Power Plate - what are the benefits for athletes?
Know some of the potential health-related benefits of whole-body vibration training - Power Plate.
Vibration training was introduced more than 20 years ago as an alternative method to improve strength, power, and flexibility and whole body vibration training (WBVT) is now increasingly being used in sports performance and rehabilitation internationally.
Age-related changes in muscle function
Physical exercise is important for the management of undesirable clinical conditions due to age, and WBVT can be an important intervention due to its safety and efficacy.
Systematic reviews and meta-analysises provide evidence that WBV exercise reduces fall rate in adults above 50 years of age.
Bone mineral density (BMD)
It is known that a mechanical stimulus is necessary to maintain bone health.
Systematic reviews and meta-analysis show that WBV training was not only useful for counteracting the loss of muscle strength associated with sarcopenia in older adults but also has a positive effect on bone mass and structure. Evidence shows that WBV is a potential nonpharmacological intervention for improving bone mass in postmenopausal and older women, particularly on lumbar spine, which was shown the most sensitive area.3
Metabolic Effects of Vibrations
WBVT has been shown to cause clear metabolic responses, similar to other forms of exercise. It seems that WBVT may represent a mild form of exercise for the cardiovascular system. Especially elderly people can make use of this form of exercise when other solutions are not possible.
In summary, the WBVT has been shown to improve body composition, muscular strength, and cardiovascular health. Since it does not require utilizing conventional dynamic exercise such as free weight or dynamic movement, even an elderly population can use as an exercise modality.
When using Power Plate technology, it is important to recognize that body posture and type of vibrating plate used, affect transmissibility of vibration to the spine and the head when exercises are performed standing on the plate. Lying on the plate and/ or sitting on the plate should be discouraged as transmission to the head is quite high.
Thordis Berger
CMO - Chief Medical Officer - Portugal
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Jepsen DB et al. ,Effect of whole-body vibration exercise in preventing falls and fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2017;7:e018342
Frost HM. Wolff's Law and bone's structural adaptations to mechanical usage: an overview for clinicians. Angle Orthod 1994;64:175–88
Rittweger J, Beller G, Felsenberg D. Acute physiological effects of exhaustive whole-body vibration exercise in man. Clin Physiol 2000;20:134–42.
Kerschan-Schindl K, Grampp S, Henk C, et al.Whole-body vibration exercise leads to alterations in muscle blood volume. Clin Physiol 2001;21:377–82
Rittweger J, Ehrig J, Just K, et al. Oxygen uptake in whole-body vibration exercise: influence of vibration frequency, amplitude, and external load. Int J Sports Med 2002;23:428–32.