Whole-body vibration still shaking things up

Posted on Nov 29th 2007 10:00AM by Jacki Donaldson

Filed Under: Fitness

I stood on a whole-body vibration machine recently. Didn't like it. Couldn't wait to get off the darn thing, in fact. For those who like shaking about on a platform designed to enhance fitness and promote weight loss, though, maybe this vibrating thing is wise step in the direction of overall health. Or is it?

There's no definite evidence that whole body vibration provides any fitness or weight-loss benefits, says Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Edward Laskowski, M.D. It may even be harmful for people with certain medical conditions, such as low back pain, or women who are pregnant.

Manufacturers of vibrating platforms claim that training sessions of only a few minutes twice a week can produce measurable effects. How can this be? How can merely standing still while your body shakes be effective? It can't, says Laskowski, who reports that we can't get the benefits of physical activity without doing any of the work. Passive exercise via vibration just isn't an effective means of increasing your endurance, flexibility, strength, or stability. Maybe, just maybe, it's possible to burn a few extra calories but if you're looking for any measurable weight loss or fitness gains, nothing works as well as good old-fashioned exercise.

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Tags: body, exercise, fitness, Jacki Donaldson, JackiDonaldson, loss, platform, shaking, vibration, weight, whole

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jack 11-29-2007 @ 2:22PM

You've got it all wrong. You don't "just stand there" and let the vibrations work. You have to go through a series of stretching and strength excersizes and use significant muscle resistance in order for the machines to do their job. I use a Power Plate and it came with a lagre poster-size schematic of the various positions and excersizes needed for effective results. I have not heard of any claims of serious weight loss associated with these machines, but I will testify that, for flexibility and strength this is the best thing I have ever used. I am a sixty year-old male and I have never felt better. My golf swing has even improved dramatically. Fifteen-twenty minutes, three times / week will work just fine.

Chuck 11-29-2007 @ 3:17PM

And there is significant research to show that vibration plates do a lot to add to bone density- As this is endemic in our population and the Osteoporosis drugs (Fosamaz, Forteo, et all) are showing to be problematic long term, this is the area people should be looking at.

Lynn 11-29-2007 @ 3:17PM

Daisy....Congrats to you for the discipline and success of losing your weight!!! It's unfortunate there are people in our society looking for an easy and quick way to lose weight. A healthy, well-balanced diet combined with exercise is the SAFE and most effective way!!

In regards to the whole body vibrating machine, how does it work? Are there belts to use? Isn't this what women in the 50s used to help reduce the appearance of cellulite? It supposedly breaks down the clusters of fat cells that cause the 'dimples'. My gym has not yet invested in this piece of equipment. However, given the chance, it may be worth checking out as a 'cellulite' buster. Four days a week of cross-training and a healthy diet haven't done much for my genetically enhanced glutes! This could be my savior!! =)

Healthy holidays to everyone!

trumpetisawesome 11-29-2007 @ 4:31PM

a vibrating machine?? how in the world could that help?? to lose weight you need to eat right and exersice regularly. it is hard but worth it. no machine can do that for you unless it is a fitness machine. but vibrating??

trumpetisawesome 11-29-2007 @ 4:30PM

a vibrating machine...wow. what has the world come to. if you cant loose the weight yourself you shouldnt resort to a VIBRATING MACHINE! see a doctor, exersice, eat the good stuff! treadmill, good machine, vibrating, no exersice involved bad machine.

ARRELL 11-29-2007 @ 4:30PM

I wish AOL would stop trying to pretend that a commercial is news. And stop presenting them as news. This is nothing new. remeber the stap around the butt machine of the 50's. They went out because the FDA decided that they were a health hazzard and that they caused organ damage over long periods of usage. Why is this any different. Same old same old with a new look. only more so..... The only news worthy part of this commercial was totally ignored. and denounced by the commercial.. These are a health hazzard... How many people will have organ failure before they recall these items. It just doesn't seem to be any let up from these people who will kill you for cash profit....

CelluliteQueen 11-29-2007 @ 4:45PM

Sign me up! ANYTHING is better than exercising! LOL! Ya think I can stand on that thing while I'm snacking? LOL!!

Mike Hunt 11-29-2007 @ 4:49PM

my old lady has a whole drawer full of vibrating machines !

Mea 11-29-2007 @ 6:08PM

These machines are expensive and if you read the actual ads I don't really see where they are for weight loss. The primary goal is for increasing bone density and for use in exercise for people who cannot, for various reasons, do regular exercise. Some people have medical conditions or handicaps that prevent them from doing the usual strength training or aerobic exercises. In my research these machines have done a pretty good job for these purposes - not for weight loss.

Chakrahealer7 11-29-2007 @ 6:08PM

It works like this: you fight so hard to stay on the thing while it vibrates that you use all your core muscles-that's your cardio as your arms and legs go akimbo. Lifting yourself up off the floor once you are "vibrated" off is the weight bearing part of the session...

ARRELL 11-29-2007 @ 6:07PM

This machine will do far more damage to you than good. You can loose more pounds by soaking in a hot bubble bath than this machine will take off. Just by sweating. You would get more muscle exercise and tension relief from a 7 inch vibrator and a pair of long life batteries. And enjoy it more. This machine will soften and reduce your joints and have you replacing your hip joints and knee joints and suffering arthritis before you are 40. Not to mention shin splints and ankle problems. When you are 50 and in a wheel chair remember this machine you thought was so great..... It will also deteriorate your internal organs with continued use over the long run. So all in all it should be banned as a major health hazzard and the fools that tried to cash in on your ignorance and shorten your life for cash profit should be in jail where they can't find some other way to kill you for profit... One man said that he had something like this that also had stretches and bends to do with it to gain results.. Well it was the stretches and bends that gave him the results not the vibrator machine. Who doesn't gain limberness by stretching. This guy said it helped his golf game. Well how will his golf game be from a wheelchair in a few years?....

Anita 11-29-2007 @ 6:07PM

I have been exericising on Power Plates since July. I am 59 yrs. old. It has been the most positive experience. After years of low back pain. I am building and toning muscles. Unless you have actually exercised on the vibration machine you can't possibly understand how it works. Power plates has pro-athletes that use these machines as part of their total workout. You still need to do some type of aroebic exercise along with the machine. Checkout www.powerplate.com. It might change your opinion.

Diana 11-29-2007 @ 5:36PM

It seems like the people who write these blogs never do enough research. Don't write about something unless you have all of the facts!

Horrified that you would believe this! 11-29-2007 @ 6:05PM

I work in a physical therapy clinic and we would never purchase something like this. You don't lose weight by standing on a vibrating machine....sorry. The only basis I can see for this machine is that it gives you instability while performing NORMAL strengthening exercises, which would give you a workout. However, that can be achieved by using an unstable object as part of your workout, such as a big physiotherapy ball or BOSU (check it out at www.BOSU.com...great piece!). These provide a little bit of instability so your muscles are constantly working hard to keep you balanced. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars per machine to do that. And for the guy who said that pro-athletes use this machine...their website might say that, but I HIGHLY doubt it. I work with athletes on a daily basis in the clinic and a local school, as well as working very closely with strength and conditioning specialists (knowledge that I have gained and use myself), and I would be hard-pressed to find any program that would put pro athletes on this machine and actually expect a result. They are not that dumb. Please people stop looking for a quick and easy fix...EXERCISE AND EAT RIGHT!!! 'Nuff said. :-)

Elinor 11-29-2007 @ 6:05PM

Ask most intelligent orthopedic surgeons and Physical Therapist and Feldenkrais Practitioners and they will tell you that moving in all the directions while the machine is vibrating so hard will literally disintegrate your joints with all the extreme torquing to the bones, long and short, joints and all. It will cause way more long term and permanent damage way before it even increases any bone density. Please think about it logically and use your intelligence before you get sold on this mischugas!

MariaD 11-29-2007 @ 6:05PM

I want to know more about this,such as what can happen if you have certain medical conditions, maybe a bloodclot.Someone may have this and not know this. High blood pressure? Not everyone is going to get a check-up before getting on one of these. It would be wonderful if it was this simple. But there surely is a downside.

danielle 11-29-2007 @ 7:23PM

Before anyone jumps to conclusions or opinions; please take the time to educate yourself first. http://www.powerplatechicago.com/whatwedo.html
this website provides scientific research. Don't knock it before you try it!

think of this 11-29-2007 @ 7:23PM

if you are standing there shaking you aren't at the table or fridg, eating it might work mmm MASTER LOCKS ON FRIDG WORK AND EMPTY CABNETS DO TOO.

Dick Kovar 11-29-2007 @ 8:41PM

I'd like to hear from a physical therapist who has actually tested the machine rather than (on the one hand) medical theorists and (on the other) promoters and their dupes.

Steve H 12-04-2007 @ 3:27PM

PUHLEASE get a grip, I am almost 55. I remember those machines. You don't just stand there. The vibration causes you to tighten all your core muscles just to remain stable. As to all things, there is a downside. Not being a doctor, I have to use commonsense. Someone with some type of implant would definitely not want to use this machine. But it is a step-up from the old belt machines, which people mis-used.

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