Galileo (vibration training)

Galileo (in the US up until 2014 also available as Vibraflex) is a brand of vibration training platforms used as exercise equipment as well as for therapeutic use. It consists of a vibration platform which vibrates sinusoidal side alternating like a see-saw. Depending on the device size it oscillates with an amplitude of up to 6 mm (equivalent to a peak to peak distance of 12 mm) and a frequency of 5 Hz to 40 Hz (5 to 40 repetitions per second). Due to its high amplitudes and vibration frequencies above 12 Hz it is able to utilize stretch reflexes. Galileo is manufactured in Germany by the German company Novotec Medical GmbH. Since 2004 Galileo is also available as a medical device.

The base plate of Galileo vibration training devices is moving like a see-saw. This side alternating motion is supposed to mimic human gait in order to utilize nearly physiological motion patterns close to the side alternating human gait. The side alternation causes the hip to tilt which requires the contra lateral muscles of the back to be activated – while one leg is lifted the other drops. Compared to vertically vibrating devices the side alternating motion results in very low acceleration acting on the centre of gravity of the upper body and the head.

Side alternating vibration training is used in a wide range of applications like fitness, professional sports, prevention as well as in medical and therapeutic use.

The first Galileo patent was filed in 1996 in the same year the first Galileo device was commercially available. The first publications the new field of whole body vibration (WBV) training in 1998 used Galileo devices. Therefore, the Galileo systems were the first available devices in the field of Whole Body Vibration training. While other devices like the biomechanical stimulation systems associated with the name of Vladimir Nazarov were concentrating on selected muscle groups, WBV devices allow a more systematic training since the user stands on the device. Side alternating vibration training is able to stimulate the leg muscles as well as the back in a close to physiological way quite similar to the human gait.

Also in 1996 the first Galileo vibrating dumbbell patent was filed. It was optimized for the usage at the upper body. First research on this system was published in 1999.

Since 2006 Galileo is also available as an approved medical device in Europe.

The more than 180 international peer reviewed studies about whole body vibration training show quite a variance in training results even in studies which seem to be comparable on first sight. This is partly due to device specific differences (e.g. side alternation vs. vertical vibration, large differences in training amplitudes and used frequencies) which makes the results of studies difficult to compare. In addition many study designs seem not to incorporate the basic rules of adaptation of the training intensity to the individual as described in modern training methodology. Further more the precise training parameters are mostly described only incompletely. As a result, it can often not be distinguished weather a negative outcome is related to vibration training itself or mainly to a lack of adaptation of the training to the abilities of the trainee.

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Wikipedia