Applications

HORMONAL

Power Plate has been associated with an increase in circulating Growth Hormone and Testosterone, with a parallel decrease in circulating Cortisol (the hormone released when we are under stress; high levels of cortisol have been linked to many disease states). This has been associated with a significant decrease in bone resorption and a significant contribution to the anabolic hormonal response.⁷

Investigators have suggested that Whole Body Vibration treatment leads to an acute response of the hormonal profile and neuromuscular performance. Consequently, the effect of Power Plate elicits a biological adaptation connected to a neural potentiation effect, similar to resistance and explosive power training.⁷

Therefore, with the application of Power Plate, the proprioceptive feedback mechanisms and certain neural and hormonal components lead to an improved neuromuscular performance.

In addition to changes in segmental reflexes, vibration has been shown to modulate sensory as well as motor areas of the brain.⁸ Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), vibratory input to the sole of the foot increases neural activity to several cortical structures including the motor cortex and parietal areas.⁹ Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), another method to quantify cortical excitability, demonstrates that tendon vibration increases the motor evoked potential (MEP) of the vibrated muscle and its antagonist. Vibration of the entire hand (multiple muscles) increased the MEP amplitude of the first dorsal interosseous and abductor pollicis brevis. Whole body vibration also increases cortical excitability of the tibialis anterior muscle indicated by a 56% increase compared to a controlled condition.