Whole Body Vibration Therapy: an important asset to Chiropractors

A growing amount of interest is now focused on Whole Body Vibration (WBV) training and therapy as studies continue to indicate promising results. Various findings include increase in muscle strength, enhancing balance and co-ordination, improved flexibility, increase in bone mass density therefore decreasing osteoporosis, stimulating the lymphatic system, massage effect on muscles and providing low joint impact. These encouraging conclusions should make every Chiropractor excited enough to inquire further into WBV therapy, subsequently finding that it would be ideal to include with most of their Chiropractic treatments.

Research has shown the positive benefits of Whole Body Vibration to be a suitable training method to increase the range of motion beyond that of static stretching alone. The underlying mechanism with WBV is the stimulation of muscular activity via stretch reflexes. When considering the many positive aspects of Whole Body Vibration on the neuromusculoskeletal system it is interesting to note its effects when employed as part of a Chiropractic treatment.

When information from current research findings was used to see if Whole Body Vibration therapy could enhance Chiropractic treatments it was generally agreed that using a WBV machine for 5 minutes at a cycle of only 10 oscillations would help the muscles relax, increase forward flexion of cervical spine and greatly served the ease in the delivery of spinal manipulative treatments.

Using a Whole Body Vibration machine before Chiropractic treatments, revealed considerably reduced areas of tension on the spine along with large muscle groups being more relaxed. Therefore, overall it was easier to execute the spinal manipulative treatments because the muscles were more relaxed. Any special need to apply soft tissue therapy was also decreased.

These findings should be utilized by Chiropractors to improve upon their current treatments by either implementing Whole Body Vibration therapy in their clinics or conducting further research as a service to their patients.