Osteoporosis and Whole-Body Vibration
April 22, 2010 by Dr. Lani
Filed under Featured, General Health, Osteoporosis
Whole-Body Vibration (WBV)
WBV has been around for quite some time but lately we are hearing about it more and more. Stars such as Madonna attest to the incredible workouts they get on a WBV machine in much less time than simply lifting weights. Many doctors and physical therapists are adding WBV equipment for their offices as most people are unable to afford home units. Recently, the TV show “The Doctors” and “The Tyra Banks Show” featured WBV units used for weight loss, lymphatic drainage, muscle toning and balance. The same machine may help treat osteoporosis as well.
Can this technology increase bone density? Is WBV over-hyped or is it a reasonable tool to use for treating osteoporosis, bodybuilding, and rehabilitation? I have spent the past two years investigating WBV and I have personally tested a variety of machines. During this upcoming webinar I will discuss my findings and my personal experience with WBV, especially as it relates to osteoporosis and muscle strengthening. If you are considering purchasing a WBV machine or using one in a gym, you do not want to miss this webinar. Not all WBV units are created equal!
I just purchased a Euroshine USA Euuro Body Shaper. The representative said it had one motor and the movement was oscillating. I have osteoporosis and am 60 years old.
Please…please …please tell me if it is the right kind because I just purchased it last Sunday and I still have time to cancel if it is not the best .
If calling is easier, my number is 812-284-1450. I distribute Designs for Health and I have heard you on their Clinical Rounds.
Blessings,
Sandy Plass
Vertical vibration has the most studies showing impact on bone. The studies mostly are on animals. There are many factors that must be considered. Frequency is very important and not all companies use the same frequency. Oscillating may be a good choice for you overall, and likely will help with hip bone density and less likely for the spine. Also, no equipment is going to work very well unless underlying conditions that cause bone loss is corrected. If you have attended some of my talks you know that digestive disorders, deficiencies of vitamin D, B-12 and a slew of other factors can cause bone loss. If you are stable– having two bone densities of the hip and lumbar spine that show no bone loss then the WBV exercise along with weight training can increase bone mass. My webinar will go into detail.
Dear Dr. Lani.
Please help. I just purchased a Soloflex WBV machine, and am still in the 30 day evaluation period.
The Soloflex seemed to have lower G-forces (.3 – 1.1 g rms) and the frequency range which was most similar to the Juvent, which seemed to have the most clinical data showing it helped osteoporosis. However, the Juvent was way more expensive than the Soloflex at about $400. I found papers cautioning against the high g forces > 8 g or so, found in some of the machines such as Galileo and Powerplate, and so did not consider any of the high g-force machines. However, the Soloflex claims that it is Omnidirectional, rather than vertical displacement (which the Juvent has). I wrote to Soloflex to see if they had done any clinical studies on their machine, and they have not.
Do you think the Soloflex is a good compromise based on cost and function?
Please advise. Thank you so much for your help in advance.
Best Regards,
Muriel
I wish I could endorse Soloflex but once again, no studies or even case studies that I can look at. In fact if you are interested in helping me gather information call Soloflex and ask if they have testimonials of increased bone density where the people are willing for me to contact them and review before and after bone density testing of the hip and lumbar spine. While this is not a double blind study, small companies lack the funds to do a bona fide study. However, I want to pull together whatever I can. By the time the webinar airs on April 14th I will have a lot more information.