What are vibration plates and what are they claimed to do on social media?

Vibration plates are devices, varying from cheap Amazon models to expensive gym equipment, that vibrate at different intensities. On social media like TikTok, they are claimed to aid weight loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, reduce muscle soreness, build strength, decrease cortisol, and work as a lymphatic draining machine.

How do vibration plates theoretically work on the body?

Vibration plates work by causing rapid, small vertical movements that create quickly oscillating gravitational forces on the body. This is hypothesized to activate involuntary reflex arcs between muscles and the spinal column, making muscles contract and relax rapidly to maintain equilibrium, which is termed the tonic vibration reflex.

What are the historical origins of vibration therapy?

Vibration therapy dates back to ancient Greeks and Romans who used uneven carts and even saws wrapped in fabric for healing. In the 1800s, Gustav Zander developed apparatuses to simulate horse riding, and later John Harvey Kellogg created vibrating chairs. The Russian Space Program used it in the 1900s for astronauts, and Gus Vandermeer developed the modern Power Plate in the 1990s for Olympic athletes.

Are vibration plates actually effective for fat loss?

While vibration plates do slightly increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation, the effect is extremely trivial. Research shows that over a 12-24 week intervention, the additional fat loss might only be around one kilogram. To burn one additional pound of fat, one would need to spend approximately 45 hours on a vibration plate.

What is the general safety consensus for exercise during pregnancy today?

The most recent ACOG guidelines (2020, reaffirmed 2023) indicate that most types of exercise are generally safe during pregnancy for women without medical or obstetric complications. If a woman was already engaging in vigorous exercise before pregnancy, she can typically continue, monitoring closely and consulting her doctor.

What types of exercise are still cautioned against during pregnancy and why?

Current guidelines still express trepidation about scuba diving (due to fetal pulmonary circulation), exercise at high altitude for those unaccustomed, long-duration or high-intensity exercise in the heat (due to circulatory and thermoregulation concerns, and neural tube defects), very heavy resistance training (due to large blood pressure increases and relaxin hormone effects), supine resistance training (due to fetal weight compressing blood vessels), and the valsalva maneuver (due to high blood pressure).

Why do exercise guidelines for pregnant women change so slowly?

Guidelines change slowly due to the 'first do no harm' principle and ethical concerns about randomized controlled trials. Research typically follows a two-step process: first, observational studies of women already engaging in potentially 'risky' activities are conducted. If these suggest safety, then controlled trials can be approved to confirm findings, leading to guideline updates.

What did the 2023 Previt et al. study find about heavy resistance training during pregnancy?

The observational study found that women who engaged in heavy resistance training (including Olympic lifting, supine exercise, and Valsalva maneuver) during pregnancy generally had pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum complication rates at or below those of the general population. Those who maintained pre-pregnancy training levels had 50% lower complication rates. The only potential negative was higher postpartum urinary incontinence, but this wasn't tied to exercise variables.

Does heavy lifting cause or worsen urinary incontinence in women?

The literature suggests that heavy resistance training likely doesn't cause or worsen urinary incontinence. While lifters may experience incontinence more frequently during max efforts due to higher intra-abdominal pressure, this often reveals an existing threshold rather than creating the problem. Studies show incontinence is more strongly linked to age and number of children than lifting habits or intensity.

Vibration plates, lifting during pregnancy, and a new era for the SBS podcast (Episode 115)

Stronger By Science

Sports4 min read143 min video

Jul 5, 2023|3,362 views|113|30

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Stronger By Science podcast launches new era with hosts Greg and Lindsay, discussing vibration plates and exercise during pregnancy.

Key Insights

The Stronger By Science podcast has a new format with hosts Greg and Lyndsey, releasing episodes bi-weekly.

Vibration plates offer potential benefits for specific populations like the elderly or those with neurological conditions, but claims of significant fat loss or miracle cures are largely unsupported.

Exercise during pregnancy has historically been viewed with apprehension, particularly during the Victorian era, but modern guidelines increasingly support its safety and benefits.

Recent observational research suggests that heavy resistance training, valsalva maneuver, and supine exercise may be safe during pregnancy for experienced lifters, though caution remains.

While lifting may reveal pre-existing stress incontinence, it does not appear to causally increase the risk or worsen it, and pelvic floor training can be beneficial.

The podcast now accepts audio voice memos for Q&A segments at podcast@strongerbyscience.com, with a strict 60-second time limit.

A NEW ERA FOR THE SBS PODCAST

The Stronger By Science podcast is launching a new season with a revamped format. Hosts Greg and Lyndsey are now at the helm, introducing new segments and a fresh aesthetic. Episodes will be released bi-weekly, alternating with the Stronger By Science newsletter, which offers concise research reviews. Listeners are encouraged to provide feedback and submit questions for audio Q&A segments via email, with a strict 60-second time limit for voice messages.

VIBRATION PLATES: FADS VS. FACTS

The podcast delves into the resurgence of vibration plates, popularized on platforms like TikTok. Historically, vibration therapy has been explored for therapeutic purposes since ancient times, with inventors like Gustav Zander and even John Harvey Kellogg experimenting with its application. Modern whole-body vibration (WBV) plates claim numerous benefits, from weight loss to fat reduction and muscle soreness relief. However, research suggests that while WBV may offer minor benefits for specific populations like the elderly or those with neurological conditions by engaging reflex arcs and making light exercise slightly more challenging, the claims of significant fat loss or being a 'miracle cure' are largely exaggerated and not clinically meaningful.

THE HISTORY OF VIBRATION THERAPY

The use of vibration for health has a long history, dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who used bumpy carts and saw-like devices for healing. In the 1800s, Gustav Zander developed apparatuses simulating horse riding, and Dr. John Harvey Kellogg created vibrating chairs for circulation and constipation relief. The 1900s saw the Russian space program utilize vibration therapy for astronauts' bone density and muscle strength, influencing its adoption by Olympic teams. The modern 'power plate' emerged in the 1990s, initially for elite athletes, which some gyms now feature extensively, and is now trending on social media.

EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Historically, exercise during pregnancy has been met with shifting perspectives. Ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plutarch advocated for exercise to ease childbirth. This favorable view continued until the Victorian era, when a belief arose that exercise, especially for pregnant women, was detrimental, potentially depleting 'vital energy'. This era's cautionary stance, influenced by observational correlation rather than causation, has left a lasting legacy of apprehension that persists today, even though modern evidence strongly supports the benefits of exercise during pregnancy.

MODERN GUIDELINES FOR PREGNANCY EXERCISE

Current guidelines, particularly from ACOG, have evolved significantly from the restrictive early 20th-century recommendations. While early advice limited activity to short walks, modern guidelines encourage moderate-intensity aerobic activity most days, with allowances for vigorous intensity for those already accustomed to it. However, certain activities like scuba diving, exercise at high altitudes for non-residents, and exercising in extreme heat are still cautioned against due to specific risks. The cautious approach is primarily driven by the principle of 'first, do no harm,' with a conservative interpretation of potential risks and a lack of extensive research on extreme scenarios.

HEAVY RESISTANCE TRAINING AND PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

Recent observational research is beginning to challenge some long-held conservative guidelines. A study by Previt et al. suggests that women who continue heavy resistance training, including Olympic weightlifting, the valsalva maneuver, and supine exercises, during pregnancy, do not experience higher rates of pregnancy or delivery complications compared to the general population. In fact, those who maintained pre-pregnancy training levels showed even lower complication rates. While this study is observational and cannot prove causation, it offers encouraging data and may pave the way for future controlled trials, indicating that many activities previously considered risky might be safe for experienced lifters.

UNDERSTANDING POSTPARTUM INCONTINENCE IN LIFTERS

The study also highlighted higher rates of postpartum urinary incontinence among participants compared to the general population. However, the podcast clarifies that lifting likely reveals, rather than causes, stress incontinence by increasing intra-abdominal pressure. Rates of incontinence are associated with age and number of children, not solely with the intensity or duration of lifting. While some professionals suggest modifying bracing techniques or avoiding the valsalva maneuver, the prevailing view is that lifting itself does not causally worsen incontinence and that targeted pelvic floor training can be beneficial regardless of exercise intensity.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Products

●Software & Apps

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●Organizations

●Books

●Studies Cited

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

The new Q&A format encourages listeners to record voice messages under 30 seconds (definitely under 60 seconds) and send them to podcast@strongerbyscience.com. These voice messages will then be played and answered on the show.

Topics

Vibration Plates Whole Body Vibration Urinary Incontinence Fitness Trends Health Guidelines Postpartum Health Health History Workout Safety

Mentioned in this video

personHermann Ponce

Runs a lab at Duke University where former podcast co-host Eric is now working.

personGustav Zander

A Russian physician and inventor from the 1800s who developed an apparatus using weights and pulleys to simulate horse riding, thought to be a beneficial form of vibration.

organizationBattle Creek Sanitarium

A sanitarium founded by John Harvey Kellogg in Battle Creek, Michigan, where high society individuals would go for various health treatments.

personThomas A. Edman

A physician from the 1800s who formulated the statement 'first do no harm,' often mistakenly attributed to the Hippocratic Oath.

personGus Vandermeer

A Dutch Olympic team trainer in the 1990s who developed the Power Plate, a large vibration platform used by Olympic athletes.

studyBurnett (1956)

Author of a 1956 paper in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 'Value of prenatal exercise,' that made an unsupported claim about exercise and pregnancy outcomes from the Bible.

personDowns et al.

Authors of the paper 'Physical activity and pregnancy: past and present evidence and future recommendations' cited for historical insights on pregnancy exercise.

studyPrevit and colleagues

Authors of the observational study 'Impact of heavy resistance training on pregnancy and postpartum health outcomes,' published in 2023, which assessed the risk of continued heavy weight training during pregnancy.

personMiriam Katz

Author of the paper 'Exercise activity during pregnancy: past and present' cited for historical insights on pregnancy exercise.

organizationU.S. Children's Bureau

Issued the first government recommendation for prenatal physical activity in 1949, advising housework, gardening, daily walks (up to one mile, broken up), and occasional swimming.

organizationRussian Space Program

Utilized vibration therapy in the 1900s to help strengthen astronauts' bone mass and muscles, a practice still continued by NASA.

studyWakander and colleagues

Authors of a 2021 cross-sectional survey on 'Urinary incontinence and competitive women powerlifters,' finding incontinence rates associated with age and number of children, not lifting itself.

productPower Plate

A large vibration platform developed by Gus Vandermeer in the 1990s for Olympic athletes, now a mainstream product.

bookExodus 1:19 (NIV)

A Bible verse from the New International Version used in a 1956 medical paper to incorrectly suggest that biblical texts supported exercise during pregnancy for easier childbirth.

softwareStronger by Science Coaching

organizationLifehacker