Why is everyone suddenly raving about this vibrating plate for lymphatic drainage, muscle recovery, and more?
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When it comes to personality types, I consider myself part of a unique subset: Type A minus. This means I am Type A most of the time, like when I’m traveling , or how my calendar and to-do list are my lifelines. Still, I lean more toward Type B when it comes to my unread text messages or how many times I snooze my alarm (hint: Both are high numbers). But one thing I am most certainly extra Type A about is my wellness routine .
I recently created a shared note on my iPhone with my friend that listed out every supplement or health powder I take, when I take them, and links to the products. But my newest wellness obsession has nothing to do with an ingestible boost—it’s a device that may transport you back to an ’80s workout video à la Olivia Newton-John.
Vibration plates are all over my TikTok algorithm, but the device was widely used in the ’70s and ’80s by athletes to improve performance and recovery. "They were first used in rehab and even in astronaut training to help prevent muscle and bone loss, but now they’ve become popular in gyms and at home for general fitness and wellness," says Jeff Paul, the director of personal training at Chelsea Piers Fitness.
Today, it seems as though every other person on my For You page has incorporated the vibrating plate into their routine, so I decided to see what all of the chatter was about for myself. "Vibration plates gently vibrate while you stand, sit, or exercise on them. Those small, rapid vibrations make your muscles contract many times per second—way more than they would during a normal workout," adds Paul. "When used correctly, vibration plates can help improve circulation and lymphatic flow, which supports recovery and reduces fluid buildup."
It seems simple: a vibrating plate, but while you stand on the jiggling, high-motion platform (although speed settings are adjustable), your muscles are gently activated to promote the flow of the lymphatic system, aid workout recovery, and increase blood circulation. These plates claim to activate hundreds of muscles (even those that your regular Pilates or cycling class can’t target), which can help with a slight increase in muscle mass. They also claim to increase bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis, a condition that often occurs naturally as we age.
"Research supports vibration plates [are beneficial] for muscle strengthening, improved bone density, and reduced risk of falls," says Sarah Koehl , doctor of physical therapy at WAVE Physical Therapy & Pilates . "They can be particularly helpful for older adults or for anyone who cannot perform traditional strength training at higher loads."
When shopping for vibration plates, I came across several categories—the two most popular being linear and oscillating, which move from side to side and tend to be gentler on joints. I opted for the latter option from LifePro. However, if you are looking to bulk up, Koehl adds that vibration plates provide slightly more—if not the same—muscle mass increase than regular strength training, and a vertical plate is more beneficial for building muscle.
Vibration plates have a slew of versatile benefits. They can be used for lymphatic drainage, which was my motivation for adopting the device. Alternatively, you ca…