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

1. Listen to your body – Make sure to watch for subtle changes in behavior or mood and not brush them off as nothing. They might be early signs of a weakening immune system as first expressed in unexpected mood swings, loss of appetite or feeling more tired than usual.

2. Keep stress levels to a minimum – Heightened stress is directly corelated to a waning immune system, often introducing it. Make sure to manage those levels and keep them low as best as possible or else your immune system is guaranteed to see negative effects.

3. Keep moving and be outside – This means to try getting into an exercise routine where you do not too heavy, not too light working out for at least 20 minutes daily if possible. Also, catch a breath of fresh air at least once with a short walk. Regular movement will do wonders as far as keeping you lymphatic system active to clean up your body of all the germs and other dirt.

4. Eat natural, eat fresh – Whole foods and fresh, in.season produce and fruits are he way to go. These have natural decongestant, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and do a great job at not letting any colds or flu signs emerge. What goes hand in hand with keeping a healthy diet and should go without saying is the importance of staying well-hydrated to give your system a chance to flush out all the toxins.

5. Give yourself proper rest – Listen to when your body needs sleep and how much it needs. This is best done when implementing a steady and well-regulated sleep pattern. When sleeping, your immune system gets the best chance to restore itself, fight aggressors to your health, and just does most of its healing.

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1. As many people wear out their joints in the gym using poor form while exercising, what is one of the most common overuse injuries resulting from poor technique?

First off, the right technique in any type of movement is as important as the right form is in weight training. This applies to everyday non-training motions our body performs, such as walking. As far as answering exactly what type of injury is common in conscious workout routines, especially in cardio exercises, are knee injuries. They “popularly” occur on treadmills and ellipticals because of fatigue with the exercise which automatically also means over training. Poor form sets in as you compensate by turning your knees out and use your hips to “shuffle” as opposed to keeping your feet pushing straight ahead.

2. What is the ideal squat technique from a chiropractor’s perspective to prevent injuries?

According to Chiropractor Dr. Carmine Gangemi, a mechanically sound approach to the squat:

• Starts off with a stance which is just wider than your hips with your feet your turned out slightly.
• The bar should be placed high on your shoulder blades across your traps but not so high that it’s on your neck.
• Your chest should be up slightly, shoulder blades pulled in towards each other, and your head should be in a position to slightly elevate your eyes.
• Your lower back should maintain its natural curve throughout the movement.
• Don’t hyper-extend but do keep yourself from falling forward excessively.
• The bar should remain over your ankles or just in front of them through the exercise.

3. What are the three most important but least used exercises that should be part of any sound training routine?

• Dead lifts
• Squats
• Standing Military Presses (to the front)

All of the above involve working out all major joints and do not require any major equipment. Any of these will greatly improve strength, bone density, cardiovascular conditioning and lean body mass if performed correctly and consistently.

4. What is one of the most frequently seen ailments chiropractors come across and how can they successfully treat them?

In general, a variety, if not most forms of injuries at some point or another require proper exercise to ensure a full treatment regimen. Some injuries may require more, for example soft-tissue therapies, but it is important to point out that a majority of injuries can successfully be tackled with just the right training.

One specific, very common type of injury are shoulder injuries. They can occur for a variety of different reasons such as imbalance, lack of stability, overuse and, again, poor form. With this and most other chiropractic injuries the right treatment most prominently starts with doing exercises in a very disciplined way, so that it, chiropractically speaking, is sound and proper. Stretching (and right stretching!) is another very crucial component before workouts and for reducing the risk of injuries in the first place.

(Click here to read Pauline Nordin’s original post on Fighter Diet)

Most companies put these lists of contraindications in their literature for liability reasons.  I know for a fact the last thing we would ever want to happen is that someone become injured or a condition worsen from using WBV.  In fact, anyone who I speak to about using WBV, I always recommend they see a physician for clearance no matter what type of shape they are in.  This is important because everyone’s body reacts differently and you always want to be safe rather than sorry.

There is a great article by Dr. Reichardt on Ezine which discusses the different contraindications and gives a very comprehensive explanation as to why the exist and what they mean.  Take a read here at Ezine articles.

After you have a better understanding of the contraindications and reasons behind them, please share your feedback and thoughts on how you feel.  I love to hear what others have to say and value reader comments highly.