A vibration machine uses full-body vibration to contract body muscles. The machine is available in some gyms but is more popular among those setting up a home gym.
Using the vibration platform, we can perform various exercises, including squats, push-ups, crunches, and more. Let’s look at whether or not this machine is suitable for use by all types of individuals.
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Are There Age Limits for Using Vibration Platforms?
Everyone, big or small, must exercise regularly irrespective of the age group for leading a healthy life. There are multiple advantages associated with exercises, but the only concern is that not all the exercises are suitable.
Several physical activities must be avoided by individuals belonging to particular age groups. The primary reason behind this is to ensure the individual’s safety.
For instance, lifting weights is one of the best-recommended workouts for adults, but the same is not advisable for kids and teens.
Here, we would elaborate on the vibration platform and check whether or not it is suitable for use by people of all age groups.
What is a Vibration Platform?
As the name suggests, a vibration platform is capable of sending vibrations all through the body.
A powerful machine with the vibrations sent enhances better muscle stimulation and is most recommended for muscle-building to promote weight loss and therapy.
There are multiple other benefits linked with making use of a vibration platform, and these include:
- Better blood circulation throughout the body
- Improved body strength
- A good warm-up option just before getting into an intense workout session
- Using a vibration machine reduces the pain that results from performing heavy workouts or pain experienced due to chronic conditions
- When used with caution and under supervision, the vibration platform thrives as a superb workout platform for people belonging to all age groups
Is Whole Body Vibration Safe for Kids?
Unlike many other machines, there is no specific range of motions associated with a vibration platform. All that’s possible is to sit, stand, or position the body on the machine as if doing push-ups.
Also, different machines come with different maximum weight ranges. But, the vibration platform has no such weight limits or height restrictions.
Hence, such benefits make the vibration platform a 100% safe piece of equipment for use by people belonging to almost every age group, including children.
Kids can make use of the vibration platform with ease and comfort like an adult. But, as in other fitness equipment, the use of modern technology, and the functioning of the equipment, kids belonging to certain age groups require an adult’s assistance and constant supervision while using the vibration platform.
Expert opinion shows that the vibration platform is good to use by kids who are at least ten years and older but only under adult supervision.
The supervision is necessary until at least the kid reaches 16 years of age. But, for kids under the age group of 10, the vibration platform might not be suitable for use as these children’s bones and muscle tissues are still fragile.
Coming to the workout intensity, for adults, the intensity varies depending on the body conditions and physique of the individual. When it comes to children between the ages of 10 and 16, experts recommend a generalized universal setting—it is always better to use the ‘low’ setting for kids.
Don’t increase the workout intensity until the doctor or physical trainer personally recommends it.
There might be instances where the ‘low’ setting of the platform might not bear fruitful results on the kid. During such times, the frequency of the exercise session could be elevated for better results.
A child doing 10 reps could increase it to 15 reps and so on. Also, the number of days of performance could go higher. For instance, instead of doing it for 5 days a week, you could increase it to six days per week.
But, at any stage, never increase the exercise intensity of the platform.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Whole-Body Vibration Platform on Kids?
Making use of a vibration platform bears several huge benefits, and this is simply not named say, but we have various research evidence backing this supposition.
As per the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research in 2004, using vibration therapy aids in curing bone-related conditions in kids by repairing bones and helping in rapid bone development.
Kids suffering from inadequate bone mass and certain bone-related conditions that require fast intervention also benefit from vibration therapy. But, when these conditions are left untreated, it could result in arthritis and osteoporosis in children.
Besides treating bone conditions, vibration therapy can also be of use in many other situations. For instance, correction of bad posture and better body coordination is possible when using vibration platforms.
Those who wonder how a vibration platform can correct posture mainly because using the platform forces the individual to adapt to certain postures to stay balanced on the machine.
Hence, these individuals reap a good balance and become attuned to correct postures.
Just like adults, using vibration therapy helps children recover from neck- and back-related pain, sports-related injuries, and even get rid of unwanted cellulite deposits in the body.
But, there is research happening, and we are yet to receive confirmation whether or not vibration therapy is effective against cellulite deposits.
What Are the Risks of Using Vibration Platforms for Older People?
Just like the younger generation, the older generation also benefits from using a vibration platform, but there are also a couple of risks associated with its use.
Exposure to high vibration levels in factory workers can lead to hazardous effects on the body. There are higher chances of back pain-related risks in those driving heavy vehicles with heavy vibration.
There are industrial hazards associated with vibration globally. Hence, such industries also have legal upper limits up to which individuals can be exposed to vibration.
As the elderly generation generally suffers from fragility and weakness, vibration therapy can hurt them. Some of the most common risks associated with using vibration therapy on the older generation include:
Lower Back Pain: at very high intensities, the discs and ligaments of older individuals are at a high risk of damage due to vibration therapy. When such conditions arise, older people become susceptible to lower back pain that’s accompanied by many other conditions.
Motion Sickness: Planes or ships are not the only causes of motion sickness. As we grow older, we become more and more prone to motion sickness, which is also the outcome of using a vibration platform.
As older people are not used to such intense and sudden movements, motion sickness is a very common side effect.
Damage to Reproductive Organs: This is a side effect that’s possible in the older generation and on individuals belonging to other generations.
Heart Diseases: Heart conditions are commonly present in elderly people, and research shows that using vibration therapy can prove to be risky in those people suffering from heart conditions.
Impaired Vision: There are some rare instances where vibration therapy can lead to eye impairment and vision loss in older people
Bone Damage: Bones become weaker as we grow older. When the bones are fragile, using vibration therapy can cause permanent bone damage.
Conclusion
Vibration platforms are advantageous in many ways, but they have their fair share of risks based on their age.
But, such risks are uncommon and could be prevented when used under adult supervision. So, it is not wrong to conclude that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and hence, if you wish, do try using the vibration platform.
But, before trying, get the physician’s opinion, especially if there are any worrisome health conditions. Once the doctor feels positive about using the vibration platform, there is no looking back thereon.
