Vibration Plates for Symptom Management, Exercise Benefits & Self Care

When You Move, Lymph Moves – With lipedema or similar conditions, we know that we need to get moving and often. Whether you have a diagnosis or not, your self care is on you and the less you do now, the more your condition may progress, forcing you to spend time and money on care later.  

We know the health benefits of exercise, yet many in this community cannot sustain traditional forms of exercise and are not regularly active. Severe symptoms and current health levels can make it too difficult or not worth the pain and suffering of recovering from it.  

Low impact activity that does not increase lactic acid and can be short in duration is ideal.  Start where you are at and do what you can now, any movement will help with increase lymph and blood flow.

A vibration plate creates a low-impact environment that stimulates the body and its systems in many ways, a physical experience that feels unique to each of us. General feedback is that it just feels good, making the pain, swelling and stress better. They are a fast, easy, and affordable way to get moving and help manage symptoms while gaining some exercise benefits at the same time.

Vibration plates make getting active possible as they are more tolerable and can be so simple to use when dealing with chronic issues.

What are the benefits? The same general benefits that moving and exercising will give you, a vibration machine is just an environment that makes getting moving, being active – easier, less strenuous while speeding up recovery. The benefits you can expect are related to how you use one, doing the best “moves” for your goals. Consistency like any activity will have the biggest impact. 

What do I do on the machine?

Do not follow the basic instructions that are in the manual that come with the machine, chronic issues need a different approach. There is no one setting or program for any condition or symptoms. Like lipedema, vibration plates are not well known and commonly misunderstood.

What to do can be intimidating, especially if you don’t exercise regularly now. Get help to identify your goals and how to achieve them, find groups. experienced communities and other users for support, motivation, and other resources. As your experience and symptoms improve, so will your confidence in using and experimenting on you own. 

There are 3 main reasons people are using a vibration plate:

Symptom Management

Increasing circulation and lymph can help many symptoms, and a few minutes standing or seated on a stool (poor mobility) can give relief, boost energy levels, and improve mobility. Remember that less is more – you are getting lots of micromovements; keep time and intensity minimal, use more often, as needed for symptoms.

Fitness/Weight Loss

For fitness gains you must do exercise positions or work up to them. Doing positions properly on a plate has less impact on joints and can fatigue you faster due to the increased movement/load on your muscles.  Your trainer/therapist can help identify positions for your goals and progressing with them.

If you experience a rise in symptoms after exercise or have an elevated histamine response (common with POTS), take whatever precautions you would normally when starting a new activity (such as reducing intensity, taking antihistamines)

Lifestyle/Feel Good

We all want less stress and more down time; the machines are popular for how good they make you feel physically and mentally, boosting energy, and even lifting your mood. Users feel lighter, more mobile, even happier after a session. If you are moving and feeling better other things become more possible.

Vibration plates ARE NOT related to occupation/workplace vibration exposure. The use of similar terminology has contributed to mis-association and unwarranted concern. When searching the internet for “whole body vibration” or “vibrational exposure limit”, a mix of both occupational and vibration plate references appear.

Even researchers with a lack of understanding make assumptions without looking further to realize they are in no way the same thing. They have only researched a small range of the machines’ performance characteristics even though they have been available for over 50 years now.  Do your own homework and rely less on uninformed/unexperienced opinions online.

Using proper positioning and durations, whole body vibration (WBV) exercise or therapy has been shown to be a safe, low impact activity that almost anyone can tolerate, even if you are unable to stand – there are always ways to modify use.

It makes movement easy, is kinder on your body, and reduces the necessary time spent using it.

Selecting the “right” vibration plate

There is no “best” machine, no best setting, frequency, or program; it’s just like a treadmill or any other piece of equipment-it’s what you do on it, what you are ABLE to do and how often that drives change.

If a company or post you see states things like “this is the best frequency for…” or “that style of machine can be harmful…” they are trying to sell you something and are presenting a bias.

Forget what everyone else is saying, selecting the right plate is about your needs. Be honest with yourself in what you can and are willing to do physically. The machine isn’t going to do the work for you, you need to show up and be consistent using it. More features or higher cost doesn’t mean more benefits.

There are many different machines but all fall into 3 basic types of movement: oscillating, vertical and lateral with some models offering variations in combo or 2D/3D models. Each have their own feel and performance characteristics.

I recommend and prefer oscillating (pivotal/side alternating) for many reasons. It mimics how we walk, moving like a teeter totter. In my experience as a coach using all types, it is the most preferred for its natural feeling and affordability.

Machines with more than one movement are heavier and larger to accommodate the additional motors for each movement and extra features. The positions you perform, how you progress, and consistent use are the most important factors.

If just wanting to move and feel better, keep it simple. A basic oscillating machine will offer all you need. Modest operation and portability are best for use throughout the day or when travelling/working. One movement type means one motor and will be lighter, and more easily managed.

Like most equipment there are home/consumer and commercial/medical grade.  A basic machine will suit most needs unless looking at high traffic use.

You are only limited by your imagination and your range of motion.

For online support with vibration plates please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/vibrationforfatdisorders

 – Thank you to Debby Pelletier for providing Lipedema Canada with this resource. 

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