Vibration training for athletes: What it is and does it work

Recently, a friend and colleague bought a VibePlate and has been raving about it. Since I am the eternal skeptic, I decided to do a little research on WHOLE BODY VIBRATION TRAINING (WBV). 

As much I am a believer in anecdotes and experience, the scientist in me wanted to see what research had been done what it yielded. 

The history of WBV has its roots in ancient Greece for performance enhancement in athletes where they would take a saw covered with cotton and apply vibrations to a part of the body that was not functioning properly. Dr. John Kellogg Harvey was also using WBV in the 1880's and 1890's at the Battle Creek Sanitarium as part of his "wellness" protocols. 

Most recently, we have seen the Russians using WBV for their cosmonauts which was followed closely NASA and the European Space Agency to offset the effects of being in space with no gravity which caused rapid muscle and bone density loss. 

Recently, a lot of research has been done for performance enhancement as well as physical therapy and the research is very mixed but with good reason. Because the technology is not uniform across the board and there are many variations on the apparatus, the research is inconsistent. Keeping that in mind, here's what we've come up with regarding athletic performance enhancement as well as physical therapy:

1: THE EFFICACY OF THE PLATFORMS DEPENDS UPON THE TYPE OF PLATFORM. ^ ^a b Marín, PJ; Rhea, MR (2010). "Effects of vibration training on muscle power: a meta-analysis.". Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association 24 (3): 871–8.doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c7c6f0. PMID 20145554.

THERE ARE FOUR TYPES:

1. High Energy Lineal, found mostly in commercial vibration training studios and gyms. The vibration direction is lineal/upward eliciting a strong stretch-reflex contraction in muscle fibres targeted by the positions of training program. 

2. Premium Speed Pivotal, (teeter-totter movement) used for physiotherapy work at lower speeds and exercise workouts at “premium” speed, up to 27 Hz. Both commercial and home units are available. 

3. Medium Energy Lineal, the majority of lineal platforms produced. These are usually made of plastic; some have 3-D vibration which is low quality. They give slower and less consistent results. 

4. Low Speed Pivotal units. These can give “therapy” benefits. Other machine types are low Energy/Low amplitude lineal and Low energy/High amplitude lineal with varying uses from osteoporosis prevention, therapy for improved blood circulation and flexibility and limited fitness training.

2. The SHORT TERM effects of WBV show that more motor units (read: brain) and their muscle fibers are incited more than non WBV training. Because of this hyper stimulation of the neuromuscular system, more force is able to be produced. However, MORE is not better. The WBV must be monitored closely as it can overwhelm the system causing fatigue. 

1. ^ ^a b Delecluse, C; Roelants, M; Diels, R; Koninckx, E; Verschueren, S (2005). "Effects of whole body vibration training on muscle strength and sprint performance in sprint-trained athletes.". International journal of sports medicine26 (8): 662–8. doi:10.1055/s-2004-830381. PMID 16158372.
2. ^ Lamont, Cramer, Gayaud, Acree, Bemben: Effects of different vibration interventions on indices of counter movement vertical jump performance in college aged males, Poster presentation ACSM, 2006
3. ^ Cormie, P; Deane, RS; Triplett, NT; McBride, JM (2006). "Acute effects of whole-body vibration on muscle activity, strength, and power.". Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association 20 (2): 257–61. doi:10.1519/R-17835.1. PMID 16686550.
4. ^ Bosco, C; Iacovelli, M; Tsarpela, O; Cardinale, M; Bonifazi, M; Tihanyi, J; Viru, M; De Lorenzo, A et al. (2000). "Hormonal responses to whole-body vibration in men.". European journal of applied physiology 81 (6): 449–54.PMID 10774867.
5. ^ Rittweger, J; Schiessl, H; Felsenberg, D (2001). "Oxygen uptake during whole-body vibration exercise: comparison with squatting as a slow voluntary movement.". European journal of applied physiology 86 (2): 169–73.doi:10.1007/s004210100511. PMID 11822476.
6. ^ Rittweger, J; Ehrig, J; Just, K; Mutschelknauss, M; Kirsch, KA; Felsenberg, D (2002). "Oxygen uptake in whole-body vibration exercise: influence of vibration frequency, amplitude, and external load.". International journal of sports medicine23 (6): 428–32. doi:10.1055/s-2002-33739. PMID 12215962.
7. ^ Abercromby, Amonette, Paloski, Hinman: Effect of knee flexion angle on neuromuscular responses to whole-body vibration, Abstract presented at NSCA National Conference, July 2005

3. WBV training does increase circulation to both the muscles and lymphatic system by the 30-50 times per second contractions and relaxation of the muscles which could prove very useful in post-workout/game activities as a way of active recovery. Again, the system would have be closely monitored and combined with other therapies to maximize recovery for athletes. 

1. ^ Kerschan-Schindl, K; Grampp, S; Henk, C; Resch, H; Preisinger, E; Fialka-Moser, V; Imhof, H (2001). "Whole-body vibration exercise leads to alterations in muscle blood volume.". Clinical physiology (Oxford, England) 21 (3): 377–82.PMID 11380538.
2. ^ Lohman Eb, 3rd; Petrofsky, JS; Maloney-Hinds, C; Betts-Schwab, H; Thorpe, D (2007). "The effect of whole body vibration on lower extremity skin blood flow in normal subjects.". Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research 13 (2): CR71–6. PMID 17261985.
3. ^ Stewart, JM; Karman, C; Montgomery, LD; McLeod, KJ (2005). "Plantar vibration improves leg fluid flow in perimenopausal women.". American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology 288 (3): R623–9.doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00513.2004. PMID 15472009.
4. ^ Oliveri, DJ; Lynn, K; Hong, CZ (1989). "Increased skin temperature after vibratory stimulation.". American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation / Association of Academic Physiatrists 68 (2): 81–5. PMID 2930643.

4. In the LONG TERM, studies have not show that the WBV is any more effective than conventional training methods to increase STRENGTH. The research time and time again showed insignificant residual power increases. It was noted that the WBV training had to be maintained over a period of time to effect the changes that they did. A one time training session or treatment would not have sufficed. 

1. ^ ^a b c d Delecluse, C; Roelants, M; Verschueren, S (2003). "Strength increase after whole-body vibration compared with resistance training.". Medicine and science in sports and exercise 35 (6): 1033–41.doi:10.1249/01.MSS.0000069752.96438.B0. PMID 12783053.
2. ^ ^a b Delecluse, C; Roelants, M; Diels, R; Koninckx, E; Verschueren, S (2005). "Effects of whole body vibration training on muscle strength and sprint performance in sprint-trained athletes.". International journal of sports medicine26 (8): 662–8. doi:10.1055/s-2004-830381. PMID 16158372.
3. ^ Lamont, Cramer, Gayaud, Acree, Bemben: Effects of different vibration interventions on indices of counter movement vertical jump performance in college aged males, Poster presentation ACSM, 2006
4. ^ Cormie, P; Deane, RS; Triplett, NT; McBride, JM (2006). "Acute effects of whole-body vibration on muscle activity, strength, and power.". Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association 20 (2): 257–61. doi:10.1519/R-17835.1. PMID 16686550.

5. Vibration therapy has been shown to alleviate pain, HOWEVER, this was not WBV. In the study below, it showed that vibration stimulation reported that 70% of patients reported pain alleviation. With this kind of therapy, a few factors were important:

1. Application of therapy had to be on or close to area of injury insult, at the antagonistic muscle or trigger point
2. In most patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain the best pain reducing effect was obtained when the vibratory stimulation was applied with moderate pressure (at which contact was achieved with underlying bone) at a frequency of 50-150 Hz. To obtain a maximal duration of pain relief the stimulation had to be applied for 30-45 minutes.
3. In comparison with high or low frequency TENS, vibratory stimulation was found to be as effective and in some patients even more effective in reducing chronic musculoskeletal or orofacial pain. The effect of 20 Hz, 100 Hz and 200 Hz vibratory stimulation, high frequency TENS, low frequency TENS and "placebo" vibratory stimulation was examined in various chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes. 82% of the patients experienced a relief of pain with any of the above mentioned methods; 47% of the patients experienced a reduction of pain with vibratory stimulation or TENS stimulation. 

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

Well, the jury is still out for the most part. WBV is a nice tool used in the right hands but it is not a panacea by any stretch of the imagination. Like most training methods, WBV has to be applied at the right place, time, and to the right person. Could tri-planar work infused with WBV be highly effective. Sure looks like it will be in the short-term. Do we need it??? Probably not. Looks like you can get the same results without it. Is it a nice toy to have? Sure! Hopefully, it will not become another toy in the corner like oh so many toys become. 

I challenge my colleagues who are using the WBV training to take it beyond the standards and come up with something great that will be long lasting as well as beneficial. Can it be done? Sure as long as they remember that there is a NEURO in the Neuromusculoskeletal system and let science and not fiction guide the process. 

Thoughts?

Best,

Will