A Whole Body Vibration device greatly stimulates the circulation, and will improve the return flow of the blood if used on a regular basis. It is recommended to perform the exercises dynamically.  To reduce and eventually eliminate the varicose veins perform squats, leg raises, calf flexes, and other lower body exercises.  If you would like to do massage exercises, which are very important for circulation, first massage around the varicose veins before allowing the WBV device to come into direct contact with them.

It is always recommended that an individual should consult with their family physician who understands their medical history before embarking on any new exercise or rehabilitation protocol.

One has to consider that bone is a very good sound conductor, transmitting the vibrations of sound very efficiently.

So the concern with WBV years ago was whether the vibration that is being transmitted from a WBV unit passing through the bone might affect the placement of the metal, as the metal could potentially vibrate at a different frequency. It was hypothesized that therefore a loosening of the attachment site of the metal plate or implant may be possible.

But when observing after approximately 3 months how implants actually fuse with bone tissue, one realizes that there is just a tremendous amount of stability and osseous growth around the attachment site.  Also to consider is the fact, that just the mechanism of gait produces stronger vibration and loads at much larger ranges of motion onto the bone structures than WBV does.

Here are a few common guidelines and questions:

Is the patient longer than 3 mos. post op?

Is the patient out of pain?

Is the implant stable?

Did the patient go through rehabilitation and did they do well there?

Did their surgeon release them back to exercise?

If the answers to all the above questions are –Yes- the patient should not experience any difficulties with WBV as long as they follow the instructions correctly!

*It is always recommended that an individual should consult with their family physician who understands their medical history before embarking on any new exercise or rehabilitation protocol.

A study was completed to determine if whole body vibration is beneficial in controlling Type 2 diabetes.   The main findings were: Fasting glucose concentrations remained unchanged after training. The area under curve and maximal glucose concentration of the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test were reduced in the vibration and strength training group. HbA1c values tended to decrease below baseline date in the vibration training group while it increased in the two other intervention groups.

These findings suggest that vibration exercise may be an effective and low time consuming tool to enhance glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients. 

Read more about the study here:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885552/

Diabetes is usually listed as a contraindication for training on whole body vibration devices because of the rapid decline of the blood glucose levels, which may cause the patient to feel faint.  However, the WBV device is also very well suited to improve the physical condition of diabetics.   Diabetics can benefit hugely from WBV exercise, particularly if the exercise can improve blood circulation to their lower extremities.   After a check up and approval from a doctor, a diabetic can perform their entire training schedule on a WBV device.  Since exercise time is drastically shortened when using whole body vibration, diabetic patients may prefer vibration training as a part of an intended lifestyle modification.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.