Safety
IS VIBRATION TRAINING (VT) SAFE?
As with any exercise program consulting your doctor is recommended, especially if you are advanced in age and have been inactive for a long time or suffer from one or more serious medical conditions.
It is unsafe to use a vibration platform if you are:
- Pregnant
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Have an acute or unstable hernia
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Epileptic
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Have had recent osteopathic replacements i.e. hip or knee replacement or recently placed pins, plates or bolts
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Have had an acute or recent stroke
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Recent unhealed fractures
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Acute or active migraine
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Acute inflammations in the training body part
There is very little cardiovascular risk with VT even when taken to exhaustion as it is only categorised as a mild form of aerobic exercise. Even though VT has been successfully tested for safety on heart transplant patients, anyone with cardiovascular disease or diabetes must consult their doctor for specific advice for them.
As with any form of exercise everyone must be well hydrated. With VT the lymphatic system is pumping waste products out and vital nutrients synchronising this at the speed of the /vibration 10-60 times a second beneficially improving the immune system. In the process body fluid is lost. Drinking fluid before commencing VT will hydrate the trainee.
It is a concern that long-term vibration causes injuries. These injuries are documented in workplace situations. These injuries are the result of hours of vibration and occur over 10-20-year period. This does not mean VT is harmful. VT involves short duration training sessions and there has not been a case where there was any injury recorded in any clinical trial to date. This is especially true for side-to-side oscillating vibration platforms because this platform simulates human gait (walk). In human gait all vibrations involved in high impact exercises like running and jumping are cushioned in a natural manner by the legs, pelvis, lower back and waist. The same type of cushioning cannot be claimed by linear (up/down) platforms.
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