A pilot study by researchers at Indiana University, published in May 2014, has found that whole-body vibration exercise may reduce pain symptoms and improve aspects of quality of life in individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
The findings are promising, but the study has not been able to ascertain whether the improvements were the result specifically of added vibration or just the effects of being more active.
Regular exercise participation is one of the best known therapies for patients with fibromyalgia, a disorder characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Many sufferers of fibromyalgia avoid participating in exercise as they fear that an increase in physical activity will cause an increase in pain. As a result, sufferers can start a downward spiral, further exacerbating a sedentary lifestyle that often leads to a worsening of symptoms. Avoidance of activity and exercise can lead to weight gain and an increased feeling of isolation in sufferers.
Whole-body vibration exercise involves standing, sitting or lying on a machine with a vibrating platform which causes muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second as the machine vibrates. Such exercise machines have been appearing in recent years in fitness centres and have been used by professional football clubs as part of rehabilitation following injury. Unfortunately, access to such equipment is not currently widely available.
The study has reported improvements in strength, muscle spasticity and pain for sufferers; however, the vibration exercise did not appear to show any improvements in respect of stiffness or in respect of depression, which are other common and significant symptoms of the condition.