What do physios and astronauts have in common?

Whole Body Vibration Therapy

They both trust whole body vibration therapy to grow core strength.

Whole body vibration therapy (WBVT) isn’t something new, in fact it has been around for many years, initially developed by the Russian Space Agency. Astronauts will spend months at a time in outer space where there is zero gravity. This has a major impact on their core muscles while weaken and waste as they are not being engaged.

Did you know that, in essence, your core muscles are anti-gravity postural muscles? Thus when an astronaut returns to Earth it is common that they will develop neck and back pain because they no longer have the strength or control in their core to maintain healthy posture. 

So how did WBVT come about?

Scientists at the Russian Space Agency discovered that when vibrating muscles at a certain frequency, these muscles could be activated to “switch on” and start doing their job again. This was the birth of whole body vibration training which has since become widely used and recommended by physios and health professionals for rehabilitation purposes.

A problem I often see in my practice amoung patients of varied ages is lack of strength and control in their core muscles. This often becomes evident through a patient presenting neck or back pain, and is also very frequently tied to other over-use injuries in the hips, knees and shoulders.

Whole body vibration is a proven therapy and this is why I recommend it as part of a rehabilitation program for clients who suffer pain or injuries related to core strength. 

Discover all the benefits of WBVT for sporting performance, seniors and general health and wellness.

If you’re having neck or back pain, or other issues related to weakened core muscles, consider the results Astronauts experience and speak to your Back In Motion physio about this treatment

Nathan Rickard, Physiotherapist and Director, Back In Motion Hawthorn