The UA is kicking off a pilot study on the effects of whole body vibration. Medvibe is teaming up with the UA to conduct a research study about the effects Medvibe’s NitroFit Whole Body Vibration Machine can have on muscle strength.
UA graduate and Tucson native Jonathan Hyams, who founded Medvibe, hopes the machine will eventually help people of all ages.
“”If this has effects on the younger populations, it could really help the older populations,”” Hyams said.
The study is looking to see how whole body vibration affects bone density to see how it could benefit those with osteoporosis and arthritis.
“”You couldn’t take your grandmother to the gym, per se, but you could get her to use this,”” Hyams said.
“”A person just has to be able to stand,”” added Dr. Rita Tomás, who is on a Fulbright research scholarship at the UA from Portugal and a co-principal investigator for the study.
Eight UA students will function as the trainers for the study: Two physiology graduate students and six undergraduate students.
“”It’s been great to work with such motivated students,”” Tomás said.
The study will last 12 weeks and is focusing on the lower extremities and three spots are still available.
“”We are getting a lot of data from this study,”” said Molly Burns, a UA physiology senior who is a co-principal investigator for the study. “”In theory, you can exercise for less time with the same results,”” Burns said.
When asked how it felt to workout with whole body vibration, Tomás said, “”It can be strange to start with, but then people get into it.””
The study is being conducted in the lower level of the Ina E. Gittings building.
Medvibe is doing studies on whole body vibration in association with other universities, but, according to Hyams, “”the U of A is doing the most innovative study of all of them.”” The UA’s study is the most innovative because it has access to a GE Lunar iDXA bone densitometer.
The GE Lunar iDXA shows the exact percentage of body fat in each part of the body. This will allow the study to find out exactly where changes occur in the body.
“”The more we know, the more we can tailor to the individual,”” Hyams said.
