Are Vibratory Massages useful or harmful in Osteoporosis?

Many people with osteoporosis are routinely doing exercises prescribed as weight bearing exercises, -- and walking and climbing stairs is one of them.

There are many who still go in for massage, namely on the back, thighs and calves, for relief of aches and pains. These massages are especially helpful after the fatigue of walking etc.

A new trend has opened of hand held vibrator-massagers. Many persons are seen using hand held devices with vibrating knobs that can be used on the various muscles of the body for relief of aches and pains and fatigue after walking.

The convenience of this is that one can apply the hand-held vibrator massager oneself. Otherwise one would have to go to a trained massager for relief.

Yet, an important question lingers in the minds of many persons. Are vibrator massagers harmful for osteoporotic bones?

The fear is that the vibrations from the vibrator might "shake" the bones or cause them to vibrate -- so that little pieces may fall off, or so that the bone structure of the thighs and calves and possibly spine, may "loosen" due to the vibrations conveyed from the vibrator, or that vibrations may cause bone loss to accelerate in osteoporosis.

Also, do vibrator massagers cause the muscles to become loose and weak, so that they are more easily fatigued when exercising?

I wonder how well founded these fears are, or whether they have any scientific basis at all, and whether any research has been done on whether vibrator massages are bad for osteoporotic persons.

The one positive aspect here is -- that in the weight bearing exercises we are even advised to "dance" to shake the legs and hips. I suppose those would be vibrations as well, -- and if these are healthy for osteoporotic bones then vibrator massager machines would also be great bone builders.

Maybe the vibrations from the vibrator can build bones, rather than loosen them and fragment them. This would be a wonderful thing with which to build bones!

I feel this question is of great importance because with the passage of time more and more people wish to massage their own legs and possibly their backs for quick relief themselves without having to rely on others.

I wonder whether any members on NOF have had experiences with these devices, and whether any research has been done on the effects of vibrations on osteoporotic bones.

I have been using a hand held vibrator massager on the legs whenever I get fatigued after long walks, and find that the fatigue is instantly relieved, -- but I remain fretful each time I take the vibrating knob over the calves and thighs-- I keep thinking of the osteoporosis in the femur of the thigh, and whether the vibrations might cause spontaneous fractures! It might just be negative thinking not founded on scientific research but it is enough to spoil the experience.

Thanking you,
Yours,
Priya
(nathji)

By Gatekeeper
Posted May 9, 2009 at 2:48 pm
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Good questions! I use one on my back that goes to the outside of the spine on each side. Sure helps my back muscles relax. I feel better after wards, so I assume tis good, not bad for me. Would be nice to know if I was building bone by doing so. :) But that would be too easy I'm sure.

I've requested a full back massager for Mother's Day. DH & DS checked them out and said, I'd better go test them, as they now have newer ones. I guess an outing tomorrow is in order... perhaps hit the garden store at the same time. :)

By RMA
Posted May 10, 2009 at 2:53 pm
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Hi! I have chronic back and neck pain from degenerative discs (12 yrs) and osteoporosis (diagnosed last year - but supposedly going on for at least the past 10 years). I have been going for Physical Therapy twice a week since the past 5 years. As a part of it they give 5 minutes of ultrasound massage and 15 minutes of electric stimulation with heat. Both the ultrasound and electrical stimulation are essentially "massages" at a different frequency than a manual massage. So I do not think it will affect osteoporosis. But a PT, Endocrinologist, Rheumatologist or an Orthopaedist hopefully will shed some light on this too.

By nathji
Posted May 10, 2009 at 9:53 pm
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Dear RMA and Gatekeeper,

I have a herniated disc as well as osteoporosis, for which I had simply been doing the back extension exercises, and weight bearing exercises like walking and occasional lunges. My legs used to get so tired after long walks that I would start pressing them and kneading them with my hands and fingers.

Then I found out about these hand held vibrator devices, one of which was a Dolphin Massager, which has a knob at its tip that vibrates.

I have been using it on the calves and thighs, but always worry because of the vibrations-- although I do get a tremendous relaxed feeling afterwards.

We all know that weight bearing and walking and dancing would mean applying pressure vertically on the bones.

But what happens when you apply a lateral pressure, a horizonal vibration, to the sides of the bones?

There were even sites that said that vibration massage and indeed all kinds of massage, particularly at the spine, should be used with caution because of the fragile bones in osteoporosis.

I suppose ultra-sonic massage and electrical stimulation deal with very fine vibrations, and not the coarse jerky vibrations that come from hand held devices. So they might be all right for the spinal region or legs. But what about coarse lateral vibrations?

There are sites that say that massage allows for bone building. Astronauts lose bone when they are in outer space because there is no pressure on the bones, and massage seems to do them good.

But I don't know whether the issue is fully understood or whether enough research has been done on the subject.

I give below some of the sites that I found on the subject:

http://www.evovibe.com/uploads/Vibration_Research_Summaries.pdf

http://cbs2chicago.com/health/vibration.therapy.2.323585.html

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/massage+therapy

Please let me know what you think! If vibratory massage does indeed help to build bones it would be a great thing for those who are unable to walk or exercise.

Thank you,
Yours,
Priya

By LDSMima
Posted May 11, 2009 at 1:27 pm
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I have had shaky legs for sometime. I never thought about massage by vibrator. I am going to try it. Thanks for the info. Since I had PT and they used both methods you described. I loved both and felt lots better after the treatments. But in PT they did some massage to loosen up muscle. I don't feel that hurt me at all. I am concerned that maybe my meds could be causing some of my leg issues. My back aways is in pain so I don't count that much. I just doubt anything will get that out of pain.

By April995
Posted May 13, 2009 at 9:51 pm
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Nathji,

At your sites, I don't think there talking about hand held vibrators, but I could be wrong!

I have looked into those vibrating machines you stand on for maybe 2 mins. at a time.
They cost from about $1800.00 to almost $25,000.00. (shocking)

One of my Drs. think there great for Osteoporosis, or for building muscle.
That said, they have only been tested on Sheep!!
Go figure !!.

Best Buys and Costco (Usa) where selling one type last year.
Some are stronger then others. I have heard they can crack your bones..Hair line cracks.
I think on NOF we have talked about this before, as I was asking about them also.
You might want to look it up on here.

Take Care,
April

By April995
Posted May 13, 2009 at 10:21 pm
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Here is a web-site to those Vibrating machines.
I think you have to be careful of the vibrating
disables (sp?).

They sure have come down in price!!
http://www.wholebodyvibrationmachine.com/

April

By nathji
Posted May 13, 2009 at 10:29 pm
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Dear April995,

Thanks so much for taking the time and the trouble to send these excellent websites.I will be going to see them, but this is just to say thank you, in the meantime.
Yours,
Priya

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