Want to replace your workouts with sitting still and vibrating? According to science, it might work!
If you consider yourself more of a couch potato than an athlete, your six pack dreams may be coming true. Well, sort of. Replacing your workouts with vibrating may sound a little odd but according to science, it may work!
But it’s not just any type of vibrating that can supposedly improve your health.
A machine, and technique, called the whole-body vibration (WBV) mimics the regular routine of exercises.
"WBV consists of a person sitting, standing or lying on a machine with a vibrating platform. When the machine vibrates, it transmits energy to the body, and muscles contract and relax multiple times during each second," says a recent article in the Endocrine Society's journal Endocrinology.
In order to understand the influence of WBV on the body, researchers examined different groups of male mice. The mice assigned to WBV vibrated for 20 minutes each day. Another group walked on a treadmill for 45 minutes daily, and a remainder did not exercise at all.
The results? The obese and diabetic mice benefited from both the treadmill and WBV.
Enhanced muscles and less weight gain were found in the mice with diabetes.
The study’s first author, Meghan E. McGee-Lawrence, Ph.D shared that the system didn’t address issues with bone mass in the obese mice. But it at least increased bone formation, which is a step in the right direction. She also made it clear that since this study was done with mice, it needs plenty more testing before it will be clear how it affects humans – if it does at all.
The rise of obesity and diabetes contributes to the increase in risks of bone fractures. In order to prevent this, physical activity is important. The WBV machine isn’t a replacement for your every day activity, especially if you are young and healthy. However, it can help those who have difficulty moving or properly working their bones.
A vibrating future is upon us!
