Vibration plates: usefulness and contraindications

Edited by Massimo Armeni

The pros and cons of vibration

More and more frequently I receive emails asking me about the effects of the use of vibrating platforms and, in fact, in recent times we increasingly speak of the alleged miraculous effects of vibration.

I decided to write this short article, intentionally non-technical, because I think it is right to explain to people who are not meant to rehabilitate or practice science what happens since a vibratory training treatment is performed.

As an explanation, I will obviously not report my subjective opinion, but what the world medical-scientific community reports through the main and most important publications in the sector.

Vibration is a relatively recent concept.

Prof. Carmelo Bosco Ph.D., DU, D.hon.C., who died prematurely a few years ago, one of the world's leading experts in biomechanics and physiology of training, was the first to introduce the concept of vibration at the end of 90's.

After years and years of study and research, the professor and his staff have come to realize and refine a complex system of vibratory stimulations that act on the osteo-arthro-myofascial system and on the neurological system.

The practical result of this fascinating study was the realization of a particular vibrating platform, the NEMES (NEuroMuscularMEccanicalStimulation), realized with exclusively medical-scientific criteria.

Suffice it to say that NEMES is still used by NASA astronauts to prevent and combat the effects of sarcopenia (decline in muscle mass) and osteopenia (decline in bone mass) induced by the absence of gravity in space.

The main pros of vibratory treatment with NEMES, approved by the world scientific community, are the following:

1. improvement of maximal strength (in athletes)
2. improvement of explosive force (in athletes)
3. improvement of respiratory capacity
4. improvement of ossification processes
5. improvement of bone mineralization in osteoporotic patients
6. improvement in the synthesis of some hormones

It should be emphasized that there is not just one vibratory program at a given frequency, but different programs at different frequencies performed with the subject in different body positions.

Furthermore, the subject who is undergoing treatment is always followed by an exercise specialist.

So it is true that the vibratory treatment has a positive effect on various factors, but as long as the platform used is scientifically tested and certified, and provided that the treatment is supervised by specialized technical personnel.

These precautions are taken because there are several absolute contraindications to the execution of Total Body Vibration (WBW-Whole-Body Vibration).

Studies conducted on direct vibration on the spine indicate that vibration may cause or be a cause of the following damage:

1. protrusion and / or herniation of the intervertebral disc
2. degeneration of the vertebral bone mass
3. osteoarthritis

The vibration that is induced by the column at the head can cause the following damage:

1. hearing loss
2. weakened vision
3. vestibular damage
4. cerebral hemorrhage at too high frequencies and magnitude

To better clarify the damages that a wrong vibratory training can cause I will give a further explanation: in the publications of the clinic and physiology of the exercise, as in others of the rest, we report the results of studies and research carried out on "living" subjects; in the specific case, that is in the research on vibration, the so-called "exclusion criteria" have been adopted.

This means that people with certain physical problems could not participate in the experiments, given the high risk of worsening the symptoms they might have developed if they underwent vibratory treatment.

These exclusion criteria include:

1. history of low back pain
2. acute inflammation of the pelvis or lower limbs
3. acute thrombosis
4. osteosarcoma (bone cancer)
5. recent fractures
6. recent installations
7. lithiasis (calculosis) hepatic, renal and gallbladder
8. diseases of the spine
9. peripheral vascular disease
10. pregnancy

So the vibrator workouts are welcome, but as long as they are supervised and prescribed by specialist technical personnel.

Furthermore, people who recognize themselves in the above conditions should absolutely not undergo any type of vibratory treatment.

Therefore I invite the people who will read this article not to trust any miraculous promise (weight loss, to become more beautiful, rejuvenation !!) and to always consult with the doctor or specialist technician before undertaking any vibratory conditioning program.

Until next time ...