Can a whole body vibration machine help with your injury rehab? We take a look at the research to see whether there are any whole body vibration benefits and if so, how it should be done. Remember, if you need more help with an injury, you're welcome to consult our team of sports physios online via video call.
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In this article:
Here's a video I made about it:
Does whole body vibration work?
The research on this topic is still a bit sparse, but it does seem that strength training with whole body vibration can have more benefits than strength training on its own.
One of the main problems with the research is that the various researchers tend to use machines that vibrate at different frequencies and amplitudes. It’s therefore no real surprise that you can find studies that show positive effects on strength and performance as well as studies that show no extra benefit.
It also appears to be able to improve your flexibility more effectively compared to doing static stretching, with the added benefit that it activates the muscles while improving your flexibility.
A benefit that may be of interest to athletes who have suffered fractures is that the vibration can help to improve your bone density.
Lastly, it also appears to improve proprioception or position sense, which is important for injury prevention.
How should it be done?
From the research, it seems that training with frequencies (vibrations per second) of around 30 Hz to 35 Hz appears to be optimal.
There’s no clear pattern with regards to amplitude (how much the plate moves) that stands out in the research results. One of the hypotheses of how this type of training works is that it stimulates the stretch reflex in your tendons, so I would argue that you need an amplitude of at least 3 mm. (The strength training study mentioned above that didn’t show any benefit used a machine with an amplitude of less than 1 mm.)
The following vibration plates all have the frequency and amplitude capabilities recommended above.
It does seem to be important to do strength exercises on the machine and not just stand there. One vibration plate study compared three groups of people who did:
a regular strength training programme without a vibration machine, or
the same programme on a vibration machine, or
the moves of the programme but without the weight on a vibration machine.
The group that did the strength training programme on the vibration machine (Group 2) improved their running performance significantly more than the other two groups.
You should also work towards making your strength training progressively more challenging by making the rest periods shorter, the weights heavier, or adding in more reps.
How we can help
Need more help with your injury? You’re welcome to consult one of the team at SIP online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan.
We're all UK Chartered Physiotherapists with Master’s Degrees related to Sports & Exercise Medicine or at least 10 years' experience in the field. But at Sports Injury Physio we don't just value qualifications; all of us also have a wealth of experience working with athletes across a broad variety of sports, ranging from recreationally active people to professional athletes. You can meet the team here.
About the Author
Maryke Louw is a chartered physiotherapist with more than 15 years' experience and a Masters Degree in Sports Injury Management. Follow her on LinkedIn, ResearchGate, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
