Differences to non side-alternating vibration therapy devices

Side-alternating vibration.

Tilting movement - left and right side of the plate move up and down alternately. Mimicks human gait.

Physiological movements e.g. when walking or running are simulated by the movement of the Galileo foot-plate.
When walking, the same muscles of the right and the left side of the body are never used at the same time in the same way - but always alternately! 

Non side-alternating vibration - the whole plate moves up and down.

Predominantly vertical movement - left and right side of the plate move up and down at the same time.

The non side-alternating up and down movement of many other vibration training devices does not correspond to typical human locomotion such as during running or walking. Humans don't normally move by hopping like frogs or kangaroos.

The side-alternating motion of Galileo causes an alternating force induction in the legs that is transferred to the pelvis. This lateral tilt of the pelvis leads to an alternating activation of the back muscles (similar to physiological movement patterns like walking or running).

By simultaneously lifting both legs the pelvis is not tilted but only moved vertically. The lacking side-alternating relative movement between pelvis and back results in a diminished training effect.

Frequency:

Galileo offers adjustable frequencies between 5 and 36(40) Hz**.

The terapy goal determines the frequency range.

• ca. 5–10 Hz – Mobilisation
  voluntary compensation of the tilting movement. Tension relief/muscle relaxation. Detonization, improvement of balance and proprioception.
• ca. 12–20 Hz – Muscle function
  from ca 12 Hz on the stretch reflex is triggered. Improvement of muscle function, coordination, muscle relaxation, stretching of muscles and tendons, pain relief, reduction of contractures, spasticity management
• ca. 20–36 Hz – Muscle power
  increase of muscle tone, improvement of muscle power and re-establishement of muscle force, increase of endurance capacity, spasticity management

Frequency:

Normally adjustable between 20 and 60 Hz.

Therefore vibration training below 20 Hz is normally not possible (only a few machines support frequencies below 20 Hz).

Amplitude:

Amplitudes between 0 and 6 mm (corresponding to an upstroke of 0 - 12 mm) can freely be chosen depending on foot position**. 

Many possible combination of frequency and amplitude with variable selection of frequency and amplitude.

Amplitude:

The majority of machines offer few or only one amplitude, normally 1 to 2 mm (corresponding to an upstroke of 2 to 4 mm).

Considerably reduced maximum amplitudes and markedly reduced variability of training parameter.

Highly accurate and reproducible motion of the vibrating platform due to the mechanically guided movement (shaped force).
The design of Galileo Therapy devices always guarantees a sinusoidal (harmonic) movement of the vibrating platform, regardless of body weight and stiffness of the user.
This allows an objective assessment and comparability of therapy parameters and therapy effects, which is for example a crucial prerequisite for the use of vibrating exercise equipment in scientific studies.

No mechanically guided movement
(no shaped force).

The side-alternating principle results in a very low vibration being transferred to the head: The tilting motion of Galileo causes an alternating application of force in the legs, which are transmitted to the pelvis. This lateral tilt of the pelvis leads to an alternating activation of back muscles, analogous to physiological movements such as walking and running. The spine, therefore, runs into the rotational axis of the lateral pelvic motion, which reduces the vertical movement of the spine and the head significantly.

The head vibrates much more:
The simultaneous lifting of both legs causes no tilting in the pelvis, but a varying vertical acceleration depending on the leg stiffness. The lack of any compensatory movement of the pelvis results in a significantly higher movement of the spine and thus the head than in the side-alternating movement.