naturopathic doctors.  When choosing a natural practitioner keep in mind that, because of the current lack of licensure, anyone can advertise themselves as a naturopathic doctor.  It is important that the patient seeks out a qualified professional.

Energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as boosting energy. These drinks usually do not emphasize energy derived from the calories they contain but rather through a choice of caffeine, vitamins, and herbal supplements the manufacturer has combined.

The average energy drink contains approximately the same amount of caffeine as a medium-sized cup of coffee. And, although both beverages provide boosts of energy, the “high” is short-lived.

Besides caffeine, most energy drinks contain more than 125 calories and over 30 carbohydrates (not to mention enough grams of sugar to rot your teeth.) These added ingredients are okay, in small quantities, but a “caffeine overdose” can produce nasty side effects. After consuming four or more of such beverages, nausea, agitation, and, in severe cases, seizures and heart palpitations may occur.

Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade, which are consumed to help people stay hydrated during exercise. Sports drinks also provide carbohydrates in the form of sugar and electrolytes that may be lost through perspiration.

There are healthier solutions.  There are several things you can do to help fight fatigue, such as exercising, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.  Nutrition plays a big role in energy levels, so be sure you are eating a well-balanced diet.  Also get plenty of sleep!

Amplitude – While all vibration devices produce vibration in three different directions – front and back, sideways, and up and down, the most safe and effective platforms produce sufficient vertical vibration while limiting vibration in the horizontal plane. Research has shown that significant vertical amplitude (2-6 mm) is required to generate adequate “loading” on both the muscular and skeletal systems. Conversely, vibration in the horizontal plane may cause significant side effects after prolonged use.

Frequency – (Hz) is equally important. Research shows that the body responds positively to vibration in the 20 -50 Hz range. The acceleration forces resulting from vibration cause the muscles to contract. Due to this involuntary contraction of the muscles, many more muscle fibers are recruited than in a voluntary movement. This has been confirmed by heightened EMG activity.  This rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles at 20 – 50 times per second works as a pump on both the circulatory and lymphatic systems, increasing the speed of blood flow and lymphatic drainage throughout the body.

Training on a whole body vibration device causes an enormous activation of the lymphatic system that will result in a loss of body fluids. WBV training does more than just build strength or increase metabolism. It also detoxifies your internal organs and cells. As your metabolism increases, cells begin to function better again and they start to expel accumulated wastes and toxins. This waste gets deposited into the blood stream and then gets processed by the liver, kidneys, large intestines, skin and lungs. This kind of detoxification can cause feelings of fatigue, exhaustion, headaches, nausea, and flu‐like symptoms. If you experience these symptoms, you now know that this is actually a good sign. It’s a sign that the body is releasing toxins and is on its way to recovery.

You can help this process of detoxification by making sure that you are sufficiently hydrated before and after your whole body vibration work‐outs. I recommend drinking ½ of your body weight in ounces of water per day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water every day.

However, the amount of mechanical vibrations we are exposed to has increased enormously over the last few centuries. Truck drivers, forklift drivers, construction workers and helicopter pilots absorb a lot of vibration on a daily basis. The complaints they suffer, mainly in joints and spine, cause tremendous problems. 

There are some fundamental differences between vibration exposures in the work place compared to vibration from the Whole Body Vibration (WBV) platform. While training on the platform you are actively using the vibrations, which are being absorbed in the muscles instead of the joints. The duration is also much less. The total amount of time of a training session is not even close to the time that people are exposed to vibrations in a working environment.

 A WBV platform complies with the I.S.O. standards for industrial use, provided that training does not exceed 2 hours a day. For that matter, it is useless to train longer than 20 minutes or more often than 3 or 4 times a week. If you use the WBV machine according to the instructions and under certified supervision, vibration training is many times safer than any other sports or training activity.

• Improving employee health
• Reducing preventable health care utilization and lowering health care costs
• Enhancing work performance/ productivity
• Decreased absenteeism
• Improving employee satisfaction and retention
• Reduce Injury and Workman’s compensation claims

The White House’s proposed 2011 budget was released, which includes plans to reduce childhood obesity rates by budgeting $1 billion to improve children’s access to healthy meals, and include $10 million in a federal employee workplace initiative to implement prototype wellness programs.

The plan includes increased federal funding for workplace wellness programs, programs for schools that address childhood obesity, education for healthcare employees, and “individual and community initiatives to help Americans make healthful choices.”

Employee wellness programs are an excellent way to help defray the rising cost of health care. In addition to cost-savings, employers who provide wellness programs report improvements to worker productivity and retention, as well as improving the working environment.

Whole Body Vibration (WBV) allows the equivalent of 60 minutes of conventional exercise to be achieved in just 10 minutes.  It is so effective; three 10‐minute sessions a week are enough to make a considerable difference.  Whole Body Vibration is perfect for loosening up your entire body and relieving stress. Standing on a WBV platform even for just a few minutes will supercharge all the cells in your body and give you energy to continue working. 

This is why many corporations are including WBV equipment in corporate fitness centers.  Because WBV is safe, fast and highly effective, it’s become a great solution for boosting employee health.

Bad Whole Body Vibration for example, is the kind of vibration experienced by truck drivers, factory workers and construction workers. That type of disruptive vibration is characterized by constant, extremely high frequencies and amplitudes (how hard a person is vibrated), as well as uneven and unpredictable spikes in frequency and amplitude. Also, people exposed to occupational vibration experience these dangerous levels of vibration for extended periods of time daily.

Healthy Whole Body Vibration, produced by a vibrating platform, operates at much lower levels of both frequency (from less than 10 Hz to less than 65 Hz – 1 Hertz = 1 cycle/second) and amplitude (often less than 1 mm, but can be as much as 1 cm). Even at the higher levels it’s still far below those limits suggested by OSHA. For therapy the usage of WBV can be as little as 3 minutes a day, three times per week. While the amount for athletes can be much higher it is still not all day, every day.

This modality, termed “Whole Body Vibration” (WBV), is being used by many from the frail elderly to the elite athlete. A few of the health benefits include:

* Improved bone mass density

* Increased muscle mass not only for athletes, but even for frail elders experiencing muscle weakness

* Dramatically better proprioception, balance and function for stroke patients and those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease

* Enhanced blood flow, and better lymphatic flow and venous drainage

* Increased metabolism, aiding weight-loss efforts

* Reduction of pain and muscle spasms

Everyday more and more people discover the exciting and dramatic benefits of vibrating platforms, the good Whole Body Vibration!

Physical exercise is considered as an effective strategy, frequently recommended in general practice, for the prevention and management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Aerobics, weight bearing and resistance exercises were all effective increasing bone mass density. However, arduous bone stress induced by vigorous weight-bearing activities can increase the risk of injuries, particularly in the elderly.

Therefore, alternative strategies with a lower risk of injury have been sought and usually included in the medical advice, such as walking programs. Walking and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise programs have been shown to reduce bone loss although they did not increase significantly bone mineral density (BMD) compared to controls in the first few years of menopause and they showed limited effects on bone in postmenopausal women.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a type of exercise that has been increasingly tested for the ability to prevent bone fractures and osteoporosis in frail people.  A few studies have shown the effectiveness of vertical vibration for increasing Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and balance. 

Read more about how Whole Body Vibration helps reduce the risk of bone fractures at Pub Med Central