Vibration therapy has grown increasingly popular over time, appearing in gyms, rehabilitation facilities, and even some homes. While systems may differ in terms of frequency and amplitude, their basic purpose remains unchanged – stimulating muscles by contracting and relaxing multiple times each second.
Vibratory stimuli research can be divided into three broad categories, namely hemodynamic, neurological and musculoskeletal. Each category offers specific mechanisms that must be explored.
Increased Blood Flow
Sound vibration therapy can be an effective remedy for a variety of medical conditions. One use for sound vibration is relieving back and neck pain by stimulating intervertebral discs with anabolic effects to increase blood flow to the spine, while another benefit includes relieving muscle tension while increasing range of motion in joints, as well as an anti-inflammatory effect from its vibration effects.
Sound therapy has long been used to relieve symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as to enhance quality of life among those suffering from fibromyalgia. One study demonstrated how 10 15-minute vibration sessions per week over three months resulted in reduced symptoms while simultaneously helping patients lower their pain medications dosages.
An important reason for vibration’s positive outcomes may be its stimulation of touch receptors on the skin. When these touch receptors receive signals, they send messages directly to the brain which inhibit pain signals, helping people suffering chronic pain better tolerate treatment. Vibration has also been shown to increase bone mass among elderly individuals while simultaneously decreasing arthritic pain and stiffness among other groups of people.
Vibration therapy may also aid in treating blood clots and other health conditions. Hoffman and Gill conducted an in vitro study with a blood clot placed into a dish and mechanically pulsed with 50Hz pulsations for 20 minutes, finding that it dissipated 25% faster compared to when not being pulsed.
Other studies have utilized sound vibration therapy to treat depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. One such research paper used a combination of music and vibration to reduce depression among participants with major depressive disorder – as a result, participants experienced less symptoms of depression while experiencing increased energy after only short treatment sessions.
Reduced Inflammation
Whether it’s chronic or acute inflammation, whole body vibration therapy can help alleviate its symptoms. By increasing blood flow and decreasing muscle tension, vibration therapy has proven useful in alleviating numerous ailments related to inflammation such as pain, fatigue, and soreness.
Sound vibration therapy machines use sound waves to vibrate your cells, producing a healing effect and treating injuries as well. It works by sending low-frequency vibrations through tissues and cells and realigning molecules within each cell.
Vibrations promote healing and boost circulation by encouraging the flow of nutrients throughout your system, providing significant advantages to those recovering from injury and needing to improve circulation, as well as treating conditions like fibromyalgia or other autoimmune disorders.
Researchers have discovered that vibration therapy machines using sound waves can effectively mitigate inflammation responses in your body by manipulating macrophages – immune cells which either promote or suppress inflammation in the body.
One study discovered that when study participants sat or stood on a vibrating platform and performed some simple exercises for 20 minutes on it, they experienced significantly fewer inflammation-related symptoms compared to using only physiotherapy machines – such as decreased swelling legs and knee pain/stiffness; improved muscle strength/balance and greater overall balance.
Lower frequency and amplitude vibration for over 30 seconds is useful for relieving pain, increasing tissue extensibility, and avoiding delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Furthermore, this treatment may assist early rehabilitation phases or pre-exercise sessions to prepare muscles for more vigorous exercises.
Increased Endurance
Vibration therapy can enhance the results of regular exercise by stimulating specific muscle fibers with vibration stimulation, stimulating them to contract more forcefully, thus increasing strength, endurance, and flexibility. Contraction helps your body deliver more oxygen to muscle fibers which increases efficiency during workouts and decreases fatigue levels.
Sound vibration machines produce mechanical vibrations that cause your core muscles to stretch and contract involuntarily, helping you achieve a more stable position while performing exercises or moving your body between different positions, which is especially helpful for people with limited mobility and stability issues.
Whole-body vibration machines can be found both at gyms and homes. They typically consist of a platform that vibrates as you stand or perform exercises on it, and some even move in three planes (forward and back, side to side, and up and down) for increased intensity compared to linear platforms.
The TurboSonic sound vibration therapy machine utilizes acoustic technology to produce vertical vibrations that travel throughout your entire body, making it an excellent solution for older adults struggling with mobility or balance issues. Furthermore, unlike some other vibration machines that produce sudden jerking movements which may cause discomfort.
Studies have demonstrated the benefits of whole-body vibration training (WBVT) on endurance. One research project demonstrated how WBVT helped endurance runners increase their running economy – using less energy to cover the same distance – whereas resistance training results were similar. Researchers theorize that vibration training may help prepare muscles for exercise by stimulating a greater number of muscle fibers.
Strengthened Muscles
As you stand, sit, or lie on a vibrating platform, your muscles contract and relax as the vibrations stimulate muscle fibers to produce more osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) within your bones. Vibration may also help increase bone density; further research should be conducted into this possibility. Athletes have reported improved performance since adding Whole Body Vibration (WBV) to their exercise programs.
Studies that demonstrate increased muscle strength through WBV use varying techniques and postures, making it hard to compare results across trials. One thing is evident, however: WBV increases muscle strength through mechanical stimulation of muscles as well as by relieving stiffness and pain, providing aid for recovery after other forms of physical activity.
Mechanical vibration of the body’s surface transmits to sensory receptors that activate a tonic vibration reflex (TVR), initiating a chain reaction in your muscular system that increases muscle activity while improving balance and coordination. Some studies have discovered that side-alternating vibration increases muscle activation intensity more than synchronous vibration, while other research indicates no clear distinctions between them.
While vibration therapy offers numerous potential advantages, it’s wise to consult your physician prior to engaging in vibration therapy sessions. Vibration may not be suitable if you suffer from conditions like osteoporosis or Parkinson’s disease or are physically inactive such as older adults; nor if you have spinal fractures or are wearing cochlear implants; furthermore vibration machines can cause high levels of vibration which could be too intense for some individuals; sound vibration machines used here utilize speaker technology that mitigates against unnatural or harsh direction changes that mechanical vibration causes.
Reduced Stress
Stress relief is one of the main advantages of sound vibration therapy machines. By sending messages to your nervous system that all is safe and all is well, vibration therapy machines allow your body to relax and heal itself more quickly. Stress is one of the major contributors to many health conditions such as fibromyalgia pain and depression as well as having other consequences such as reduced immune function or inflammation.
Vibration therapy machines produce vibrations that can assist your muscles to contract and relax at different rates, as well as increase osteoblast production – cells responsible for building bones. Their effects depend on factors like their frequency, magnitude and duration as well as which direction the vibrations travel; some machines only produce front to back vibrations while others offer oscillatory capabilities.
Studies have demonstrated the power of vibration therapy to alleviate neck and back pain. Researchers involved in these studies used direct vibration delivery to the spine; their researchers discovered this approach helped relax muscle groups along the spine as well as decrease pain medication needs for patients.
Work remains to be done in vibration research. While certain areas are more advanced than others – for instance, WBV technology has proven beneficial in sports training and medicine – other areas, like focal vibrational research may only have limited clinical applications.
WBV has proven itself effective at relieving stress. A study with 38 healthy subjects demonstrated this benefit of vibration therapy: participants had lower stress levels compared to nonparticipants in vibration treatments; plus participants in this research study reported better focus and concentration.