has anyone tried vibration therapy? - Bone Health and O...

Bone Health and Osteoporosis UK

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has anyone tried vibration therapy?

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
22 Replies

i wondered if anyone had given vibration therapy a go and had good results?

72yo with crumbling bones. Recently taken off meds- just felt sick all the time... Wanted to go the natural route and read some articles on vibration therapy. lots of confusing info out there! help! is the Marodyne the only one that is medical?Don't want to just get any old machine if it isn't going to actually do what it says

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ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2
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22 Replies
t1gernidster profile image
t1gernidster

Hi! I use my vibration plates daily as recommended by my osteopath. I can’t tell you if they are doing me any good but she assures me it’s helping my bones.

Sandy33 profile image
Sandy33 in reply to t1gernidster

Can you tell me which brand vibration plate you purchased?

t1gernidster profile image
t1gernidster in reply to Sandy33

amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09...

Sandy33 profile image
Sandy33 in reply to t1gernidster

Thank you!

I have been looking at the life pro vibration plate.

t1gernidster profile image
t1gernidster in reply to Sandy33

It looks very good.

dog45678 profile image
dog45678 in reply to Sandy33

The contraindications and list of those who should not use either of the above devices are comprehensive. Please Google the Zelus User Manual before purchasing a device, apologies I can't copy the link.

Sandy33 profile image
Sandy33 in reply to dog45678

Ugh! Definitely difficult to find a good path with try to prevent further bone loss.

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2 in reply to Sandy33

Very difficult indeed! This was my concern with contras - I dread to think I might be doing more damage with units that aren't certified specifically for osteo.

though 3k seems dear, from my readings and the helpful comments from the others below, i feel Marodyne may be the best (and i dare say safest!) option. science was never my strong suit but if it is backed by NASA and made by a professor... i am obliged to believe it does what it says on the tin!

t1gernidster i wonder has your osteopath heard of the Marodyne?

Lynnel17 profile image
Lynnel17

I just ordered a Marodyne. Hopefully it will be here in six weeks. As you may already know, they are quite pricey, 3K in the US (after a discount given for the mention of Margaret Martin, the PT on YouTube). Because of the cost, I read almost every article I could find about vibration therapy for OP. The Marodyne is a Low Intensity Vibration (LIV) platform; the platforms on Amazon, even the vertical platforms that can be run at 30 HZ (which get them closer to the Marodyne) all run at a much higher amplitude, produce a significantly great G force. The Amazon plates are known as Whole Body Vibration (WBV) machines. Marodyne's plate has a .4 G force. Because of it's low G force, the latter has no contraindications, not even for weak retinas, which is an issue for me.

This is the impression I've gathered from my readings. In post-menapausal women, the Marodyne shows good promise of slowing/maintaining bone loss. If a person is very thin, and especially if she's inactive, she may gain a little bone mineral density. Meanwhile, though the studies aren't quite as rigorous, the Whole Body Vibration machines may produce greater increases of BMD; however, this is at the risk of possible harm to retinas, hearing, knees, etc., things that in our later lives, we're likely to be concerned about.

Given this information, I decided that the Marodyne was a worthwhile machine for me. The possibility that it can halt bone loss is no small thing! I'm not as hopeful that it will give me the youthful vitality exhibited by the models in its online adds, but if does this as well and cures all my other ills, so much the better!

Hope this gives you some useful things to think about in making your decision. Best to you.

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2 in reply to Lynnel17

hi @lynnel17 & RxMe

your responses were really helpful and full of useful information. i am definitely leaning in the direction of the Marodyne - as you say - it seems the safest option and I read online that many people had reversed their osteo! well now that would be a dream come true! But as you say, even to halt or slow the disease is nothing to be sniffed at.

Oh i love Margaret Martin! i hadn't realised there was a discount available if youve seen her videos. that's great, thank you!

are you both in the US? Is the device available in the UK? just thinking about shipping costs!

Lynnel17 profile image
Lynnel17 in reply to ScrambledEgg2

I’m in the US. Delivery cost varies by state; tax, as well. If you email Copa and ask, they’ll give you the price for delivery. For me, $75 to Maryland. A signed, FedEx delivery. I was pleased to hear there wouldn’t tax for me! 

Another thought I had about the Marodyne’s usefulness is that if you’re sick or hurt and can’t exercise, it gives you a chance to get some bone stimulation. For instance, my foot’s arch is hurting, so if I had the plate, I might take a day off from walking. Also, in these days of Covid, you never know when you might not be able to exercise for a while! 

Hope if you decide to buy, your unit arrives quickly! I was told six weeks. Good luck to you! 

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2 in reply to Lynnel17

so I have done some digging and found there is a UK site - mybones. And free delivery. phew!

they actually have a wonderful facebook group if you search for marodyne liv and mybones. I am often loathe to use social media but there are 600 odd people talking about the device and their results!

That's a very good point. It would be nice to know youre doing something good for your bones everyday when you can't get outside. (I certainly am not getting out very much in this wet miserable weather!) I hope it helps you with your arches.

there seems to be a bit of a waiting list in the UK (must be rather popular...). i will have to bite the bullet and get on with it lest I crumble in the meantime!

i hope yours comes soon!

RxMe profile image
RxMe

Hi, ScrambledEgg2!

I too just ordered the Marodyne LIV, but only after months of hemming & hawing and doing sporadic internet searches. My own gynecologist recommended the Lifepro Rumblex, but surprisingly she really didn’t seem familiar with the research supporting use of the Marodyne. My rheumatologist pooh-poohed anything not pharma-related, so I knew I was on my own!

I spoke with a rep from Copa Healthcare (which handles all the Marodyne LIV orders in the US). He gave what I thought was a reasonable response regarding the efficacy of the platform. Results seem very dependent on the individual user. (Your diet, degree of bone loss, drug interventions, how often you use the machine each day, level of activity, etc. all contribute to the results.) An increase of 1-2% seemed realistic, or possibly simply prevention of further bone loss. I had a loss of 8% in my lumbar spine in a little over 2 years, so anything that can slow or halt that cascade would be a miracle!

Yes, it’s expensive, but if it helps prevent a disabling fracture, it will be worth every penny!

wellness1 profile image
wellness1

Research update on vibration therapy: Canadian PT Margaret Martin recently called attention to an encouraging meta-analysis of data on the effectiveness of whole-body vibration on bone mineral density in post-menopausal women. :)

You can watch her summary here:

youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4DQw2...

Link to the abstract:

link.springer.com/article/1...

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2 in reply to wellness1

Oh this is very encouraging indeed, thank you! I am still on the waiting list for my device, but it should be delivered soon. I am very excited to receive it and get started on my journey to stronger bones!

wellness1 profile image
wellness1 in reply to ScrambledEgg2

You're welcome. Good luck. :)

Lzzzzz profile image
Lzzzzz

hi - have been using the Marodyne daily since January 22. In the uk now you should not pay VAT as you have osteoporosis - helps a bit. It’s easy to use and I feel it’s very safe - they calibrate it to your weight before shipping. Am going for an osteo scan in a couple of months (had one late in 2021) so will able to see if any improvement - feel it’s more accurate than a Dexa scan. Both showed I had osteoporosis though! Have gone the natural route as didn’t get on with initial medication. Take calcium vitamin D and K2 and try to keep to a healthy diet. Good luck with your purchase.

Raleigh59 profile image
Raleigh59 in reply to Lzzzzz

What is an Osteo scan and how big a difference was it to your dexa scan ?

Lzzzzz profile image
Lzzzzz in reply to Raleigh59

The dexa scan showed quite a big difference between my hips and back - they were closer in the osteo scan which should be the norm - (apparently dexa scans might not be the most accurate on a slim frame). The results of the osteo scan were well explained on the day and were emailed.

Both the dexa and osteo scan showed I had osteoporosis.

Their website explains how it all works far better than I could.

website link to osteo scan: osteoscanuk.com/

Hope this helps

Raleigh59 profile image
Raleigh59 in reply to Lzzzzz

I had a dexa with -4.7 in spine and

-3.1 and -3.4 in femurs . I am small framed . I had a first time student who did the dexa and she might have made mistakes . May I ask What was your dexa and what is your new Osteo scan numbers ? I believe regardless I will be osteoporosis too.

Good morning ScambledEgg2 we have a fact sheet that explain the different types that you might find useful to help you with your decision on this. strwebstgmedia.blob.core.wi...

Although it has a date yet to be updated we asked a specialist to do a literature search to check if there had been anymore research that would change the details in this. He said not. He did this at the end of last year.

ScrambledEgg2 profile image
ScrambledEgg2 in reply to

thanks indeed for sending the factsheet, though perhaps outdated - 2017 was the publishing date?/

does seems funny that the whole body vibration does not come with more warning from the osteo society? I have read an awful lot on the risks and dangers (especially for those with fragile bones like the most of us)

wellness1 posted a wonderful meta analysis above - surely this would count as more research in favour of low intensity vibes? I would think 5 more years of research and study would make it much of interest! has the ros spoken with the professor behind it all? i would be very interestd to hear

mere musings from little old me.. but i for one am excited and encouraged by what i have read about the Marodyne

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