Serena Williams. Mark Wahlberg. Hilary Swank.
All have praised the use of vibration plates — whether it be for accelerating the recovery and healing process or maximizing workout routines. While these flat, rectangular fitness devices have been around since the early 2000s, vibration plates have been trending on TikTok as users promote the appliance and claim various health benefits, including weight loss and increased muscle tone.
“Vibration plates are sort of like a massage gun on steroids,” says Bryant University’s Exercise and Movement Science Program Coordinator and Associate Professor Jason Sawyer, Ph.D. “It vibrates at high frequencies and causes a whole-body vibration when a person stands on it.”
Sawyer, who studied the effectiveness of vibration platforms during his Ph.D. program, says research on vibration plates’ effectiveness is conflicting.
On one side, vibration plates have been shown to increase regional blood flow in the lower extremities — potentially reducing pain and inflammation — and whole-body vibration may help alleviate some muscle soreness and aches and pains. Additionally, vibration causes significant muscle contraction and relaxation for the body’s larger muscle groups and ancillary muscles — muscles that assist primary muscle groups during exercise.
“There are also some studies that show that it's great for the elderly population,” he says, adding that individuals may experience increases in postural control, balance, and bone mineral density, which is particularly important for older individuals.
On the flip side, an equal amount of research has found no difference between doing exercises on the vibration platform versus the ground, especially when it comes to younger, fitter individuals.
“As we get older, we become more deconditioned and detrained, and that seems to be where the vibration platforms can help. Once we reach a certain level of fitness, it might not be as effective or have an additive effect on your regular exercise program,” Sawyer says.
For those interested in trying vibration plate technology, Sawyer emphasizes starting off slowly with five to seven minutes and seeing how your body reacts. Over time, increase usage to 15 to 20 minutes. He notes that exercisers are going to see more muscle activation when using vibration plates in conjunction with exercises such as squats or having one leg on and one leg off while doing a split leg squat or lunge.
Side effects to look out for include nausea, dizziness, back pain, and joint pain. He adds that exercisers should maintain a slight squat stance on the platform to reduce the vibration from moving up the spine to the cranium. Lastly, it is possible to do too much whole-body vibration, so do not exceed the recommended amount as it could cause musculoskeletal issues and potentially lead to nerve damage that causes balance and coordination issues.
Looking at why the trend has gained so much attention, Sawyer says that time has been a huge factor.
“People are busy, so anything that can enhance a workout in the same amount of time is going to draw people in,” Sawyer says. “Additionally, anytime you can add in technology, there’s an appeal of using something advanced and scientific.”
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Social media also plays a role in bringing old exercise fads to life.
“If you’re an influencer and can reintroduce novel ways of exercising, it leads to this exercise program fad,” Sawyer says. “And, obviously, monetizing most of this is part of it as well.”
Overall, Sawyer says there’s still a need for tried-and-true workout methods. For aerobic exercise, Sawyer suggests taking a walk after dinner or partaking in exercise microdosing throughout the day where you do short bursts of exercise three times throughout the day for 10 minutes. Additionally, individuals should focus on strength training two times a week and stretching two sessions per week to increase flexibility.
For individuals who gravitate toward vibration plates due to claims of weight loss, Sawyer notes that weight loss will come from either increasing physical activity and eating a little less or taking a stricter dietary approach.
Vibration plates may be a good additive, but it really starts with those basics that we talked about,” Sawyer says. “If you’re just doing a whole-body vibration, it's most likely not going to lead to great fitness gains. You need more than that."
