| Bone health is rapidly becoming one of the most | | | | being loaded with the total body weight on every up- |
| acute health issues in the US. The incidence of | | | | stroke and are being unloaded on every down- |
| osteoporosis has increased dramatically in recent | | | | stroke. Therefore WBV is often referred to as rapid |
| years. Consider these startling facts: | | | | acceleration/deceleration training. |
| - Osteoporosis affects an estimated 10 million | | | | At a setting of 20 Hz, the platform moves up and |
| Americans over the age of 50. Some reports say the | | | | down 20 x/second! It serves to note that this type |
| numbers are as high as 28 million people. It is | | | | of focused, hi- level, non- traumatic loading of weight |
| estimated that by the year 2020 half of all Americans | | | | bearing structures would be very hard to replicate |
| will have or will develop bone density issues. | | | | this with exercise! An individual standing on a platform |
| - Close to 1.2 million bone fractures in the United | | | | at 20 Hz is experiencing 20 brief, short range |
| States each year are related to osteoporosis. | | | | impulses onto the femoral heads, pelvis and spine per |
| - An estimated 50,000 people die each year from | | | | second with the total body weight! A vast number of |
| post- fracture complications. | | | | research programs all over the world over the last 40 |
| - As many as one- fifth of people suffering from | | | | years have shown the beneficial effects of WBV. It |
| osteoporosis end up in nursing homes. | | | | is a widely accepted form of treatment that is just |
| - Women are extremely vulnerable to osteoporosis. | | | | now getting publicized here in the US. |
| - At menopause, bone loss can range from 4% to | | | | After reviewing the literature I have created a |
| 8%. | | | | protocol for my patients, which consists of 2 10- |
| - A common consequence of osteoporosis is the | | | | minute sessions a day at 20 Hz, to be performed in a |
| collapsing of the bones in the spine, called | | | | 3 day on, one day off cycle. |
| compression fractures- but also known as a | | | | During this time the patient is instructed to stand |
| "dowager hump." | | | | with their legs straight in order to maximize the |
| Over the years I have found that there is a lot of | | | | transfer of stimulus to the above mentioned osseous |
| misinformation about osteoporosis. Yet as | | | | structures. The challenge was to create a WBV unit |
| Chiropractors we see patients on a daily basis with | | | | strong enough to transfer the impulses throughout |
| this disease. As practitioners who often like to work | | | | the skeletal structures, yet gentle enough that even |
| with our patients on a non- pharmaceutical approach | | | | lighter weight patients can tolerate it. |
| we often encourage them to include weight- bearing | | | | The second component of the wholistic approach is |
| exercises and give some nutritional advice. I believe | | | | on the nutritional side. It suffices to say at this point |
| there is a lot more we can do. | | | | that WBV will stimulate the blood flow into all of the |
| As a living tissue, bones are constantly rebuilt via a | | | | area of bone being stimulated. The purpose of a |
| two part process. Osteoclasts resorb and remodel | | | | nutritional support would center on supplying all the |
| bones. Osteoblasts deposit new minerals and collagen | | | | necessary components that are synergistically |
| back into the bone. These osteoblasts are stimulated | | | | necessary to support the osteoblastic function. |
| by the mechanical pressure exerted on them when | | | | Several nutritional recommendations are currently |
| weight bearing. And the more weight is being loaded | | | | readily available from several of the nutritional |
| onto a bone along the trabecular pattern, the more | | | | companies. Basically all of these protocols include the |
| stimulation is generated. Hence the recommendation | | | | following nutrients, but are not limited to: |
| of weight bearing exercise. | | | | A complete multi- vitamin |
| The current pharmaceutical trend in treating | | | | Dietary enzymes for better absorption and utilization |
| osteoporosis is based on inhibiting the osteoclastic | | | | Calcium, preferably in the form of an ascorbates, |
| function via medications such as Fosamax. As a | | | | gluconates, citrate or carbonate for optimal |
| chiropractor I prefer a more wholistic way that | | | | absorption |
| centers on increasing the osteoblastic function. | | | | Magnesium to assist calcium absorption and maintain |
| Stimulating bone formation while allowing proper | | | | proper balance between them. |
| remodeling seems to be a more sensible approach. | | | | Vitamin K- 1, |
| 50 years ago the Russian Space program was facing | | | | Genistein, an isoflavone |
| a startling phenomenon:when subjected to Zero | | | | Omega 3 fatty acids |
| Gravity in outer space, the cosmonauts rapidly lost | | | | Vitamin D- 3 |
| bone and muscle mass! The way the problem was | | | | As chiropractors we have been at the forefront of |
| dealt with was refreshingly simple. If the body | | | | wholistic healthcare and wellness for over 100 years. |
| responds to loss of gravity this way, why not | | | | The above protocol shall serve as a recommendation |
| increase gravity on the bones to recover? The | | | | for us as a profession to step up again as the |
| fastest way to accomplish was to stand on a | | | | leaders in healthcare. By integrating WBV into the |
| platform and have this platform move up and down | | | | chiropractic offices around the country, doctors can |
| rapidly about 2- 4 mm, loading the weight bearing | | | | safely proclaim that they are addressing one of the |
| structures with the individuals complete body weight. | | | | most pressing and prevalent health issues of our |
| Thus Whole Body Vibration(WBV) was borne. | | | | society in a balancing, supportive way. Isn't it time? |
| With WBV, the body's weight bearing structures are | | | | |