Book excerpt: This book addresses the practical aspects of vibration exercise and vibration therapy. In addition, it describes the technical and physiological background, providing applied scientists and doctors with a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential that vibration exercise holds. Having first emerged two decades ago, vibration exercise has since established itself as a widespread form of physical exercise, used in all rehabilitation areas. The goal of this book is to close the gap between scientific knowledge and practice. Given that occupational exposure to vibration leads to well-known unfavorable effects, the book is also dedicated to potential risks, hazards and contra-indications and of course, the application of vibration therapy in a number of specific conditions is presented in a clinically usable fashion. Given its breadth of coverage, this book will be of interest to physiotherapists and exercise scientists, but also to a wider range of physicians working in the field of rehabilitation.