Vibration therapy transmits gentle vibrations that contract and relax muscles, boosting blood flow to promote healing. It can even stimulate bone growth by activating osteoblasts – cells that build bones.
Whole body vibration entrainment can be safe for most healthy individuals who have proper protocols and supervision. Mobility and balance improvements often develop across several weeks of consistent entrainment.
1. Leg Lifts
Whole-body vibration therapy (WBV) sends quick, controlled mechanical vibrations to the body as you stand, squat, or hold different positions on a platform. The vibrations trigger muscles to contract and relax far more times per second than they would in a normal workout, increasing energy delivery and strengthening the body. Localized vibration, which is delivered through hand-held devices or hand-held straps that attach to specific muscles or joints, can also be used to target pain and injury recovery, as well as to increase balance and mobility.
Leg raises are an effective core-based exercise that strengthens the lower back, hips and thighs. Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (Hakkinen et al, 2000) confirms that multi-joint resistance training, like leg raises, improves core activation and strength transfer across multiple kinetic chains. Repeated leg raising can also increase muscle mass through the release of growth-promoting hormones, especially in the hip flexors and abdominal muscles.
Clients with limited mobility benefit from vibration therapy as it activates muscles safely and increases blood flow. Studies have shown that supervised vibration sessions can help improve muscle strength and reduce muscle soreness for those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, or chronic joint pain.
Vibration may also aid bone-loading stimulation and improve muscular support for those who have osteoporosis or reduced bone density. In fact, vibration therapy has been shown to help reduce the symptoms of arthritic conditions such as pain and stiffness, as well as reduce arterial stiffness that could contribute to heart disease. Adding vibration to a regular fitness routine can also increase mobility and movement confidence in clients with neurological conditions. Studies have shown that controlled vibration entrainment can improve gait stability, posture, and muscle response to load in those with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological conditions.
2. Knee Raises
The hanging knee raise is an advanced core exercise that requires good balance and a solid grip. If you don’t have a dip/raise machine with back support or the space to use parallel bars, try doing this movement on a set of benches – but be careful and keep your feet firmly on the bench or the ground. During the first part of the movement, your hip flexors – also called the iliopsoas muscles – are the primary movers, lifting your legs until they’re nearly at your chest. At this point, the rectus abdominis muscle is recruited to complete the movement and bring your knees toward your torso. It only does this if you perform the movement through its full range of motion. If you limit the movement to just its early phase, it won’t work as hard.
3. Calf Raises
The calf raise is an easy-to-learn body weight exercise that improves the strength of your lower legs. It also helps to increase ankle stability and balance. It strengthens the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which are located at the back of your lower legs.
You can do a standing calf raise by placing your hands on the edge of a chair to support and balance yourself and then raising up onto your toes. You can also perform a single-leg calf raise, which targets the muscles of one lower leg at a time. This increases the challenge of the exercise and helps to improve balance and agility.
Strong calves can help you run and sprint faster. They can also reduce your risk of injuries, including ankle and heel injury. Performing calf raises can help you build strength for other lower-body exercises, such as squats and deadlifts. In addition, strong calves can also help you jump higher in sports such as basketball or cheerleading. The calf raise is also known as a common rehabilitation movement for Achilles tendon injuries.
4. Chest Raises
While you might be accustomed to the typical chest exercises like bench presses and pushups, Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel recommends adding these vibration therapy moves to your routine. They create significant mechanical tension across the chest by putting less emphasis on the triceps and more through your shoulders. Set up a cable machine with a shoulder-level setting. Grab on to both handles and lean against the bench. Press the dumbbells together while lifting them up and towards your chest to bring the arms up to about shoulder height. Lower them back down and repeat for reps or time.
5. Shoulder Raises
Lateral raises are a shoulder-specific movement that create some of the highest levels of middle deltoid activation. They also require postural strength and spinal stability. As a result, they have been shown to improve shoulder mechanics and reduce elbow injuries. The key is to keep the dumbbells close to your body, keeping the arm moving at a 90-degree angle from the shoulder (not straight up or down). Brace your core muscles for stability and focus on the movement of the arms to generate mechanical tension.
Vibration therapy has been used in studies of balance and mobility in older adults. Controlled vibration entrainment challenges stabilizing muscles and increases muscle activation without joint loading. Over time, this can support broader mobility and recovery goals in clients with limited physical activity due to pain or injury.