How Using a Vibration Plate for Knee Pain Can Help
Knee pain can affect virtually anyone at any age, but it's more common among older adults, athletes, and people who work physical jobs.1 There are many ways to prevent and manage the issue. For instance, whole-body vibration (WBV) therapy (standing on a vibration plate) can be helpful in alleviating this common ailment.2
Here's what to know about using a vibration plate for knee pain, including how it works, why it helps, what the research says, and how to incorporate it into your routine.
Understanding Knee Pain & Osteoarthritis
Knee pain can crop up from overusing the joint or following an injury. But it's often associated with arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis—when joint cartilage slowly deteriorates with age. If you have osteoarthritis, your knee pain might be accompanied by stiffness or swelling.3
Women are more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis than men. But all adults aged 40 and over are at risk, and the prevalence goes up with age. Whole-body vibration has shown to be an effective treatment solution for seniors with osteoarthritis, helping to relieve pain and improve range of motion.4
How Vibration Plate Therapy Works for Knee Pain
Vibration plate therapy works in a few ways to reduce knee pain. It can increase blood flow throughout the body, strengthen the joint, and target brain-signaling pathways to minimize negative sensations.6
Pain Reduction Through Brain-Signaling Pathways
Vibration therapy might work through something called gate control theory. Some experts believe the nervous system acts like a gate, either blocking pain signals or letting them through to reach the brain. When non-painful sensations are created through vibration, "feel-good" brain chemicals known as endorphins may make their way to the brain instead.7
Enhanced Circulation & Muscle Activation
Whole-body vibration activates muscles in the legs while promoting circulation throughout the body. This enhanced blood flow can help oxygen and nutrients reach areas in need to support healing while lowering inflammation. This is crucial for knee pain and osteoarthritis, as pain and swelling stem from inflammation.8,9
Evidence-Based Benefits of Vibration Plate Therapy for Knee Pain
Let's look at what the research says about the benefits of vibration plates for knee pain and osteoarthritis symptoms.
Several studies have shown that WBV therapy can reduce stiffness, discomfort, and pain in the knees by improving physical function of the joint, building strength, and sending non-painful signals to the brain.6
Pain Reduction & Physical Function Improvement
A systematic review and meta-analysis looked at 16 studies with nearly 600 participants. It found that whole-body vibration therapy significantly lowered knee pain and improved physical functioning for osteoarthritis patients—think range of motion, joint stability, and overall mobility.
Based on this research, WBV seems to make other rehabilitation methods more effective, like physical therapy and strengthening exercises. So, a vibration plate should be used in combination with other treatments.10
Muscle Strengthening with Vibration Therapy
Studies have shown that adding whole-body vibration therapy to an exercise routine targeting the knee extensors (the quadriceps and other muscles involved in flexing the knee and straightening the leg) and hamstrings can help reduce the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. This includes pain, stiffness, and swelling.11
One study had participants with knee osteoarthritis do three sessions a week for eight weeks, combining WBV with lower-body strength training. It found that vibration therapy improved functionality in the knee and surrounding joints and muscles, helping reduce knee pain.12
Another study found that standing on a vertical vibration plate for 18 minutes (six three-minute sets), three times a week, for six weeks was as beneficial as traditional physical therapy for reducing knee pain from osteoarthritis.13
Of course, the right treatment depends on the severity of your condition and other factors. You and your healthcare provider can work together to come up with a rehabilitation plan that suits your unique needs.
Recommendations When Using a Vibration Plate for Knee Pain Relief
Using a vibration plate for knee pain will be different than using one for general fitness. Based on the research, here's what we recommend in terms of vibrational intensity, as well as how long and how often you should use vibration plates.
Frequency & Amplitude
Vibration frequency is measured in Hz (hertz), which tells you the number of pulses the platform does per second. Lifepro vibration plates have frequencies ranging from 4 to 50 Hz. The sweet spot for relieving and preventing knee pain appears to be somewhere between 5 and 30 Hz.
Measured in millimeters (mm), amplitude is the distance the platform travels (moves) with each vibrational pulse. The best range for knee pain is usually 1.25 to 3.75 millimeters.14
Duration & Frequency of Sessions
Many of the studies mentioned above showed whole body vibration benefits for knee pain with as little as five minutes a day.14 Up to 30 minutes a day can be beneficial, but you can start with just a few minutes and work your way up to longer sessions. Another option is to break it up with shorter sets, such as five three-minute sets with two-minute breaks in between each set.13
You might notice less knee pain with just two or three sessions a week. But for the most benefits, aim for up to five WBV sessions a week.14
Safety Considerations & Contraindications
Vibration therapy can be helpful for people suffering from knee pain and other osteoarthritis symptoms. However, it may not be safe or recommended for everyone.
WBV Therapy Contraindications
A contradiction means there's a specific reason (like having a medical condition) to avoid a particular treatment because it could be unsafe or harmful. When it comes to whole-body vibration, those with stress fractures, recent injuries or surgery, hypertension (high blood pressure), and metal plates, pins, or pacemakers may want to avoid the therapy. It's usually not approved for people with epilepsy and those who are pregnant.15
When in doubt, check with your healthcare provider.
Potential Side Effects & Safety Tips
It's possible to feel light-headed, faint, dizzy, or nauseous while standing on a vibrational platform. These side effects can be more intense at higher speeds or if you're not used to the treatment. If you experience any of these symptoms or feel sharp pain or like you've lost your balance, stop the machine and carefully step off.
Sit down, rest for a few minutes, and drink some water. You can try again at a lower speed with shorter sessions. But again, if you're ever unsure, contact a medical professional.
Integrating Vibration Plates into Your Knee Pain Treatment Plan
Now let's touch on how to get the most out of your vibration therapy sessions when the goal is to minimize and prevent knee pain.
Combining Vibration Therapy with Other Exercises & Therapies
Research shows that whole-body vibration training is most beneficial for pain from knee osteoarthritis when combined with other forms of strength training. This can include simple moves that use your own body weight, like squats, lunges, leg extensions, and calf raises.12
You can also use WBV to supplement physical therapy sessions. Ask your physical therapist what they recommend in terms of how often to stand on a vibration plate and which positions or moves might help your condition the most.
Long-Term Benefits & Maintenance
The studies on WBV for knee pain and osteoarthritis show benefits from ongoing use. You might start feeling the results within a month, but it could take closer to six months to see all the positive effects.2
Your best bet is to incorporate vibration therapy into your long-term fitness and pain-management routine, with two to five sessions a week. Even when your knees start feeling better, it's worth keeping it up to sustain knee health and ensure the pain doesn't return or worsen. That's why having a vibration plate at home is so beneficial.
Lifepro Vibration Plates Are a Top Choice for Knee Pain Relief
If you're thinking about investing in a vibrational platform for at-home use, check out the options from Lifepro. Our thoughtfully designed, moderately priced vibration plates can help reduce joint discomfort and knee pain while building strength, improving balance, boosting circulation, and supporting whole-body mobility.
We know the road to a healthier life is personal. That's why we offer a diverse range of products, including tri-planar, linear, and pivotal vibration plates. Backed by lifetime support, each model has multiple settings and useful features to cater to people of all ages and fitness levels.
Our Lifepro vibration plate comparison can help you compare models and choose one that fits your needs, budget, goals, and preferences.
Sources:
- Mayo Clinic. Knee Pain. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/knee-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20350849
- Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Therapy on Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35174868/
- Cleveland Clinic. Knee Pain. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21207-knee-pain
- BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Effect of low-magnitude, variable-frequency vibration therapy on pain threshold levels and mobility in adults with moderate knee osteoarthritis—randomized controlled trial. https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06334-9
- BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. Effects of exercise combined with whole body vibration in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomised-controlled clinical trial. https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-020-03599-2
- Frontiers in Physiology. Whole Body Vibration Training on Muscle Strength and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels in Elderly Women With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00756/full
- European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. The analgesic effect of localized vibration: a systematic review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9980599/
- Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine. Therapeutic Effect of Whole Body Vibration on Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis. https://www.e-arm.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.5535/arm.2013.37.4.505
- Frontiers in Neurology. The effects of whole-body vibration therapy on immune and brain functioning: current insights in the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11323691/
- PLoS One. Effects of whole-body vibration training as an adjunct to conventional rehabilitation exercise on pain, physical function and disability in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0318635
- Joint Bone Spine. The application of whole-body vibration training in knee osteoarthritis. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1297319X21001494
- Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. The effect of adding whole body vibration training to strengthening training in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A randomized clinical trial. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859215002156
- Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery. Vertical whole body vibration for treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a pilot monocentric prospective, randomized trial. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00402-025-05842-8
- Applied Sciences. Effects of Systemic and Local Vibration Therapies on the Functional Capacity of Knee Osteoarthritis Individuals: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5349
- International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. Vibration Therapy – A Clinical Commentary. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9528696/
