Vibration Plates - Benefits?

Hi there. I haven't fallen for the "lose weight without moving" gimmick of these vibration plates. But a friend of mine has one and she swears squatting on it for a few minutes each day has toned her legs and helped reduce her cellulite a lot.

I'm just wondering, what TRUE benefits do these have from peoples experience? I was thinking of borrowing it for a while to see if it would improve my balance or cellulite or anything else (I get a lot of leg strains etc) but though I would ask here on anything it has helped others with?

I know it doesn't replace exercise, I know it wont help you lose weight, but it must be good for something instead of sitting on the couch to watch TV, right?

Replies

  • jamt8888
    jamt8888 Posts: 2 Member
    I have one - when I use it, it definitely does help me a little with weight loss. I haven't used it consistently enough to tell if the cellulite has changed - and I don't look back there that often :P One surprising benefit I have had is sometimes I twist my ankle and it will ache for days - when I use my vibration plate for 10 minutes per day for a few days in a row, my ankle pain disappears! I've experimented with this several ways - letting it ache for a week or month or so to see if it will heal on its own (it doesn't), then trying my vibration plate; trying vibration right away, waiting a day or 2, then vibration - and it works like a charm every time! I wish I could bring myself to use it every day - I just haven't gotten up the motivation yet...I'm a nursing student and 10 minutes is difficult to come by! I would also be curious to know people's "real" experiences :)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    There are benefits to the plates, but they tend to be specific and you have to hunt for valid scientific info. Research on these is still fairly new and so the parameters are still being sketched out.

    For now, there is little proven efficacy for “regular” exercisers and none that I know of for weight loss.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    jamt8888 wrote: »
    I have one - when I use it, it definitely does help me a little with weight loss. I haven't used it consistently enough to tell if the cellulite has changed - and I don't look back there that often :P One surprising benefit I have had is sometimes I twist my ankle and it will ache for days - when I use my vibration plate for 10 minutes per day for a few days in a row, my ankle pain disappears! I've experimented with this several ways - letting it ache for a week or month or so to see if it will heal on its own (it doesn't), then trying my vibration plate; trying vibration right away, waiting a day or 2, then vibration - and it works like a charm every time! I wish I could bring myself to use it every day - I just haven't gotten up the motivation yet...I'm a nursing student and 10 minutes is difficult to come by! I would also be curious to know people's "real" experiences :)

    Vibration plate makers definitely oversell their benefits but they do have proven efficacy in rehab/physio situations which is probably why it helps with your ankle..

  • xDaynie
    xDaynie Posts: 35 Member
    Would you consider the physio side to help stretch out ligaments? I have tight archilles/legs and I am trying to change that. I get bad strains when I am walking up/down hills etc. Like say of I were to use the vibration machine in a position where my legs are strained, would that benefit it?
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    xDaynie wrote: »
    Would you consider the physio side to help stretch out ligaments? I have tight archilles/legs and I am trying to change that. I get bad strains when I am walking up/down hills etc. Like say of I were to use the vibration machine in a position where my legs are strained, would that benefit it?

    Hard to say whether you'd derive any additional benefit. You may be able to address (and I am NOT a physiotherapist) some of the tightness in your Achilles through stretching and strengthening your calves. Similarly tight hips/hamstrings can be improved through stretching (tight hips & hamstrings are very common among us office workers....siting at a computer is not what evolution prepared us for)

  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    I've read they are possibly good for those with COPD and even inflammation. I've looked into them for my wife with Fibro just because she has a hard time doing any exercise with pounding at all. The vibrations are soothing to her and if it eliminates even a bit of the extra inflammation, I'm for it.

    Not sure if they are going to be great for weightloss, but that's not why I'm considering one for her.
  • Clare0116
    Clare0116 Posts: 37 Member
    I am recently diagnosed diabetic, with heart problems and read somewhere that vibration machines such as found in large gyms, are helpful for improving circulation etc. I enjoy doing various toning exercises on one for a few minutes and feel much better for it.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    Clare0116 wrote: »
    I am recently diagnosed diabetic, with heart problems and read somewhere that vibration machines such as found in large gyms, are helpful for improving circulation etc. I enjoy doing various toning exercises on one for a few minutes and feel much better for it.

    https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4764225/
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    I have had a set for years... and don't use it! It's good for restless legs apparently! I got gifted mine and it's gathering dust :p . For a while I did use it to see if it was a workout of sorts, but the jurys out. It takes sweat and toil to get in shape imo.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    Clare0116 wrote: »
    I am recently diagnosed diabetic, with heart problems and read somewhere that vibration machines such as found in large gyms, are helpful for improving circulation etc. I enjoy doing various toning exercises on one for a few minutes and feel much better for it.

    https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4764225/

    That's an interesting study. Many believe that poor circulation is also a contributing factor to Fibro. My wife has always had bad circulation. When I looked at these devices years ago, they were $1000 or more. Now, you can get a pretty good one for around $200. Actually a really good one.