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| Vibration Therapy
History |
Vibration
therapy began in 1857 by a Swedish doctor, Gustav Zander. He built 70 different
exercise machines some of which were a type of vibration exercise. After
exhibiting at two Worlds fairs, he started the Zander Institutes, which were an
early form of today’s health clubs and proved to be very popular through
out the world. The Netherlands had 9 centers at one point.
A little
later in 1895 in Battle Creek, Michigan, the developer of corn flakes, Dr. John
Harvey Kellogg, invented a whole-body vibration machine. This was a unique
chair design that shook violently and claimed to cure constipation, headaches
and back pain. To stimulate the inner organs, he also developed a standing
platform.
In 1960 the beginning of today’s vibration exercise
techniques was begun in East Germany with a technique called rhythmic
neuromuscular stimulation.
Russian scientists began the real studies of
Whole Body Vibration and fine-tuned this technology for years. They used this
technology for many years to help rehabilitate their cosmonauts after returning
from space to help repair muscles from atrophy and bone density due to the
weightlessness of space. Many were so weak that they needed assistance in
walking after emerging from the aircraft. The scientists reasoned that
providing a form of therapy that focused on hyper gravitational force it could
yield an effective treatment. These Russian researchers found that not only did
that stop the loss, but amazingly it also increased bone density and
strengthened muscle tissue. They also used this technology then to prevent
injury to their Olympic athletes. In the event one of their athletes did injure
themselves, they were put on a WBV plate to rehabilitate the injury.
After the fall of Communism in Russia, Whole Body Vibration technology
made its way east and west. This technology continued to be studied and
enhanced. It has taken both the Orient and Europe by storm. Even though there
were meager beginnings in the United States, vibration exercise really has not
been in the United States for very long. In the past only wealthy, sports
teams, or doctor’s offices were the only places you could find a WBV unit.
These units usually cost $10,000 or more. After decades of research, NASA, many
professional athletes, sports teams, medical centers, spas and health clubs
have embraced this technology.
The Whole Body Vibration technology
centers on a recurrent change of position on a vibrating platform with the
specific physical factors of amplitude, frequency and time. The muscles are
stimulated to work by the stretch reflex. You are probably familiar this type
reflex when the doctor taps the patella tendon below the kneecap and the lower
leg moves upwards without the brain being able to prevent the movement. When
the muscles are activated with the stretch reflex we get a number of benefits
not seen during regular exercise. Normally, we do not use all our muscles for
standing or moving. With the Whole Body Vibration, the stretch reflex ensures
that all muscle fibers are being stimulated at one time. The muscle responds to
vibration by contracting to offset the stress it imposes and is ensured to
produce effective results for your physical therapy
needs.
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