Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced.
There are three main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, usually diagnosed in children and adolescents, occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. Approximately 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.
The remaining 90 per cent have type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body does not effectively use the insulin that is produced. Type 2 diabetes usually develops in adulthood, although increasing numbers of children in high-risk populations are being diagnosed.
A third type of diabetes, gestational diabetes, is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy.
What are the effects using Whole Body Vibration?
There has been some research looking at the effects of Whole Body Vibration (WBV) on individuals with diabetes.
Exercising is very important in controlling Type 2 diabetes. Exercise can help control your weight and lower your blood sugar level. Aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivity and, along with proper nutrition, helps restore normal glucose metabolism by decreasing body fat. Strength training (a.k.a. resistance or weight training) also decreases body fat by raising the metabolism. It’s main benefit; however, is increasing glucose uptake by the muscles and enhancing the ability to store glucose. Exercise can mean the difference between “medical management” and “lifestyle management” of Type 2 diabetes.
A study was completed to determine if whole body vibration is beneficial in controlling Type 2 diabetes1. The main findings were: Fasting glucose concentrations remained unchanged after training. The area under curve and maximal glucose concentration of the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test were reduced in the vibration and strength training group. HbA1c values tended to decrease below baseline date in the vibration training group while it increased in the two other intervention groups.
These findings suggest that whole body vibration exercise may be an effective and low time consuming tool to enhance glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients.
Diabetes is usually listed as a contraindication for training on whole body vibration devices because of the rapid decline of the blood glucose levels, which may cause the patient to feel faint. However, the vibration plate device is also very well suited to improve the physical condition of diabetics. Diabetics can benefit hugely from whole body vibration exercise, particularly if the exercise can improve blood circulation to their lower extremities. After a check up and approval from a doctor, a diabetic can perform their entire training schedule on a whole body vibration plate. Since exercise time is drastically shortened when using whole body vibration, diabetic patients may prefer vibration training as a part of an intended lifestyle modification.
A study2 had the goal of describing a case of type II diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain treated with whole body vibration therapy after a failed trial of conventional drugs and interventional pain management. A 71-year-old male had chronic diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain in his both feet for about 5 years. He tried he tried multiple pain medications and various interventional pain treatment without significant pain relief. After 8 weeks of whole body vibration treatment the patient’s pain level, balance, and gait patterns significantly improved. These findings illustrate the importance of considering whole body vibration as a complimentary treatment in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.
The aim of another study3 was to describe a case of type 2 diabetic patient with peripheral neuropathy treated with 6-week whole body vibration program training. A 52-year old woman who complained from night sleep disturbance due to feet pain and tingling and also fear of falling during daily walking. She tried medications without any significant effect. After six weeks training with whole body vibration, the pain level, muscle strength, balance and flexibility improved. Also, neuropathy score decreased significantly. These finding demonstrate that whole body vibration is an effective complimentary treatment in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy.
A study4 showed that Aerobic Exercise and whole body vibration identically stimulate metabolic system. The conclusion was that type 2 diabetic patients lacking stamina for aerobic exercise can opt for vibration exercise as an effective substitute.
A study5 described a case of type II diabetic peripheral small fiber neuropathic pain treated with whole body vibration therapy after a failed trial of conventional drugs and interventional pain management. A 64-year-old male had chronic diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain in both his feet for about 2 years. The patient tried multiple pain medications and various interventional pain treatments without significant pain relief. After 4 weeks of whole body vibration treatment, the patient’s pain level and gait patterns significantly improved. These findings illustrate the importance of considering whole body vibration machine as a complimentary treatment in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.
Dr. Yu, a craniofacial surgeon at Georgia Health Sciences University, believes that the vibration the body gets while on the vibration platform replicates the vibration the bones and muscles receive while taking part in normal exercise.6
References
- Efficiency of vibration exercise for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1885552/ - Whole Body Vibration therapy for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Case Report http://www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue1/519.pdf
- Effects of WBV on a Diabetic Type 2 patient with Peripheral Neuropathy
http://www.hsj.gr/volume6/issue3/6316.pdf - Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Whole Body Vibration on Glycaemia Control in Type 2 Diabetic Males
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3289205/ - Case study: Use of vibration therapy in the treatment of diabetic peripheral small fiber neuropathy
http://soniclifetransformations.com/wp-content/themes/sonicworld/pdf/physiological-factors/Use of vibration therapy in the treatment of diabetic.pdf - Help Prevent Diabetes with Whole Body Vibration
http://greenperform.com/resources/enjoy-life-blog/entryid/43/help-prevent-diabetes-with-whole-body-vibration
Are you a chiropractor who is currently using or interested in using whole body vibration in your practice? We work with chiropractors all over North America. Contact us for more information on our chiropractor program.
NOTE: The information presented is not intended to diagnose or prescribe. Pain can be from many causes, be sure to consult your health care professional before starting this or any exercise regime.