Whole Body Vibration Therapy
Whole body vibration is not only an effective replacement for physical exercises in people with sedentary lifestyles and limited time for workouts, but also a useful form of therapy for anyone dealing with poor lymphatic drainage, painful joints, stiff muscles, weight management problems and poor immunity levels. All these issues can be addressed and solved through regular WBV sessions, the positive effects of this form of therapy being supported by numerous scientific studies.
Lymphatic Drainage
Whole body vibration machines enhance not only the blood circulation, but also the lymph flow, contributing to a better drainage. The lymphatic system, which is made of a network of vessels and nodes, is responsible for collecting and transporting tissue fluids from the inter-cellular spaces in all tissues, back in the blood system.
As muscles contract and relax, they push the fluid along, so it’s not hard to realize that physical activity supports a healthier lymphatic drainage.
Just like it enhances blood’s circulation, whole body vibration therapy stimulates the lymph’s circulation as well. The energy waves sent by the platform enhance the activity of muscles, and this leads consequently to a better drainage of lymph to the nodes.
Why is this so important? First, because it prevents the accumulation of excess fluids inside tissues, thus reduces the risk of swelling. Lots of people complain of swollen and painful legs after spending several hoursstanding, but without moving too much, or sitting at the work desk. By promoting lymph circulation, WBV reduces the risk of leg and ankle swelling, relieving the pain at the same time.
Then, a better lymphatic drainage means a more effective annihilation of microorganisms that could cause infectious processes. Also, risk of inflammation is reduces, and this means one becomes less likely to develop arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. People with a healthier lymphatic system have a stronger immunity and are less prone to cold, flu and more severe ailments caused by a weakened immune system. Puffiness around the eyes is reduced, skin looks better and relaxation is promoted by a healthier lymphatic drainage.
Flexibility and balance
Another important benefit of whole body vibration refers to the ability of this form of therapy to improve flexibility and balance. By lifting you up and dropping you down, the WBV machine forces your muscles to work harder in order to keep the body balanced and prevent it from being pulled away from the platform.
If you keep exercising on the machine, your body starts adapting and learns how to deal with higher amounts of load and increased vibration frequencies, so your overall balance improves in the long run. And so does your coordination, as the brain and muscles learn to communicate more efficiently in order to prevent excessive motion and keep the body stable on the machine’s platform.
The energy waves that are sent through your body warm up the muscles and joints and enhance circulation. By increasing the blood flow, whole body vibration therapy ensures a better delivery of nutrients, water and oxygen to muscles, and helps in the removal of by products from the fibers. Muscles’ composition is improved and they become more elastic and flexible. Also, the warmed up muscles and joints can perform wider movements, as they become less rigid and stiff.
And last, the platform causes the synovial fluid found inside the joints to cover the parts that are not reached by blood vessels, and this means an improved lubrication and nutrition for the joints’ components. Bones that form the joints glide easier over each other with proper lubrication.
Weight management
Whole body vibration mimics the effects of regular training sessions, so instead of going to the gym or doing your cardio workout at home, using an exercise mat and a set of dumbbells, you can step on your vibration platform and let it do all the job. The platform sends energy waves through your body, and depending on your position, it stimulates one or more body areas more intensely.
As these waves reach the muscles, they cause faster contractions, and the activity of your muscular fibers increases with the frequency of the waves. For properly responding to the received stimuli, the activated muscle fibers need to consume more energy than usually, and this means they burn a higher amount of calories.
The main source of energy for your muscles is represented by glucose obtained from the eaten foods. As digestion takes place, glucose is released into the blood stream; part of it is burned for immediate energy needs, while another part is stored in liver, muscles or adipose tissues.
The glucose stored in muscles, in the form of glycogen, is used by the fibers during physical activity, but after these reservoirs are depleted, the body needs an additional fuel. This fuel is usually represented by fats deposits, which are destroyed and burned for energy. Thus, the more intense the muscle activity is, the faster glycogen is consumed and the more fats are broken down for energy production.
As you can see, there are several benefits of whole body vibration therapy for anyone, and the best part is that you can experience these positive effects without having to spend too much time with daily WBV sessions. 10 minutes per day are enough for benefiting from these health effects, and you can do your training in the comfort of our office!