Lymphatic Drainage

WHAT IS WHOLE BODY VIBRATION THERAPY?

The theory behind vibration exercise equipment was developed for the Russian space program in the 1960s because the cosmonauts needed to exercise while in zero gravity space. No gravity means there is no resistance to workout muscles, and with months in space, this could result in muscle deterioration and loss in bone density. To combat this, the Russians came up with a vibration exercise. You merely step onto the platform, you can stand, sit, lie down, or even focus the platform on specific body parts. The platform creates a vibration, which is sent through the body. In reflex the muscles contract. This causes tendons to stretch and increases blood flow and improved blood oxygenation. In return, this strengthens and tones without effort on the person’s part. Since the vibrations get sent through the entire body, all the muscle groups are affected.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WHOLE BODY VIBRATION THERAPY?

• Accelerates Fat Loss: In conjunction with a healthy meal plan, vibrations can help you lose the weight and keep it off. “Over the year, only the conventional fitness and vibration groups managed to maintain a 5% weight loss, which is what is considered enough to improve health,” Dr. Vissers of University of Antwerp in Belgium.
• Boosts Lymphatic Drainage: Lymphatic fluid is completely dependent on physical exercise to move, and the up-and-down rhythmic gravitational force caused by vibration therapy machines causes the lymph system’s one-way valves to open and close, increasing lymph flow.
• Decreases Stress Levels: By reducing the cortisol levels in the body while raising key hormones such as serotonin, vibration therapy machines help relieve stress. Additionally, it increases and oxygenates blood flow, and improves flexibility and range of motion.
• Helps Release Toxins: Another added benefit is the release of natural endorphins that make a person feel good, and better circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the body as a whole. This in turn pushes more fluid through the body’s natural filtration systems and helps remove toxins within the body.
• Helps Tendonitis & Ligament Rehabilitation: Findings suggest that vibration may serve as an anabolic stimulus to tendons like its effects on bone and muscle. These findings are important as they open the potential that low magnitude, high frequency vibration might serve to accelerate tendon and ligament healing.
• Improves Balance & Flexibility: Vibrations stimulate the involuntary muscles to reflex to keep you balanced and helps diminish neuromuscular adhesions, improving overall flexibility.
• Improves Metabolism: As your muscles get stronger, they use fuel more efficiently, and as your blood circulation improves, you will have more energy. These things encourage your body to burn fat and calories from food faster, resulting in increased metabolism. As your metabolism increases, you will burn more fat, even when you are not working out.
• Improves Posture Stability: Four-week study on posture, published in 2014 in PLOS ONE, was performed on four groups of young men males (N = 28) to determine both the short- and long-term effects of whole-body vibration. Over the long term, researchers concluded that long-term vibration training improves the posture stability of young men in the frontal plane.
• Increases Blood Circulation: The vibrations coursing through your body while using one of these machines will help keep your blood oxygenated, which helps greatly with blood circulation.
• Increases Bone Mass Density: Several studies have shown vibration therapy to improve muscle and bone circulation, increasing the supply of nutrients needed to build bones. Vibration signals transmit and amplify into bone tissue, directly activating mechanosensors in bone cells.
• Reduces Cellulite: As the vibrations shake off the weight, they will subsequently tighten and tone and reduce cellulite.
• Reduces Osteoporosis: Studies have demonstrated that vibration increases the anabolic (bone building) activity of bone tissue and bone density and reduces the effects of Osteoporosis.
• Relieves Arthritis and Fibromyalgia: Results show that there was a significant reduction for pain and fatigue with vibration therapy. Vibrations cause the muscles to contract and relax, potentially alleviating any underlying muscular pain.
• Relieves Back & Neck Pain: Vibration therapy can also be utilized to assist the circulatory system’s ability to deliver vital nutrients and hormones throughout the body, relieving pain throughout the body.
• Strengthens Core Muscles: The vibrations loosen your muscles around the waist (core) and tone often unused muscles by causing them to contract and relax several times per second.
• Tones and Tightens Body: As the vibrations help burn the calories, this will in turn tighten your core muscles and become firm around your waist, legs, and arms.
• Treats Diabetic Neuropathy, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s: The mechanical stimulation produced by the vibrations generates forces on the body causing muscles to lengthen. This signal, received by muscle spindles, is then relayed to the central nervous system, triggering the stretch reflex. As a result, more motor units are activated and synchronized, producing a larger muscle contraction without additional loading to the passive structures such as bones, ligaments, and joints.

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR WHOLE BODY VIBRATION THERAPY

At Spirit of Health, we believe that whole body vibration therapy is safe and effective for most people; however, this therapy is not advised if you have any of the following conditions. Please contact your physician before use to discuss if this therapy is appropriate for you.  

• Pacemaker
• Recent joint replacement or any implant placed in your body
• Epilepsy
• Vertigo or neurological conditions that affect balance
• Detached retina or any known retina conditions
• Pregnant