Power Plate My3 Medical Effects

The Power Plate My3 has become a piece of standard kit in high-end gyms across the U.S. and Europe, thanks to endorsements by celebrities like Madonna and Sting. Standing on this vibrating platform and performing various stretches for 10 minutes is meant to achieve the equivalent of a 60-minute workout, and research has shown that it has a number of medical effects.

  1. Strength

    • A study in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" by H. S. Lamont, et al. (2010) found that using the Power Plate over an extended period of time increases muscle strength, with benefits for almost any kind of athlete. As the muscles become stronger, they are less likely to be damaged by impact training like running, rowing or boxing. A similar study from 2004 in the "International Journal of Sports Medicine" did, however, suggest that the same effects could be achieved by other forms of exercise .

    Balance

    • A 2007 study in the "Gait & Posture Journal" found that spending time on the Power Plate could help nursing home residents increase their ability to move about on their own. This was particularly the case for residents who had little interest in exercise, who preferred the quick workout afforded by the Power Plate to long aerobic workouts.

    Weight loss

    • Results of other studies on the success of the Power Plate for weight loss have been mixed, but have generally found that, while the plate can change body composition by tightening muscles, it requires serious application to have any significant weight-loss effect. Both resistance training and whole-body vibration have to be used to have any noticeable effect on weight.

    Cardio

    • Cardiovascular exercise may not be perceived to go hand-in-hand with the Power Plate, but as a means of exercise for the elderly or obese, it has been shown to have some effects. Vibrating at the 50Hz setting was shown by a study in a 2008 study reported in the "Medical Science Monitor" to increase skin blood flow, allowing a faster spread of oxygen throughout the body.

    Recovery

    • The Power Plate has been shown to help damaged muscles heal while reducing pain and fatigue. It can decrease arterial stiffness after long periods of inactivity, reducing the chance of cardiac arrest and stroke, and can also increase mobility.

    Drawbacks

    • The Power Plate has been reported to induce nausea due to vibration of the inner ear. It is also only marginally successful in reduction of body fat. To lose weight, cardiovascular exercise and a low-fat diet have been shown to be more effective than the muscle toning that the Power Plate achieves.