Vibration therapy's many benefits include improving athletic performance.
No one likes living with pain. Whether it's caused by a chronic condition or a hard day at the gym, the pain signals sent by your brain can feel almost like a betrayal. For many people, medication isn't a long term solution for this issue, so some look to alterative methods of alleviating these symptoms.
One strategy, known as vibration therapy, uses oscillations to offer a number of benefits to your body, including the following:
1. Increased blood circulation
Your heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout your body. However, that circulation is not always as effective as it should be. Poor circulation can result in a number of negative health effects, including damage to your organs.
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests vibration therapy may help increase blood circulation. For example, a 2014 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology showed that whole body vibration therapy increased the skin blood flow of patients with neurovascular complications of diabetes. A similar study published in 2011 in the journal Spinal Cord found that this method was effective in both increasing blood flow to the legs and activating muscle mass in patients with spinal cord injuries.
2. Boosted muscular strength
If you want to boost muscle growth, your first stop is probably the gym. But lifting isn't the only way you can increase your strength – vibration therapy may also be a helpful aid.
A 2014 study published in the Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics found that children with spastic diplegic cerebrel palsy who used WBV for 12 weeks increased muscle strength and decreased spasticity.
3. Improved athletic performance
In recent years, there have been a number of stories in the media about professional athletes using vibration therapy in their training. But it's not just about enhanced performance. Vibration therapy can also help with that inevitable soreness that shows up the day or two following a hard workout. An early study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research in 2014 suggested that it may help to both prevent and manage symptoms associated with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
However, vibration therapy should not take the place of your normal exercise routine. If you decide to use this method to improve athletic performance, Mayo Clinic recommended combining it with both strength training and aerobic activities.
4. Disruption of pain signals
Finally, one of the potential benefits of vibration therapy that attracts a number of users is pain relief. As previously mentioned, this strategy can help with soreness following a workout, but the same principle can also apply to other kinds of pain. The vibrations, such as those used in the Intellinetix® products, disrupt pain signals that your brain sends to your body, which can alleviate these symptoms and increase your comfort.
In fact, a recent clinical study by the Pain Management Center in conjunction with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School found Intellinetix® vibration therapy could significantly reduce symptoms among those living with chronic hand pain caused by arthritis.
Discuss vibration therapy with your primary care provider before using it to treat any serious medical conditions.