The Vibration Machine Doesn't Help Bones

Can a whole lot of shaking build up post-menopausal bones?

Probably not, despite what ads for whole body vibration machines may suggest. That’s the conclusion of a recent experiment conducted with 202 healthy post-menopausal women.

One set of women used the device set at 30 Hz (oscillations per second) for 20 minutes a day. Another group used the device at 90 Hz, and a third group did not use the equipment at all. All three groups were given calcium and vitamin D supplements. At the end of one year, neither the 30 Hz nor the 90 Hz group saw significant improvement in bone density or bone structure, according to the study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. You’re still better off doing weight-bearing exercises and eating a healthy.