Whole-body vibration is a technique used to transmit vibrations to a person’s entire body via a vibrating platform.  The person may simply stand on this platform or, depending on the specific treatment, perform exercises and assume certain body postures. repsfbxcontinuous

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Prevention of bone loss and improvements in muscular strength have been some of the traditional applications of this sort of therapy.  Recently, however, people have been questioning its ability to help with weight loss.

According to a study done at Oregon State University, it seems to have the power to slow down weight gain.  Researchers took 7-month old rats and divided them into two groups - those that were put on vibration platforms and those that were not.  Both groups were fed the same diet and lived in a sedentary environment.  The vibration sessions lasted for 30 minutes and were administered 5 days a week for a total of 12 weeks.  At the end of this 12-week period, the rats that were put on the whole-body vibration platform weighed less and had a lower body fat percentage than the others.  One of the researchers actually concluded that whole-body vibration is equivalent to walking at moderate intensity.

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