1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Whole Body Vibration for Osteoporosis

Posted by jmanj @jmanj, Jun 24, 2021

I’m looking into Whole Body Vibration to aid in bone building for osteoporosis. I’ve read that Low Intensity Vibration is better than high intensity. Does anyone have any experience with this?

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Teri | @tsc | Jul 31, 2021

No, I'm just getting it on my own, but I guess a medically approved one like LIVMD could be covered by insurance. In the meantime, waiting on line at the post office today, I did a lot of heel raises.

REPLY
Teri | @tsc | Jul 31, 2021
In reply to @bunky44 "Hello TSC~ So inspiring to hear of your journey. I commend you on searching out what..." + (show)
@bunky44

Hello TSC~
So inspiring to hear of your journey. I commend you on searching out what could work for you. Understanding why we're losing more bone than we're making is the question. From the brief time I've been on the Mayo Clinic Connect thread..what I've gleaned most is the fact that for many who are taking the prescription drugs for osteo are not happy at all with their commitment to these drugs. Peace of mind is kinda left out of the equation...
Sounds like you are seeking ways of emlerolating your current condition in other ways that give you back control and 'ergo', peace of mind...good for you!
I am more than interested in how you feel using the vibration machine. The theory behind it's efficacy makes sense to me. Irritate the bone and it will respond by building more bone! Even with my severe osteoporosis..I'm getting ready to have an implant put in the space where I lost a first molar. I asked the oral surgeon if it was a waste to do this as my bone picture is so poor....but his answer was interesting. Because they 'screw' the implant into the bone...it causes the bone to 'grow' around the implant like it's a real root. Well....if this can work in a few months..showing up on x-rays..then this should mean that if we can safely irritate our bones..that they will respond in kind..and grow more bone density. Using a vibration machine sounds like it could be a useful adjunct to all the other things you're already doing for better bone health. I feel that you could possibly see a difference in your bone density within 6 months of using this machine..and then you'll know if you're being helped by it. Please keep us all posted on your progress...and which one did you decide on buying and why? I'm so excited for you!
I started Grow Bone this morning....besides doing all the other additions to my life style. This does look to be a very good formula. I feel that taking Strontium is a real boon to us as well. This combination seems to have all the bases covered. I also do about 3oz. of Kombucha a day along with many other vitamins and minerals. I'm eating for better bones and a healthier me...not too exciting, but I feel empowered and more in control by living this way.
I am currently using a professional rebounder...I can jog in place for as long as I desire....I used to be quite the runner..so now I can get that same 'feeling' from the rebounder. I understand the G-force behind the wisdom here. I can't always get out and walk...but I can do hand weights and the rebounder everyday.
I'm currently waiting to get an appointment with an Endocrinologist to see about getting more sophisticated testing done. I would like to find out where the weakness is in my system..so I can address that. Seems to me if we're going to make a dent in our bone density and health..we need to know where the leak in our bucket is!
Since the DEXA machine changed in the hospital where I go for testing..there is no comparison to the ones I've gotten in the past.
I will request one in about 8 months. If what I'm doing is making a difference..even a wee bit..it should show up on this more sophisticated machine.
All we can do is try and be better then we were the day before....
hugs.....

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Hi bunky44, I had peace of mind for years, doing it my way with exercises, various diets, supplements, etc. My aunt actually died from spinal fractures so I feel this is nothing to mess with, but will do what I can to increase bone density actively. Prunes are supposed to be good for that - 6 a day - so I bought a lot of them today. I had open heart surgery two years ago and the surgeon said if my bones were too thin, he would use a steel plate to reconnect them, but I didn't need that then. I think the year of relative inactivity for me due to the autoimmune disorders kind of did me in. I bought an Ellison Bolt vibration exerciser after pouring over the reviews. Some of those machines are over 20 lbs. We're not supposed to lift more than 20. Good luck with the Grow Bone.

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1 reply
bunky44 | @bunky44 | Jul 31, 2021
In reply to @tsc "Hi bunky44, I had peace of mind for years, doing it my way with exercises, various..." + (show)
@tsc

Hi bunky44, I had peace of mind for years, doing it my way with exercises, various diets, supplements, etc. My aunt actually died from spinal fractures so I feel this is nothing to mess with, but will do what I can to increase bone density actively. Prunes are supposed to be good for that - 6 a day - so I bought a lot of them today. I had open heart surgery two years ago and the surgeon said if my bones were too thin, he would use a steel plate to reconnect them, but I didn't need that then. I think the year of relative inactivity for me due to the autoimmune disorders kind of did me in. I bought an Ellison Bolt vibration exerciser after pouring over the reviews. Some of those machines are over 20 lbs. We're not supposed to lift more than 20. Good luck with the Grow Bone.

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Thanks Tsc for this info. I'm so sorry you've had to endure so many physical, as well as emotional challenges over these past years. Sounds like you were on the right track for a long time..and can hopefully get back to taking care of you. I did look up the Ellison machine...very interesting...please keep us all posted on how you 'feel' using it. Thanks for the 'luck' with the Grow Bone....yay...my first day....
I also looked up better ways to stretch and exercise with Carol Michaels..very good info!..thanks for that as well...I'll keep checking in on those. We all inspire each other on this journey...we're not alone....best to you!

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1 reply
Teri | @tsc | Aug 2, 2021
In reply to @bunky44 "Thanks Tsc for this info. I'm so sorry you've had to endure so many physical, as..." + (show)
@bunky44

Thanks Tsc for this info. I'm so sorry you've had to endure so many physical, as well as emotional challenges over these past years. Sounds like you were on the right track for a long time..and can hopefully get back to taking care of you. I did look up the Ellison machine...very interesting...please keep us all posted on how you 'feel' using it. Thanks for the 'luck' with the Grow Bone....yay...my first day....
I also looked up better ways to stretch and exercise with Carol Michaels..very good info!..thanks for that as well...I'll keep checking in on those. We all inspire each other on this journey...we're not alone....best to you!

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Thanks @bunky44. By the way, I was taking the advice of the alternative type doctors for years and taking many of the supplements they recommended. A big one was turmeric, for prevention of Alzheimer's Disease. Taking that religiously, my husband still developed Alzheimer's. Also we were on plant based diet to reduce inflammation and I followed guidance on preventing osteoporosis, all for naught it seems. I avoided mainstream medical practitioners as much as possible, but with the onset of conditions that could not be ameliorated without science, like a leaky heart valve and now, Giant Cell Arteritis, I decided to put more trust in physicians I respect; hence, my decision to try alendronate for now. By the way, the use of strontium to build bone is controversial as it allegedly tricks the dexa scan. I plan to research it more. A good website for checking on supplements is http://www.examine.com as they review and report on studies done and do not endorse any products. That's it for now. Will post again if I find anything of interest. Best to you.

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ldawsonat105 | @ldawsonat105 | Aug 3, 2021
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello @bunky44 I would like to add my welcome to you. I am glad to hear..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello @bunky44

I would like to add my welcome to you. I am glad to hear that your fall did not result in any broken bones. I highly recommend that you see an endocrinologist for your osteoporosis. If you are, have you had your parathyroid glands tested? Please note that this is not the same as your thyroid gland but the parathyroid glands are located near the thyroid glands.

The blood test that can check this is PTH (parathyroid hormone) and a calcium check should be done at the same time. If you have an adenoma (usually benign) in one (or more) of your parathyroid glands this can result in osteoporosis (as well as kidney stones and lots of other troublesome symptoms). It is important that your Vitamin D level be checked as well.

I look forward to hearing from you as you deal with this difficult problem. Are you having bone pain as well?

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Thanks for info on PTH and calcium check at the same time. Interesting and will check this out.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 9, 2022

I posted this information in another discussion. I think it bears repeating here.

Here’s some brief information from Mayo Clinic about whole body vibration:
Is whole-body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/whole-body-vibration/faq-20057958
Answer From Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.

It’s a short article, so I encourage you to read it all. But I’d like to highlight this excerpt:
“Some research shows that whole-body vibration, when performed correctly and under medical supervision when needed, can:
– Reduce back pain
– Improve strength and balance in older adults
– Reduce bone loss
… If you choose whole-body vibration, remember to do aerobic and strength training activities as well.
And because whole-body vibration can be harmful in some situations, check with your doctor before using it, especially if you're pregnant or have any health problems.”

Here’s another relevant article in plain language citing the promise of vibration therapy to help increase bone density. It echoes the Mayo Clinic article that while promising, research is early and ongoing and thus recommends its use under medical supervision to make sure it is right for you and monitoring to see if vibration therapy is beneficial for you.

What Is Vibration Therapy? https://www.healthline.com/health/vibration-therapy

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edelwisess | @edelwisess | Jul 22, 2022
In reply to @tsc "Hi happy2bhere, The therapist didn't know much about the vibration plate exercisers, but thought it a..." + (show)
@tsc

Hi happy2bhere, The therapist didn't know much about the vibration plate exercisers, but thought it a good idea for the movement. I went back and looked at the LIVMD. It is lightweight, but does not work on carpeting. It does not come with a remote, and there was no information about a warranty. I sent the company an email, but did not yet get a response. I went back to Amazon and purchased one that is lightweight, can work on carpeting, has a remote and a warranty. I will start out using it at the lowest level, then see how it goes after that. TSC

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Hi, Teri
Probably you have been using the vibration plate exerciser for some time now. How is it, is it useful for building bone density? which exerciser did you purchase, brand, model etc.?

Thank you

REPLY
1 reply
Teri | @tsc | Jul 22, 2022
In reply to @edelwisess "Hi, Teri Probably you have been using the vibration plate exerciser for some time now. How..." + (show)
@edelwisess

Hi, Teri
Probably you have been using the vibration plate exerciser for some time now. How is it, is it useful for building bone density? which exerciser did you purchase, brand, model etc.?

Thank you

Jump to this post

Hi @edelweiss,
I stated using the Eilison Bolt in August. I ordered it from Amazon because it could be used on carpet, weighed only 12 pounds and came with a five year warranty. It has three bone building programs, which are 15 minutes in duration. I do two a day, most of the time, spaced at least two hours apart. I won't be getting another Dexa scan for a year. I decided to buy this based on an article I read"Whole-body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis" . Here is a link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26327887/
Here is a more detailed discussion I just found that was published in November 2021 that warns about dangers of using high intensity vibration, especially with fragile bones:
https://melioguide.com/osteoporosis-exercise-equipment/whole-body-vibration-therapy/
When I purchased the BOLT, I contacted Eilision and asked questions regarding the vibration frequencies and speeds of the BOLT that were the ones cited in the study and they couldn't provide me with the data.
I am going to read the Melioguide paper thoroughly. I suspect the Bolt is a high vibration vs. low vibration machine. If I find some worthwhile information, I will post it so now I urge caution.
There is a safe Yoga program that helps build bone density, Dr. Loren Fishman's "12 Poses vs Osteoporosis" which you can google. I started doing this yoga program everyday a couple of months ago.
Thank you for asking this question. It caused me to do more research on this subject!

REPLY
1 reply
Teri | @tsc | Jul 22, 2022
In reply to @tsc "Hi @edelweiss, I stated using the Eilison Bolt in August. I ordered it from Amazon because..." + (show)
@tsc

Hi @edelweiss,
I stated using the Eilison Bolt in August. I ordered it from Amazon because it could be used on carpet, weighed only 12 pounds and came with a five year warranty. It has three bone building programs, which are 15 minutes in duration. I do two a day, most of the time, spaced at least two hours apart. I won't be getting another Dexa scan for a year. I decided to buy this based on an article I read"Whole-body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis" . Here is a link:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26327887/
Here is a more detailed discussion I just found that was published in November 2021 that warns about dangers of using high intensity vibration, especially with fragile bones:
https://melioguide.com/osteoporosis-exercise-equipment/whole-body-vibration-therapy/
When I purchased the BOLT, I contacted Eilision and asked questions regarding the vibration frequencies and speeds of the BOLT that were the ones cited in the study and they couldn't provide me with the data.
I am going to read the Melioguide paper thoroughly. I suspect the Bolt is a high vibration vs. low vibration machine. If I find some worthwhile information, I will post it so now I urge caution.
There is a safe Yoga program that helps build bone density, Dr. Loren Fishman's "12 Poses vs Osteoporosis" which you can google. I started doing this yoga program everyday a couple of months ago.
Thank you for asking this question. It caused me to do more research on this subject!

Jump to this post

Hi @jmanj and @eidelwiseess, Sorry I didn't get your full name in my comment above. I just read Margaret Martin's research on Whole Body Vibration Machines.

https://melioguide.com/osteoporosis-exercise-equipment/whole-body-vibration-therapy/

I'm quite sure the BOLT is a high intensity machine, not low intensity. While I haven't suffered any ill effects, I've decided to stop using it, based on her guidance. I'm sorry for posting about the whole body vibration and influencing others to consider this as an option. I will be looking into the low intensity vibration machines, but those are very expensive.

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1 reply
retired123 | @retired123 | Aug 22, 2022

Hello ~ I'm new to the group and I found an intriguing subject for input. Low intensity, high frequency vibration therapy for osteoporosis. Have you tried it? What device do you use? Where did you purchase it? Thank you.

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