MyBones Marodyne LiV Vibration Therapy User Guide
- October 27, 2023
- MyBones
Table of Contents
MyBones Marodyne LiV Vibration Therapy
Instruction
What is the vibration?
Vibration therapy is a mechanical vibration delivered to the body whilst on a
platform. The direction of the vibration can be vertical or oscillatory. As
the machine vibrates it transmits energy to your body stimulating your muscles
to contract and relax dozens of times each second, with the aim of increasing
circulation, muscle strength and flexibility.¹ Research has proven Low-
intensity Vibration therapy activates the cells in your bones to regenerate.²
There has been significant research into the benefits of vibration therapy.
Its use is becoming more common in the UK.
Low-intensity Vibration therapy devices are different from the high-intensity
vibration devices often found in gyms used to enhance muscle growth. There are
no known contraindications or side effects associated with Low-intensity
Vibration (LiV) therapy.³ It is well documented that high-intensity vibration
devices can pose a risk to users, especially those with underlying health
conditions, such as osteoporosis.⁴
LiV must be differentiated from vibration slimming devices that involve thick
rubber bands or belts placed around your middle which shake you up, sometimes
quite violently. These are designed specifically for the purpose of weight
loss and muscle toning and do carry a health risk.
The history of vibration thearapy?
Low-intensity Vibration therapy was initially developed by scientists looking
to reduce bone density loss experienced by astronauts whilst in zero gravity.
Through continued research, Professor Clinton Rubin
(Musculoskeletal Research Laboratory, Stony Brook University) identified that
10 minutes a day of gentle, precise, targeted vibration therapy increases bone
mineral density.⁵
This same technology has been refined to help people improve their bone
density on Earth. It has long been known that weight- bearing exercise has a
positive influence on bone. Vibration therapy works in a similar way by
stimulating the stem cells in bone to reproduce.
Low-intensity Vibration therapy and high- intensity vibration therapy are both
whole- body vibration therapy, however, it is important not to confuse the
two.
There are a variety of different vibration devices available in the UK; they
vary based on the direction and size of the vibrations produced and are not
all suitable for use by those with osteoporosis or other underlying health
conditions.⁶ If you have osteoporosis, it is advisable to choose a device
certified by the British Standards Institution (BSI) as a Class IIa medical
device. The Marodyne LiV is the only Low-intensity Vibration device currently
available in the UK with this certification.
Low-intensity Vibration devices, such as the Marodyne LiV, resemble a set of
large bathroom scales and emit tiny up and down (vertical) vibrations 30 times
per second at 0.4g. These gentle vibrations travel through the feet, up the
spine to the jaw.
High-intensity vibration devices emit a high acceleration, high level
vibration, typically over 1.0g. High-intensity whole-body vibration devices
have been shown to be seriously damaging to those with bone conditions, such
as osteoporosis, due to the magnitude of the force exerted on the body.
Several high- intensity whole-body vibration devices far exceed what is
considered safe for even brief exposure.⁷
Types of Vibration Plate
The way a platform moves influences it’s effect on the body
- A vertical vibration plate moves up and down. This controlled movement enables vertical vibration plates to produce a regular level of displacement and acceleration. The Marodyne LiV device uses a vertical vibration.
- Some vibration plates vibrate from side to side around a central point (fulcrum). Even though the displacement and frequency may be the same, this style of motion makes it difficult to ensure the level of acceleration remains within a safe range.
The intensity or acceleration (G) of a device is determined by displacement and frequency:
Displacement
Displacement is the distance the surface of a vibration plate moves from
stationary. If a plate has a high level of displacement, more acceleration
will pass on to the user.
Frequency
Frequency is the number of times a plate moves up and down per second. E.g. at
30Hz, a device will vibrate up and down 30 times per second.
Safety
Based on ISO-2631 guidelines for human exposure limits to whole body
vibration, plates which exceed forces of 1.0g are unsafe to use for more than
a few seconds.
Mesenchymal stem cells produce either bone, cartilage, or fat cells. Ageing
and other underlying health conditions cause our cells to produce less bone
and more fat. This gradually reduces bone density and increases our risk of
developing osteoporosis.
Low-intensity Vibration therapy counteracts this process by using precisely
targeted, low- intensity vibrations to gently stimulate the body’s bone
building (osteoblast) cells to work.¹² It is a safe, natural, and gentle way
to increase bone density.
There are studies showing Low-intensity Vibration therapy is successful in
preventing osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density.
Vibration therapy has additional benefits when used alongside other exercise;
the vibrations help activate cells and make them more responsive to exercise,
improving bone growth.¹³ Low-intensity Vibration therapy is being used more
frequently for its benefits to circulation and muscle.¹⁴
Extensive research supports the use of Low- intensity vibration plates by people with osteoporosis. Devices emit gentle vibrations to increase bone mineral density and encourage bone growth, reducing fracture risk. Evidence shows Low-intensity Vibration therapy reduces your risk of falls as it improves muscle strength.¹⁵ Any reduction in falls will reduce the risk of broken bones.
Marodyne LiV device
The Marodyne LiV device is certified by the British Standards Institution
(BSI) as a class IIa medical device, and is Europe’s only recognised certified
Low-intensity Vibration platform.
The device has no known contraindications or side effects.
- Amplitude/Acceleration: 0.4g
- Displacement: 50 to 200 microns
- Frequency: 30Hz
- Vibration Direction: Vertical
REFERENCE
-
Judex S, Rubin CT. Is bone formation induced by high-frequency mechanical signals modulated by muscle activity?. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2010;10(1):3-11.
-
Pagnotti GM, Styner M, Uzer G, et al. Combating osteoporosis and obesity with exercise: leveraging cell mechanosensitivity. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2019;15(6):339-355. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0170-1
-
Muir J, Kiel DP, Rubin CT. Safety and severity of accelerations delivered from whole body vibration exercise devices to standing adults. J Sci Med Sport. 2013;16(6):526-531.
doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2013.01.004 -
Muir J, Kiel DP, Rubin CT. Safety and severity of accelerations delivered from whole body vibration exercise devices to standing adults. J Sci Med Sport. 2013;16(6):526-531.
doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2013.01.004 -
Gilsanz V, Wren TA, Sanchez M, Dorey F, Judex S, Rubin C. Low-level, high-frequency mechanical signals enhance musculoskeletal development of young women with low BMD. J Bone Miner Res. 2006;21(9):1464-1474. doi:10.1359/jbmr.060612
-
Muir J, Keil D, Rubin C. Safety and severity of accelerations delivered from whole body vibration exercise devices to standing adults. J Sci Med Sport. 2013 Nov;16(6):526-31. doi:
10.1016/j.jsams.2013.01.004. -
Muir J, Kiel DP, Rubin CT. Safety and severity of accelerations delivered from whole body vibration exercise devices to standing adults. J Sci Med Sport. 2013;16(6):526-531.
doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2013.01.004 -
Alfio Albasini, et al. Using Whole Body Vibration in Physical Therapy and Sport : Clinical Practice and Treatment Exercises. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone, 2010.
-
Kiiski, Juha et al. “Transmission of vertical whole body vibration to the human body.” Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research vol. 23,8 (2008): 1318-25. doi:10.1359/jbmr.080315
-
Maggiano, J., Yu, MC.M., Chen, S. et al. Retinal tear formation after whole-body vibration training exercise. BMC Ophthalmology 20, 37 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-019-1291-y
-
Wong, M.L., Widerstrom-Noga, E. & Field-Fote, E.C. Effects of whole-body vibration on neuropathic pain and the relationship between pain and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41393-022-00806-w
-
Pagnotti GM, Styner M, Uzer G, et al. Combating osteoporosis and obesity with exercise: leveraging cell mechanosensitivity. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2019;15(6):339-355. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0170-1
-
Sun, Yuyang et al. “Mechanical Stimulation on Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Surrounding Microenvironments in Bone Regeneration: Regulations and Applications.” Frontiers in cell and developmental biology vol. 10 808303. 21 Jan. 2022, doi:10.3389/fcell.2022.808303
-
Games KE, Sefton JM, Wilson AE. Whole-body vibration and blood flow and muscle oxygenation: a meta-analysis. J Athl Train. 2015;50(5):542-549. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-50.2.09
-
Leung, K S et al. “Effects of 18-month low-magnitude high-frequency vibration on fall rate and fracture risks in 710 community elderly–a cluster-randomized controlled trial.” Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA vol. 25,6 (2014): 1785-95.
doi:10.1007/s00198-014-2693-6
References
- Effects of whole-body vibration on neuropathic pain and the relationship between pain and spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury | Spinal Cord
- Retinal tear formation after whole-body vibration training exercise | BMC Ophthalmology | Full Text