Vibration Plate Therapy
After a great deal of research, we decided upon a Lifepro Fitness Rumblex Vibration Platform. We were looking for a machine to help with fibromyalgia flare ups, lymphedema, back pain, fatigue and peripheral neuropathy issues. I talked to our chiropractor and acupuncturist and learned from each of them vibration therapy is for real. Now will you see lots of weight loss like some vibration plates promote, maybe not.
Let me help you answer the question for yourself…but is it good for me?
Whole body vibration is usually implemented through the use of a vibrating platform. You can choose to use a passive stance on the platform (e.g. standing, sitting, etc.) or an active stance (e.g. squats, push ups, bicep curls using additional resistance straps, etc.) to target different problem areas for a variation of results and benefits. The vibrations are generated by motors underneath the platform and transmitted to the user on the machine. The varying frequency, amplitude and direction at which the vibration platform moves determines the intensity and results you will achieve.
During Whole Body Vibration, muscles throughout the body are stimulated through the de-stabilizing effect on the user, once you steps on the vibrating platform. To regain the loss of balance, muscles throughout the body are tensed of flexed. Depending on the stance you assume on the vibration plate, muscles around the joints involved will be stretched and stimulated. This is picked up by muscle spindles (sensory receptors within muscles), which sends the signal to the central nervous system and brain, and from the brain back down to the spinal cord so you instinctively contract your muscles throughout your body to balance yourself. Due to the involuntary nature of the muscle contractions, as well as the higher frequency in which these muscle contractions occur on the vibration plate, more muscle fibers are activated as compared to conventional conscious exercise, increasing the overall muscle activity and shortening the time taken to achieve your desired results.
A toxic body is usually lethargic, often plagued with aches and pains, digestion problems, and a dull complexion. Detoxification is crucial for a healthy body immune from disease, and ailments. Our body naturally has a detoxification process, removing impurities from the blood through our liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. In a perfect world, we would all be eating balanced diets so our liver is able to flush out the toxins in our system adequately. However, our modern day diet and sedentary lifestyle taxes our livers. Irregular sleeping hours, high-stress environments and processed food, coupled with the lack of exercise, we are all likely struggling with our health. Whole body vibration presents an opportunity to squeeze in exercise at home in a short period of time. The vibration plate can help you energize, strengthen your body and detoxify your cells.
Unhealthy blood cells lacking oxygen and nutrients are usually clumped together and unable to receive the required oxygen and nutrients it needs from the network of capillaries throughout your body. The health of your blood cells determines the health of your body. This is one of the major reasons why you may feel tired all the time.
Healthy blood cells are usually far apart from each other and able to move freely throughout your entire body, getting into every capillary to provide energy for your whole body. A healthy circulation and plenty of hydration is important for a good rest. With healthy blood cells, your body will be optimally replenished during your sleep and you will require less time to feel your best. Blood cells have a negative charge on the outside and a positive charge inside; this is what keeps them healthy and far apart from each other. However, when your body is overly toxic, your blood cells are stripped of its negative charge and tend to clump together. The result is decreased oxygen and nutrient delivery, decreased circulation, plaque build-up and your heart working harder.
See the post on Earthing for more information about healthy blood cells.
As I’ve talked before in the post on Lymphatic Massage,our lymphatic system is our natural detoxification system and what keeps our body functioning healthily. Toxins are being accumulated in our lymph nodes and not drained away due tolack of activity which prevents toxins from being flushed out of our body.Unlike blood, which has the heart as a pump to oxygenate the blood cells running through our body, our lymph nodes do not have a pump.The best way to drain out the harmful toxins in your body is through massage and exercise. Fortunately,vibration plates are able to deliver both exercise and circulation,through varying settings and stances on the vibration plate.
Vibration plate usage not only keeps your muscles healthy, promotes lymph drainage, but it also encourages nerve activity, which goes a long way towards helping your nerves stay healthy. With better blood flow, you’re sending nourishing, oxygen-rich blood to the parts of your body that need it most.
When your nerves are beginning to die off, part of the problem is often that they’re not able to be reached with nutrients and reparation compounds that help to keep them alive. Your blood acts as a delivery system for these compounds, and exercise helps you to pack your blood with extra oxygen. All that oxygenated blood gets circulated throughout your body, encouraging nerve growth along the way.
Whole-body vibration therapy is one simple way to augment your nerve damage self-treatment, but it doesn’t stand on its own. Where possible, you must eliminate the sources of your nerve damage, particularly in cases of potentially serious conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. You’ll need to do more than simply vibrate your way to healthy nerves. But vibration is an effective complementary therapy for in-home natural treatment to boost your body’s healing ability and help dampen symptoms at the same time. Talk to your doctor and health care professionals to see if a vibration plate is right for you.
Our Experience
You begin using the vibration platform slowly. When I say 1.5 minutes twice a day is enough at first, you’ll probably think well if that’s good, 10 minutes is better. It’s not.
We began for 1 minute twice a day for a week. My back would hurt after that first minute like I’d strained or worked too hard at something. But after the first three days, it didn’t hurt any more when my session was complete. I’ve noticed now that we’re up to 2 minutes, I am not having as many occasions where I hurt my back during daily life. It is amazing to me how much you feel like you’ve exercised when you complete your two minutes.
We had our granddaughter, who is a collegiate distance runner and in very good shape, use the Rumblex. She thought it was cool and when we suggested she do a plank while using the vibration plate (to make up for some light lifting she does) she was impressed with how hard it was.
Has it helped the lymphedema? Yes. I retain fluid in my feet enough that I have “fat” shoes. Shoes I can only wear when my feet have been blown up because of a chemical or food reaction or lack of exercise. I haven’t had them feel like water balloons since I began using the vibration plate. My hands and arms are less swollen too.
What about the neuropathy? Well it’s taken 84 years to get to this point and a month of vibration therapy hasn’t made huge improvements yet, but he continues and we are hopeful it will make noticeable improvements. Like the girl in the picture, he can sit and still get in the exercise necessary. Pretty cool!
An update, yes the vibration therapy has helped neuropathy! After a few months his foot, toe and legs are more comfortable. Are we sure that it what helped? Yes, he quit for a week or so and the pain returned more intensely. So he’s back, in the chair, sitting with his feet on the Rumblex for 3 minutes twice a day. AMAZING!
