The Tonic Vibration Reflex: How a Vibration Plate Works the Muscles in Kennewick
Increased muscle activation during whole-body vibration is “mainly ascribed to a complex spinal and supraspinal neurophysiological mechanism termed the tonic vibration reflex,” according to a 2013 study by Zaidell, Mileva, Sumners and Bowtell in PLOS ONE. The vibration plate at Spinal Fitness Health and Wellness Center in Kennewick, WA works on that reflex: the plate moves, the muscles are stretched many times per second, and they contract in response without a deliberate effort. In that study, vibration at 25 Hz and 50 Hz raised ankle force and electrical activity in the calf and shin muscles over 70 seconds. Members hold 24/7 access through a door code once training is complete, and every Thursday from 2 to 6 PM the center is open to new visitors for a free session.
The sensor: muscle spindles
Skeletal muscles hold muscle spindles, stretch sensors that send a signal whenever the muscle lengthens. The 2013 study describes the response to vibration as a spinal and supraspinal mechanism: the signal is processed in the spinal cord and in the brain, and the stretched muscle contracts. A vibration plate repeats that stretch at its frequency: at 25 Hz the muscle is stretched 25 times a second, at 50 Hz 50 times a second. The sustained muscle contraction that results is the tonic vibration reflex, tonic meaning held rather than a single twitch.
What the 2013 study measured
The 2013 study noted that the tonic vibration reflex “has not been experimentally demonstrated during low-frequency WBV”, and measured ankle force and muscle electrical activity to test it. Eight healthy men sat while vibration at 25 Hz and 50 Hz was applied for 70 seconds, either up through the sole of the foot from a plate or directly to the Achilles tendon. The researchers recorded ankle force and electrical activity in 2 lower-leg muscles, the soleus and the tibialis anterior.
The 2013 findings, in the study’s terms: plate vibration and tendon vibration raised plantar-flexion force by similar amounts, and force rose over time in a load- and frequency-dependent way. Muscle activity increased over time in all conditions. At 50 Hz the soleus showed more activation than at 25 Hz when the leg was loaded, even though 25 Hz transmitted more vertical acceleration up to the shank. The authors concluded the study “provides the first experimental evidence supporting the TVR as a plausible mechanism underlying the neuromuscular response to whole-body vibration.”
What vibration training does for muscle
A 2010 review by J. Rittweger of the German Aerospace Center, in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, discusses vibration through “the physical principles of forced oscillations” and reports 3 findings: acute vibration exercise “seems to elicit a specific warm-up effect,” vibration training “seems to improve muscle power,” and it “also seems to improve balance in sub-populations prone to fall, such as frail elderly people.” The review adds that the benefits over traditional resistive exercise “are still unclear.” A 2003 review by Cardinale and Bosco in Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews states that vibration appears effective for strength and power, “although the mechanisms mediating this effect are unknown.”
How a session runs
You stand, sit or stretch on the plate for each session, fully clothed, with nothing attached. A session runs about 5 to 15 minutes, used as a warm-up before training, a cool-down after, or a short stand-alone session. Beginners start at low settings with the knees softly bent, posted instructions cover positions and progressions, and Eileen can show options that fit your training plan during your 60-minute Spinal Fitness evaluation. Members who have completed their training use the plate on their own schedule.
Vibration training is not appropriate during pregnancy or for people with certain implants, recent injuries or some medical conditions; ask your healthcare professional first if any of these applies, and follow the posted operating procedure. The center offers the plate as fitness and wellness training, and individual experiences vary.
Visiting the center in Kennewick
The free Thursday session for new visitors, 2 to 6 PM, rotates 1 service per week among the BioCharger NG, the 7 Wave light panel, Brown’s Gas, PEMF and the hot exercise room; Thursday, October 29 is PEMF. Spinal Fitness Health and Wellness Center is at 214 E. Albany Ave, Building E101, Kennewick, WA 99336, serving Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Benton City and Walla Walla. Call or text 509-670-9713. Eileen Durfee founded the center, has worked in the health field since 2010, and is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer.
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This article is for educational purposes only. Whole-body vibration is offered as a fitness service for general well-being.
