Midday office slumps look a little like this: a meandering trip to the kitchen for some more coffee, a one minute power nap, or some foot-tapping TaylorSwift beats telling you to “Shake It Off.” For 9-to-5’ers, sedentary work life is simultaneously mentally draining and physically tiring. With such a busy schedule, who has time to work out?
Especially since the working-age population now bears a larger fraction of chronic diseases associated with inactivity such as diabetes and heart disease, rather than older age groups, workplace wellness programs are focusing on in-the-moment solutions to long-term health.
Vibration fitness technology is back at it, this time going suit-and-tie to transform the workplace wellness space in as little as three minutes. The Power Plate FitStop, a new tool by the Northbrook-based creators of the original whole-body vibrating Power Plate, allows workers to perform a series of exercises, stretches, and massages specifically engineered to increase circulation, boost energy, and reduce the effects of prolonged sitting.
At the heart of the FitStop’s efficacy is a pulsating platform that stimulates a natural, comfortable reflex response in muscles throughout the user’s body. The oscillations tend to activate the hormone responsible for regenerative growth to combat anti-aging and fatigue. By funneling dollars into convenient and mandated fitness, companies invest in long-term strategies to retain employees, reduce absenteeism, and chip away at enormous health care costs going into retirement.
“Bringing this technology into a workplace setting only makes sense, especially in light of recent health care legislation,” said Lee Hillman, C.E.O. of Performance Health Systems, which owns the Power Plate. “A three-minute FitStop session is a significant, health-promoting improvement over a trip to the vending machine.”
Beyond just general wellness and the expediency of a quick, no-hassle workout (which can be performed in work clothes), celebrities such as Madonna, Cher, and Cindy Crawford rave about its beauty enhancing results. It’s a win-win for everyone—a lithe body for the sedentary, and a money-saving healthcare strategy for corporations.
To look up the nearest fitness center with the Power Plate in Chicago, see here.
(Image via Power Plate)
