Gate Control Theory
In order to understand this phase, it is important to understand the gate control theory.
This theory states that throughout the nervous system of the human body are many types of nerve fibers responsible for relaying all the sensory information from our limbs, tissues, and organs to our brain.
One type, collectively known as nociceptive nerve fibers, is responsible for providing us with the unfortunate sensation of pain. On the other end of the spectrum lie another group of nerve fibers known collectively as non-nociceptive fibers. These fibers provide information related to all non-painful stimuli; among which is vibration.
By utilizing the vibratory feedback of the machine on a painful area, one can successfully assist in closing the gate and therefore reduce the level of pain being experienced by the individual. Ever bump your head and immediately start rubbing the area you bumped? How about shaking the area immediately after the trauma? Those are examples of you trying to close the gate.
How Vibration Therapy is Applied.
Through selective, carefully applied exposure (direct or indirect, depending on the area) of an injured region to the vibration platform, the significantly high level of vibratory information being absorbed by the individuals body helps temporarily override the pain information being sent to the brain.
The brief window of opportunity provided by this phenomenon, a window that can stay open for longer and longer periods of time with multiple treatments, allows the patient to increase their joint and tissue mobility, painlessly contract the muscles more forcefully, and tolerate what would otherwise be considered intolerable manual therapy treatment techniques. Additionally, through exposure to the vibration, local blood flow is increased to the region thus helping to further create a state of relaxation in the surrounding muscle and improve lubrication of the surrounding joints.
In the clinic, success is best measured through subjective reports of pain (0-10 pain scale) and range of motion testing (how far a body part can move without pain). In most cases, these two measurements improve simultaneously.
Next week I’ll discuss the second use of Vibration Therapy which is neuromuscular re-education.
Article written by Gabriel Ettenson, MS, PT
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Great concise education and practical information. Keep up the good work Gabriel!
This information and advice community is coming together nicely. Good work Gabriel.
With people like yourself willing to share and explain things in simple English I can see this site growing into THE resource for all variances of this technology.
An unstoppable jugernaut driven by passionate people. Puts a smile on my face
Lloyd,
Given all the traffic through this site, I was wondering why it is not closer to the top of the google search for “whole body vibration”. I believe the top sites are the most clicked no? If that’s the case, can’t we organize some sort of campaign on here to move it up the list? I have had quite a few people search WBV after speaking with me and all they keep landing on are those two incredibly annoying sites (the healthy skeptic, nitrofit, and the MD from the Mayo Clinic). These are definately not the right ways to introduce those curious parties out there to WBV. There must be something we can do to change this. The Wikipedia link is at least informative. Just a thought.
Otherwise, glad you enjoyed the article. Happy to contribute.
Probably because they are using the term WBV and not Vibration Training which are to different things.
(1) WBV is a generic term traditionally used by ISO industry reports on uncontrolled exposure to vibration. Unfortunately some companies in my industry used it without thinking about mixing the 2 up may not the smartest thing long term.
(2) Vibration Training/Therapy is a specialized controlled form of the above. It covers all areas of what we do.
Eg. Not all Vibration Training is “Whole Body” , sometimes it is isolated to only 1 body part.
Well done Gabriel and thank you. Even I understood the article
Doubt that it will mean much to Sal though, mores the pity.
Looking forward to learning more.
I see…thanks. Unfortunately, in the states, everything related to utilizing these platforms for training or therapy refers to it as wbv. In future conversations, I will try and stay away from that terminology.
Gabriel:
If you go back to the 1960′s and 70′s, potentially the correct term should be “Biomechanical Muscle Stimulation” coined by Dr. Biermann from what was then East Germany.
Just so you know , I understand myself how the search engines work , I am trying my best to only use Vibration Training in an attempt to make it the standard.
Or we have companies like Power Plate trying to call it “Acceleration Training” after trying to trademark every other know term and getting turned down.
It has to eventually settle on a valid description that also allow Therapy and Training to be clarified. But simple enough to be understood by the uneducated consumer.
Vibration Training
Vibration Therapy
Are two self explanatory terms that can also help in the pinpoint marketing of the different systems. Only dodgy companies make off any confusion or generic hard to understand terms in the market place.
Material I have out of the former Soviet Union uses the term “biological activity stimulation” which seems to agree with what Larry mentioned about the East German term.
Hey John, the technical terms might have some use in the academic community but I just can’t see myself saying ” Welcome to the Auckland Biological Activity Stimulation Studio. Here you will be bio activated
“
I think I would get slapped if I said that
Our job is to bridge the gap between the academics and the marketers. Both whom seem to like a bit of mystery surrounding this industry.
I agree Di. Interestingly, the info I have out of the former Soviet Union talks quite a bit about blood flow in addition to neural effects etc.
John:
Long before the Soviets, Dr. Kellogg (he didn’t just invent the cornflake) was using vibrating platforms, chairs and bars in the 1880′s, because it was well known that vibration stimulated blood flow and was a means for mechanical massage. In 1912, Dr. Arnold Snow wrote a 12 chapter treatise on the use of vibration for its massage effects.
Lloyd, you are funny! I was thinking along the lines of holistic health – which we do effect but I just don’t see “Biological Activity Stimulation” having useful commercial meaning.
John & Larry, Vibration definitely stimulates blood flow (hence the above term does apply). You should see the females here jumping about trying to stop the itchiness after sitting on the machine for anti-celullite massage. The itch is deeper than skin surface and pronounced in smokers.
That’s interesting Larry. Dr. Patrick Jacobs mentioned to me a few years ago about vibration equipment being on the Titanic, how after that it was labeled quackery, etc. It’s not hard to see – just look at the snake oil salesmen today – that back in those times given their technology compared to ours – that legitimate uses or devices would be tossed in with the quack attack stuff.
It was put on the Queen Mary and I think it is still there as part of the museum.
Gabriel,
The Nitrofit site you speak of is part of the Medvibe group of companies. Although you find it annoying we do offer some valuable diagrams and information for the average consumer. SEO is a very intricate process. It takes years and hundreds of hours of Meta tags, blogging, link backs and releavant links to get your site listing organically to the top of a search engine.
About our site-
In efforts to keep it fair I didn’t try to steer people away from vertical platforms altogher but rather just encouraged them to try a pivotal platform- hence our slogan “feel the difference”. Here in the US there are very few quality vertical machines. The majority of American consumers believe that “Powerplate” is the name of the technology not the product- I believe this concept is also know has “brand genericide”. We are trying to break the consumers habits of using Powerplate to define the entire WBV category. I assume you are all on board with that?
Unfotunately, their one experience with certain vertical vibration machines has led them to believe that all vibration machines operate identically. We are doing our best to offer and educate them about the pivotal options. It comes down to what feels right for the consumer and what product will motivate them to take action in fitness/weightloss/ rehab and not use the product as a clothesline.
Although you may believe we are just marketing our products, we are actually doing quite a bit to advance the research and development for WBV as a whole. Aside from the University studies that we participate in( no funding proived by us what so ever) and the pro athlete training facility that uses our products, we are receieving amazing feed back about the technology as a whole and adding more publishes studies to the ever growing list.
At the pro-facility the athletes have a choice of a Pnuemex vibe plate and our NitroFit Deluxe model. Just yesterday I spoke with one of the ownwers of the facility Ethan Banning CSCS, NSCA State Director for Arizona about their application of Nitrofit. He informed me that 90% of the general athletes chose to incorporate the Nitrofit into their workouts rather than the vertical platform. He did also tell me that some of the more advanced athletes were using both products. Specifically the Pnuemex for warm up and stretches and the Nitrofit to force muscle fatigue in between sets of plyometrics or resistance training.
I guess what Im getting at is– dont hate, congradulate. I have worked very hard to build this company and get my products noticed while remaining ethical and honest in my marketing. I will never pretend to know everything about vibration and ask that you all regulate me if my head gets too big and I start to do so. I will flat out admit that there is plenty of research that still needs to be done. I’m doing my part on the pivotal end. If there are things that you guys don’t find accurate about the content on our sites– chime in- email me with suggestions and I will edit the content if you can provide reason as to why it is unethical or innacurate.
I have talked with and been a supporter of Lloyds for several years now. I admire him for what he has done for the industry and am greatful for the support he has offered me thus far. I think we can all agree that we need to work together to push this industry forward and break down the BS scepticism we face from close minded critics.
With that all said– I am getting ready to film a workout video for the Nitrofit products- I want to offer a segment about the entire history and development of WBV– if any of you can offer any footage or content that we can use, I will release the final content to you to use in your own endeavors.
Please stay in touch.
John,
I appreciate your words and have read through your site. It certainly seems you are fighting the “good fight”. If you read my post again, it says, “those TWO annoying sites”. I did not mean to include your site in the parentheses. Sort of an accidental typo…apologies.
Although the term might not be accurate, it is the term that is out there in the industry so from a marketing standpoint we have to target those key words, so don’t be afraid to use it in your writing. The most searched for term in google is vibrating exercise machine. This is really off but we have to target that phrase as well if we want search engine traffic. It’s all quite complicated but search engine ranking is based on a lot more than number of visits.