As a therapy, whole body vibration (sometimes abbreviated as WBV) was explored by Russian scientist Vladimir Nazarov, who tested vibration on astronauts in an effort to decrease the loss of muscle and bone mass in space (as there's minimal gravitational force in space, muscles and bones are not loaded as they normally are on earth). Astronauts in space lose their muscular strength very quickly, which is why they are not able to easily walk when they come back to earth. The decrease of bone density increases the risk of bone fractures, so it's not safe to stay in space for extended periods. The aerospace industry in the former Soviet Union worked with vibration training. Before their departure, astronauts were subjected to special training sessions so that the density of their bones would increase and their muscular strength would rise.
A specialist form of WBV is vibration training, which is becoming increasingly popular. Initially, vibration training was mainly used in the fitness industry, but the use of vibration equipment is expanding quickly. It is now widely used in physical therapy, rehabilitation and professional sports, but it is also increasingly applied in the beauty and wellness branches.
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