Vibration Therapy

Vibration therapy is the treatment by using devices such as massage guns, thumpers, exercise plates, and more. Vibrations are considered a source of relaxation to muscles, and people feel pleasure with vibrations. There are a lot of benefits of vibration therapy, and it was first developed by Gustav Zander in 1867, in the shape of the apparatus, including pulleys and weight to create vibrations. It is practically used as a health practice by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who developed a vibrating chair. The vibration therapy has also been used by astronauts who are suffering from bone loss to strengthen their bone mass and muscles. Nowadays, NASA is also using vibration therapy to help prevent bone loss.

Waves and oscillations produced by vibration therapy are very helpful in the medical sector. Due to technology, it’s now more advanced and can also be done at the microscopic level in which special cells and molecules are targeted at a range of frequencies with a vision to strengthen the muscles of the body.

Vibration therapy is divided into two types; whole-body vibration therapy and localized vibration therapy. In whole-body vibration therapy, your therapist will ask you to change your movements such as stand, sit, or lay on a vibrating machine. Therapists will try different positions according to your health conditions so that you can feel the immediate results of the therapy. In localized vibration therapy, the therapist holds a vibrating device in his hand and places it on certain parts of your body, such as your thighs, shoulders, and calf.

Both types of vibration therapy produce vibrations that cause muscles to contract and relax. Vibrations at certain intensity also produce osteoblasts that are the cells that produce bone. The intensity and directions of therapy indicate and conclude the results of therapy. The direction of vibrations also depends on the device; some devices produce vertical vibrations, some produce vibrations that can go up and down, front and back, and sideways. Up and down vibrations are supposed to be the most effective for muscle contractions.

At Evergreen Rehab and Wellness Clinic, we currently use a localized vibration therapy that targets certain parts of the body.