Vibrational Therapy Helps Treat Muscle Problems

Source: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/2915596/detail.html

Vibrational Therapy Helps Treat Muscle Problems

Doctors Hope More Patients Try Power Plates

BOSTON -- What do the Oakland Raiders, Shaquille O'Neal, and Julie Andrews have in common? They've used an unusual training technique called vibrational therapy.

 

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Liz Brunner Reports On Therapy   RESOURCES Whole Body Vibration Therapy Power Plate USA

NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported that it's been all the rage in Europe and California and is just starting to hit the East Coast.

 

The Power Plate may not look like much, but it feels unlike anything you've ever tried. Users compare it to holding a jackhammer:

 

"It's powerful. Your whole body is going to be vibrating like that. I had one client who said, 'Oh, my God. It's like I'm going to the moon or something,'" Power Plate user Becky Chambers said.

 

The Power Plate vibrates 30 to 50 times per second. Muscles throughout the body are forced into action to maintain balance.

 

Research, including some done at NASA, suggests the vibration helps build muscle, fight osteoporosis, repair damaged tissue and even improves mood through the release of hormones.

 

Chambers shelled out $10,000 for a Power Plate to treat her health problems. Now, she's sharing the benefit for $20 per session.

 

"I love how this thing feels," Power Plate user Marion Webster said.

 

Webster battled knee injuries, digestion problems and fatigue for many years. She tried just about everything before turning to the Power Plate.

 

"It is a very powerful machine, so I did want to be careful before I put my body on something like that to know that it was not going to be damaging in any way," she said.

 

Dr. Brian McKeon, one of the physicians for the Boston Celtics, said that the risks of the Power Plate are low and the benefits could be great.

 

"The population I'd like to see eventually using it are people recovering from surgery, people recovering from disease or people trying to prevent a disease from progressing," he said.

 

McKeon said that that there's one potential danger of the Power Plate: overuse. It only takes a few minutes several times a week for most people to get results.