If vibration increases cartilage thickness. It is possible too that vibration could induce articular cartilage endochondral and stimulate growth plate growth. There are studies that show that vibration may be do this but the results have been non-overwhelming and mixed. It is possible however that it may be that the vibration stimulus needs to be improved. For example, laterally applying the vibration to the epiphysis and applying the vibration directly to the bone may improve the stimulus. But there are still several studies that show vibration is promising. It’s just the lack of a “smoking gun” study.
“1) 14-days of immobilization of young healthy subjects using a 6°-“head-down-tilt-bed-rest”-model (6°-HDT) would reduce cartilage thickness in the knee and serum Cartilage oligometric matrix protein (COMP) concentration and 2) isolated whole body vibration training would counteract the bed rest effects.”
“While the control intervention resulted in an overall loss in average cartilage thickness of −8% (pre: 3.08 mm±0.6 mm post: 2.82 mm±0.6 mm) in the weight-bearing regions of the tibia, average cartilage thickness increased by 21.9% (pre: 2.66 mm±0.45 mm post: 3.24 mm±0.63 mm) with the vibration intervention. No significant differences were found in the weight-bearing regions of the femur. During both interventions, reduced serum COMP concentrations were observed (control intervention: −13.6±8.4%; vibration intervention: −9.9±3.3%).”<-it is possible that a thickness in cartilage could increase height and induce articular cartilage endochondral ossification it could also stimulate growth plate growth. The thickness of the cartilage was increased versus control which is good but COMP is reduced compared to control which is bad.
“Cartilage presumably maintains and responds to the loads placed on joints during activities of daily living. For instance, the loads generated at the knee during walking correlate with cartilage thickness in the weight-bearing regions of the knee”<-so we could potentially change the way we load to alter cartilage thickness.
“COMP plays a major role in stabilizing the extracellular matrix through its interaction with collagen fibrils and other matrix components. Serum COMP concentrations are elevated in patients with knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but also after a moderate walking exercise in healthy adults and after intense running exercise in athletes. Thus, serum COMP concentration appears to be sensitive to physiological loading.”
“Vibration frequencies between 15 Hz and 90 Hz have been used to achieve adaptations in muscle and bone”
“Training sessions were scheduled at least 30 min after breakfast and lunch. Subjects walked the distance between their room and the training room each session (∼25 steps). Each vibration training unit was composed of five times 60 s of isometric exercise bouts on a vibration platform (Galileo 900, Novotec Medical GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany) in an upright standing position with a knee flexion angle of 30°. Subjects carried an additional load of 15% of their body mass on a diving belt around their pelvis. Between exercise bouts subjects rested for 60 s while sitting on a chair. The vibration platform vibrated at 20 Hz with approximately 3 mm amplitude at the centre of the foot.”<-the vibration in this study could be improved.
“Average and maximum thicknesses in the tibial cartilage increased significantly by 21.9% and 26.6%, respectively[due to vibration]. The percentage change in average and maximum cartilage thicknesses did not differ between the medial and the lateral compartments of the tibia for both study phases. Cartilage thickness in the lateral and the medial compartments of the femoral cartilage did not show significant changes due to the bed rest or to the training intervention”<-maybe the way we as humans typically load does not adequate load the lateral and medial compartments of the femoral cartilage and that’s why we don’t typically gain height there. It’s possible that if all parts of the femoral cartilage was engaged we would gain height and therefore if we change our loading we could stimulate all components of the femoral cartilage and thereby gain height.
“the increased cartilage thickness after the vibration training if the mechanical stimulus increases proteoglycan content of cartilage.”
“Proteoglycans are negatively charged and thus exert a large swelling pressure that causes tensile stress on the surrounding collagen network”