Indeed, in one study of 90 postmenopausal women published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research in 2004, a group of Belgian researchers found almost a 1% increase in hip bone density among users of the Power Plate form of WBV, along with measurable increase in muscle strength. What the Experts Say: According to manufacturers, those benefits include increased circulation, muscle strength, and flexibility; better range of motion; core conditioning and stability; and faster muscle recovery after working out. Working out while not really working is the concept behind a trend known as passive exercise. Manufacturers also say MBV can provide muscle toning and conditioning for those who have health restrictions that keep them from exercising, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and some forms of arthritis. Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, says while whole body vibration has potential, more research is clearly needed. Some proponents say that just five minutes on the Chi machine is the aerobic equivalent of walking for 30 minutes. The study participants used the machine for a total of 30 minutes three times a week for six months. It's hard to miss the ads for these products -- svelte, toned guys and gals in bikinis, showing off their "six pack" abs, ostensibly delivered courtesy of electronic ab stimulation. Bryant agrees. There is really no solid medical evidence backing up these or other health claims.". to help give you the best experience we can. Stay healthy and aware with our free newsletter and series of blog that pitch your health in right direction. They say the health benefits also include enhanced metabolism, increased bone mineral density, reduction of the stress hormone cortisol, elevation of human growth hormone levels, and improved lymphatic flow. The big difference is that the moving and shaking goes on while you're lying down. In.". The acceleration delivered can reach 15 g (where 1 g is the acceleration due to the Earth’s gravitational field or 9.81 m/s 2). us.hypervibe.com #WBV #science #benefits, Wobble Flab Away Vibro Plate, Vibration Plate, Crazy Fit Vibro Plate - Essex and London. And in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, mice that were placed on a low-vibration platform for 15 minutes, five days weekly, for 15 weeks ended up with smaller torsos than a group of mice who were put on a platform that didn't vibrate -- even though all the mice ate the same amount of food. "I see no real value for healthy muscles," says Quist. Must See Infographic on the Top 8 Benefits of Whole Body Vibration! How It Works: You lie on the floor (or a treatment table) and place your ankles on top of a small square box that basically vibrates your body from the feet up. However, he cautions that what works on a damaged muscle will have minimal effects, at best, on a healthy one. Exercise. You're lying on the sofa, maybe munching a bag of chips, and watching your favorite movie on DVD. In another study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, researchers found that elderly people who were not able to participate in traditional exercise saw muscle strengthening and speed-of-movement benefits from using the Power Plate. The Promise: Varlotta agrees. © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts. What the Experts Say: As with whole body vibration, these machines shake the body from the ankles up. Whole Body Vibration: The Science Behind the Platform. "It will not give you increased strength, and it could never replace exercise done standing on your own two feet.". Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Slideshow: Risky Exercises and Better Bets, Healthy for Life: Fitness Needs for Every Decade of a Woman’s Life. "In principle, it's a way of using your own body weight to reverse the effects of gravity -- which does work, temporarily. He adds that if you just lie on the floor and kick your legs, you would probably get a similar circulatory effect, along with some muscle toning. Using our whole body vibration workout machines and information contained online, you can finally have all of the health benefits and body muscle improvements you desire. SOURCES: Ben Quist, DPT, director, Form and Fitness Health Club and New York Physical Therapist, Gabriel Ettenson, has produced this animation presentation to help you understand the relationship between gravity and our healt... Amazon.com : POWRX Advanced Whole Body Vibration Training Chart with 'New' Training Recommendation Insert. All rights reserved. Chi machines are also advertised as being beneficial for those with diabetes, fibromyalgia, lymphodemia, and migraine headaches, as well as those who want to tone their muscles and lose weight -- all while lying down for just 15 minutes a day. The Promise: These muscle contractions, says Quist, are responsible for most of the benefits attributed to this type of exercise. Stimulation is provided by tiny electrical "shocks" delivered at timed intervals, designed to stimulate muscle contractions. The benefits are supposed to include improved metabolism, weight reduction, increased energy, muscle relaxation, increase in cell oxygenation, and stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. Bryant agrees:"Part of the thinking here centers on the Eastern philosophies of energy centers and those are being stimulated by this movement activity, but I have not seen anything even close to science on that," he says. of Medicine. "But I don't think it can help you lose weight or impact cellulite. Study Weighs An outgrowth of a program used to train Russian cosmonauts, it quickly spread through Europe and Japan, then hit U.S. shores -- with whole centers now devoted to this workout. So grab that bag of veggie chips, prop up your feet, and read on -- their answers might surprise you! Find out in our infographic. WebMD asked three experts to offer up their opinions on four of the top passive exercise trends: whole-body vibration, chi machines, electronic ab stimulators, and inversion boots. Moreover, he adds, that to gain lasting results, the amount of time you would have to spend upside down would be dangerous. However, as we age, the rate at which the organism breaks down the bone tissue becomes higher, so more bone is destroyed than it is produced and replaced. According to Bryant, the principal behind ab stimulators comes directly from physical therapy, where it's used to help contract injured muscles. But could this really work? Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer, American Council on TurboSonic® whole body vibration as a new method for exercise-training prescription. For the real pros, the boots are hooked into a rack that literally leave you dangling in the air, your head about 2 feet off the ground. How They Work: With whole-body vibration, you stand, sit or lie on a machine with a vibrating platform. "But the studies have failed to show any increase in strength or endurance. The Promise: Essentially, the goal is supposed to be to allow your muscles and joints to "decompress" after a day of gravity-crunching compression, plus, increase circulation. "This, in turn, activates the 'stress reflex' -- an extremely rapid muscle contraction," says Quist, owner of Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee health club and rehabilitation center, where he has been training patients on the Power Plate for over a year. Whole-Body Vibration By far the most popular new addition to the passive exercise category is whole-body vibration or WBV -- also known as "Power Plate" exercise.