Vibration May Improve Bone Health in Older Adults

[Celebration]

http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/vibration-may-improve-bone-health-older-adults

Older adults and their bone health could benefit from a little shaking up, according to a new study. Medical College of Georgia researchers report that treating the entire body with vibration may help reduce bone loss that occurs as people age.

The impetus for using vibration to prevent bone loss came from NASA, when back in 2001 the organization’s scientists began testing the use of vibrating platforms to help prevent bone loss associated with weightlessness and space travel. Their work was of great interest to scientists concerned with more earthly reasons for bone loss.

In the new study at Medical College of Georgia, the researchers used vibration therapy daily for 12 weeks during 30 minute sessions in male mice that had an equivalent age of 55 to 65 years in humans. The researchers found that vibration improved bone density around the hip joint with indications of higher density in the femur as well.

Vibration also was associated with a reduction in a biomarker that indicates bone breakdown as well as an improvement in the surface area involved in the formation of bone. These latest findings add more support to previous research showing a benefit for bone health through use of vibration

[Liberal Veteran]

1. It's giving me excitation.

I'm pretty sure these weren't the same good vibrations from the song, though.

[KT2000]

2. vibration has long been used for

bone healing. Devices are placed over the bone to speed healing. The frequency used is the same as the frequency of cat purrs. Cats are known fast healers and they will purr when they are sick and injured. Some cats will even lay on their person's injury and purr.

[Sanity Claws]

3. I also thought of cats and purring when I read the opening post

Cats are smart little creatures.

[KT2000]

4. When I developed insomnia

my wonderful cat who usually slept at the bottom of the bed could tell by my tossing around. She would come up to the top of my pillow and put her chin on my head and purr. It would put me right to sleep. Really hard to think about much when your skull is vibrating!
Yeah - cats are wonderful and amazing healers.

[Lorien]

9. I wish that I still had the link, but a medical device developer was working

on a "cat purr" machine that could be placed over patient's injuries in hospitals to speed bone healing. Of course a happy cat is always cheaper, but not always practical.

[HuckleB]

5. Older Adult Mice.

[LaurenG]

7. No it's human women. From the article:

In a 2008 study, 116 postmenopausal women who had osteoporosis received either vibration therapy on a platform five days a week for 10 minutes per session for six months, or no treatment. The study found a significant improvement in bone mineral density and a reduction in back pain among the treated women compared with those who were not treated.

It sounds intriguing to me, I'd like to try it.

[HuckleB]

8. I stand corrected.

It's probably harmless, so there's no reason not to try it, but these are very small trials.

:hi:

[Crunchy Frog]

6. I'd better get myself a vibrator then.