Some people always say that the meaning of life lies in sports, which is definitely not empty talk. Science proves that adhering to regular exercise is the best way for a person to maintain a healthy physique and a slim figure. As we all know, the gym is one of the best places to exercise, because there is a lot of fitness equipment to choose from. Some fitness equipment is designed to improve your muscle tone or strength, while others are designed to help you burn a lot of calories to help you lose weight. But no matter what, they all have one thing in common is that they can promote your health. And one piece of equipment that does this well is the vibrating exercise machine. Even better, there are many studies that show it has also achieved positive outcomes for strengthening muscle tissue, increasing bone mineral density, accelerating physical recovery, and aiding weight loss. So today, it is being brought to more and more people for use in home gyms.
Most probably you are already familiar with the vibration platform exercise machine, or at least you should have heard of it. Indeed, the popularity of the vibration platform exercise machine has increased significantly within the past few years and it seems that nowadays everyone is talking about it. The regular use of it has been associated with stronger muscles, denser bones, improved blood circulation, accelerated recovery, reduced body weight, and decreased risk of various chronic diseases. But although the vibration plate offers a wide range of benefits, not everyone can use it. As with any form of exercise equipment, caution must be taken. In this blog, I will focus on discussing with you who cannot use the vibration platform exercise machine. Please keep reading.
What is the vibration platform exercise machine?
The vibration machine (also commonly called power plate) is an exercise machine that can send high-speed vibration through all muscles of your body. It is designed to stimulate your muscles at a higher speed than normal. Normally, your muscles will contract and relax once or twice per second, but the multi-directional vibration of vibration platform exercise machine will transfer energy to your body, thus stimulating your muscles. This kind of stimulation will force your muscles to contract and relax 30 to 50 times per second. The vibration platform exercise machine was originally designed by Russian astronauts in 1960s to prevent astronauts from losing muscle mass in weightlessness in space. Nowadays, most gyms can use vibration platform exercise machine, and more and more people have brought it into home gyms to improve muscle mass, burn some excess fat, strengthen bones, relieve back pain or improve physical function.
Who cannot use the vibration platform exercise machine?
As mentioned earlier in this article, vibration platform exercise machine is considered safe for the majority of the population. However, some people should not use this machine. The following are some group of people who cannot use this machine.
1. People with cardiovascular conditions
For those people who are suffering from heart diseases or had a history of heart attacks in the past, the vibration platform exercise machine should be avoided at all costs. The vibrations may aggravate the condition further and cause more stress to your cardiovascular system. People diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clotting disorder should also keep away from trying this therapy. If you have a pacemaker, you need to talk to your physician before getting on a vibration platform exercise machine.
2. People with orthopedic injuries
If you recently had any orthopedic related injuries like a sprain, tear, strain, or surgery, vibration therapy may be dangerous and unsafe. The low-impact machine still gives rapid muscle twitches to the entire body when you stand on the plate, which is not safe as it could induce further injuries, scarring, or reflexive muscle contraction. In the case of surgery, the vibration movements may dislodge the stitching. Whatever the situation is, it is advisable to consult your physician to check if you are ready to use the vibration plate for light exercise.
3. People fitted with pins, plating, bolts, and fasteners
For those people who have undergone procedures that have resulted in placing objects in your body like pins or fasteners, using the vibration platform exercise machine isn’t such a good idea. The vibration and movements could dislodge the fittings, further altering their positions. This may cause a lot of pain and may even require procedures to refit and repair your fittings. While light exercises may be advisable, do go through your physical therapist for medical clearance to use the vibration platform exercise machine.
4. Those who have epilepsy
Epileptic patient has good reasons not to use the vibration platform exercise machine. Training on the vibration platform exercise machine or any fitness machine may cause epileptic seizures or even fainting. A very potential danger is if you have a seizure and fall on the machine, your body may have extreme damages.
5. Pregnant women
Vibration with such intensity is not friendly to the fetus inside the womb. The prolonged vibration to the body, especially the midriff section, will result in disability to the fetus or even miscarriage. Just like any pregnant woman is advised to avoid bumpy rides, the vibrating exercise machine has more or less the same adverse effects on the fetus. There is no solid research to back this up. However, if you are pregnant, it is best to opt-out of the vibration platform exercise machine in your fitness regime.
6. People who have an acute joint disease
If you are suffering from acute joint diseases like arthrosis or rheumatoid arthritis, you had better not use the vibration platform exercise machine in your fitness program. Exposing to rapid vibrations will develop heat and worsen the inflammation.
In addition to the above-mentioned six groups of people that cannot use the vibration plate, those who suffer from acute hernia, diabetes, severe migraine, cancer or tumors, and neurological conditions are also advised not to use the vibration platform exercise machine. Before your vibration platform exercise machine workout, always consult your general physician who knows your health history for a complete medical clearance to see whether using the vibration platform exercise machine will have any adverse effects on your body or improve your health.