Advertisment
The website promoted various products within three product ranges and included the following statements:
Product Range 1: Rambo Ionic:
“Negative ion therapy. Enhance your Horse’s well-being.”
“Rambo Ionic Negative Ion Therapy is a non-invasive, measurable way to improve health*. Negative ions are absorbed into the bloodstream optimizing blood oxygen intake and improving blood flow to muscles, cells and tissues.”
The asterisk linked to the following text: “*calculated by a measure of over 1000 negative ions released per cubic cm.”
“Product Uses and Benefits
Improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow
Supports lympathics and circulation after exercise
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive, measurable way to improve health”
The webpage listed the products within the range and each product listed its features and benefits included the following claims:
“Stable Boots:
Features – with removable liners to promote circulation using our new ionic technology.
Benefits – Improves blook viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled.
Promotes coat health.
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Stable Sheets:
Features – To promote the wellbeing of the horse
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Stable Rug:
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Liner:
Benefits – Encourages circulation
Stimulates metabolism
Increased oxygen delivery to cells and tissue
Strengthen the immune system
Restores PH Balance
Restores blood pressure
Promotes calmness & wellbeing.
Fleece:
Features – Incorporating the benefits of our Rambo Ionic Technology
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Hock Boot:
Features – Incorporating the benefits of our Rambo Ionic Technology
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Wraps:
Features – To give you all the benefits of our Rambo Ionic Technology
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Saddle Pad:
Features – To give you all the benefits of our Rambo Ionic Technology
Benefits – improves blood viscosity, maintaining a healthy blood circulation.
Maintains muscle health through blood flow.
Supports lymphatics and circulation after exercise.
Reduces fluid retention and swelling while stabled
Promotes coat health
Non-invasive measurable way to improve health.
Product Range 2 – Sportz-Vibe:
The Sportz-Vibe range included two products.
Product 1 – Dog Rug
“Description:
Lightweight, portable massage rug designed to help boost circulation in dogs. It can be used for high performance dogs as a warm up or recovery rug to help ease soreness and stiffness after long workouts. Sportz-Vibe can be used on dogs of all ages that may be suffering from back problems or hip conditions.
How it works:
Helps to increase circulation to your dog’s back and hips. The increase in blood flow makes tendons and ligaments more elastic and helps bring oxygen and nutrients to the area. Massage also helps to reduce inflammation by stimulating the lymphathic system to remove toxins.
Benefits:
Reduces pain
Improves blood supply to tissue
Muscle relaxation
Reduces inflammation
Improves quality of life”
Product 2 – ZX Horse Rug
“Description:
Gentle non-invasive massage rug, was created to meet market demand for a completely wirelessly controlled massage rug.
How it works:
Massage therapy is one of the oldest known methods of therapy and is renowned for its ability to promote healing. Massage can help to reduce pain, improve blood supply to tissue and reduce inflammation in horses that are suffering from long term muscular back problems. By encouraging the lymph system to move, massage helps to drain inflammation and stimulate repair to damaged tissue.
Benefits:
Reduces pain
Improves blood supply to tissue
Relaxes muscles
Reduces inflammation
Improves quality of life.”
Product Range 3 – Ice-Vibe
The Ice-Vibe range included 4 products
Product 1 – Boots
“Reduces soreness and swelling
Helps boost circulation
Stimulates healing.”
Product 2 – Cold Packs
“Description:
Massage effect of Ice-Vibe encourages movement of the lymphatic system, drains inflammation and stimulates repair to damaged tissue. Using Ice-Vibe before exercise can help reduce the risk of injury by increasing blood flow to the tendons and ligaments, making them more elastic. Everyday wear and tear on joints can be managed with daily use of the boots. Rehabilitation can be achieved more quickly.
Reduces soreness and swelling
Helps boost circulation
Stimulates healing”
Product 3 – Hock Wrap
“Reduces soreness and swelling
Helps boost circulation
Stimulates healing”
Product 4 – Knee Wrap
“Reduces soreness and swelling
Helps boost circulation
Stimulates healing”
Complaint
The complainant objected to the advertising of all products within the three product ranges on the following grounds:
Issue 1: Rambo Ionic:
The complainant considered that the advertising had made health claims about the product technology which were not proven clinically. The complainant considered that the claims created a competitive advantage over other therapies and treatments that did not, nor were they allowed to, make the same claims.
Issue 2: Sportz-Vibe:
The complainant considered that the advertising had made health claims about the product technology which were not proven clinically. The complainant considered that the claims created a competitive advantage over other therapies and treatments that did not, nor were they allowed to, make the same claims.
Issue 3: Ice-Vibe:
The complainant considered that the advertising had made health claims about the product technology which were not proven clinically. The complainant considered that the claims created a competitive advantage over other therapies and treatments that did not, nor were they allowed to, make the same claims.
Response
The advertisers provided a response to the complaint in regard to each product range:
Product Range 1 – Rambo Ionic
The advertisers said that the inner material of Rambo Ionic products was infused with Tourmaline powder. They said that tourmaline was a crystalline boron silicate mineral that occurs in granitic and other rocks and was an effective Bio-ceramic, meaning it has the ability to emit electromagnetic radiation in the far infrared region as well as negative ions. They said that tourmaline was widely used in chemical products, environmental protection and in the health field.
They said that the fabric used across all Rambo Ionic products were infused with tourmaline powder which releases an electric charge and that this electric charge converts air molecules to negative ions. They said that negative ions were absorbed into the horse’s blood stream, supporting circulation. They listed the benefits of tourmaline, negative ions and therefore Rambo Ionic products as follows;
• Supports circulation
• Maintains muscle health through blood flow
• Supports lymphatics
They provided copies of various research documents to support each of the above claims.
Support Blood Flow and Circulation:
1.Electromagnetic wave emitting products and “Kikoh” potentiate human leukocyte functions – Yukie Niwa, Osamu Iizawa, Kolchi Ishimoto, Xiaoxia Jiang and Tadashi Kanoh
Published in International Journal of Biometerology.
2.Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications – Fatma Vatansever and Michael R Hamblin. Published by National Centre for Biotechnology Information (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) in Photonics & Lasers in medicine.
3.Effect of ceramic-impregnated “thermoflow” gloves on patients with Raynaud’s syndrome: randomized, placebo-controlled study – Ko, Gordon & Berbrayer, D. Published in the Alternative Medicine review: a journal of clinical therapeutic.
4.Efficacy and safety of far infrared radiation in lymphedema treatment: clinical evaluation and laboratory analysis – Li, K. Zhang, Z. Liu, N.F. Feng, S Q, Tong, Y. Zhang, J. F. Constantinides, J. Lazzeri, D. Grassetti, L. Nicoli, F. & Zhang, Y X. Published in Lasers in medical science.
5.The Clinical efficacy, safety and functionality of anion textile in the treatment of atopic dermatitis – Kim, S.H. Hwang, S.H. Hong, S. K., Seo, J.K. Sung, H. S. Park, S. W. & Shin, J. H. Published in Annals of dermatology.
6.Bone and joint protection ability of ceramic material with biological effects – Leung, T. K. Chen, C. H. Lai, C. H. Lee, C. M Chen, C. C. Yang, J. C. Chen, K. C. & Chao, J. S. Published in The Chinese Journal of physiology.
7.Effects of Far-Infrared Emitting Ceramic Materials on recovery during 2 – Week preseason of elite futsal players – Nunes, R. Cidral-Filho, F. J. Flores, L Nakamura, F. Y. Rodriguez, H Bobinski, F. DeSousa, A. Petronilho, F. Danielski, L. G. Martins, M. M. Martins, D. F. & Guglielmo, L. Published in the Journal of strength and conditioning research.
8.A Study on preparation and utilization of Tourmaline from tailings of an Iron-ore processing plant – Zhenfeng, H & Chuanyao, S. Published in Procedia Environmental Sciences (sciencedirect.com)
9.Research progress in Anion functional fiber and textile – Kaijun Z, Qingshan L, Wei H. Yu W. Published in Science journal of public health.
10.Improvement in exercise capacity and delayed anaerobic metabolism induced by far-infrared-emitting garments in active healthy subjects: A pilot study – V Mantegazza, M Contini, M Botti, A Ferri, F Dotti, P Berardi, P Agostoni.
Product Range 2 – Sportz-Vibe:
The advertisers said that Sportz-Vibe was a lightweight, portable massage rug (blanket) developed by them which targeted a range of areas on a horse. They said that there were four specific areas that vibration panels could be positioned on the rug: Neck, shoulders, centre back and hind quarters. They said that localised vibration therapy could be used on specific muscles or soft tissue areas and the massage effect created stimulated nitric oxide production which supported blood flow. They said that acute and short-term Vibration Therapy had been found to reduce muscle soreness and Creatine Kinase whilst improving range of motion. They also said that locally applied vibration had been found to improve muscle regeneration following injury and soft tissue post injury.
They said that the stated benefits of Sportz-Vibe products were as follows.
• Improves blood supply to muscles
• Reduces stiffness & soreness
• Supports healing
The advertisers provided copies of various research documents to support the above claims.
1.Maloney-Hinds C, Petrofsky JS, Zimmerman G, Hessinger DA. The role of nitric oxide in skin blood flow increases due to vibration in healthy adults and adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2009 Jan;11(1):39-43. doi: 10.1089/dia.2008.0011. PMID: 19132854
2. Cochrane, D.J. Effectiveness of using wearable vibration therapy to alleviate muscle soreness. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 501–509 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3551-y
3. Corbiere, TF, Koh, TJ. 1. Local low‐intensity vibration improves healing of muscle injury in mice Physiol Rep. 2020; 8:e14356. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14356.
Product Range 3 – Ice-Vibe:
The advertises said that Ice-Vibe was an equine product developed by them. They said that the Ice-Vibe boots were vibration boots that induced a massage effect and come with two cold packs which allowed the user massage the legs both before and after exercise. They said that localised vibration therapy could be used on specific muscles or soft tissue areas and the massage effect created stimulated nitric oxide production which supported blood flow. They said that an increase in blood flow supported healing and that localised vibration therapy had also been found to reduce perceived stiffness post exercise and during recovery from soft tissue injuries.
They said that the stated benefits of Ice-Vibe products were as follows.
1. Reduces soreness and swelling
2. Supports circulation
3. Supports healing
The advertisers provided copies of various research documents to support the above claims.
1.Maloney-Hinds C, Petrofsky JS, Zimmerman G, Hessinger DA. The role of nitric oxide in skin blood flow increases due to vibration in healthy adults and adults with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2009 Jan;11(1):39-43. doi: 10.1089/dia.2008.0011. PMID: 19132854
2.Button C, Anderson N, Bradford C, Cotter JD, Ainslie PN. The effect of multidirectional mechanical vibration on peripheral circulation of humans. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2007 Jul;27(4):211-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2007.00739.x. PMID: 17564669.
3. Kimberly S. Peer, Jacob E. Barkley & Danielle M. Knapp (2009) The Acute Effects of Local Vibration Therapy on Ankle Sprain and Hamstring Strain Injuries, The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 37:4, 31-38, DOI: 10.3810/psm.2009.12.1739
The advertisers also provided the following studies as substantiation of the following clams.
Increased Blood Supply
1. Electrophysical Therapies for the Equine Athlete – Carne Schlachter, Courtney Lewis, Vet Clin Equine. Published in The Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice.
2. Increased skin blood flow during low intensity vibration in human participants: Analysis of control mechanisms using short-time Fourier transform – Yi-Ting Tzen, Eileen M Weinheimer-Haus, Thomas F Corbiere, Timothy J Koh.
3. Effect of two months whole body vibration on hoof growth rate in the horse: A pilot study – Bart Tom Halsberghe.
4. Effects of whole-body vibration on blood flow and neuromuscular activity in spinal cord injury – AJ Herrero, H Menendez, L Gill, J Martin, T Martin, D Garcia-Lopez, A Gill-Agudo and PJ Martin.
5. In vivo analysis of skin microcirculation and the role of nitric oxide during vibration – Shigeru Ichioka, Hideki Yokogawa, Gojiro Nakagami, Naomi Sekiya, Hiromi Sanada.
6. Plantar vibration improves leg fluid flow in perimenopausal women – Julian Steward, Carol Karman, Leslie D Montgomery and Kenneth McLeod.
7. Feasibility Study to evaluate cycloidal vibration therapy for the symptomatic treatment of intermittent claudication – Leanne Atkin, John Stephenson and Karen Ousey.
8. Whole body vibration training improves leg blood flow and adiposity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus – Borja Sanudo, Rosa Alfonso Rosa, Borja del Pozo-Cruz, Jesus del Pozo-Cruz, Delfin Galiano, Arturo Figueroa.
9. Oxygen uptake in Whole-Body Vibration Exercise: Influence of Vibration Frequency, Amplitude and External Load – J Rittweger, J Ehrig, K Just, M Mutschelknauss, K Kirsch, D Felsenberg.
Support recovery, reducing Stiffness and Soreness
1. A controlled, blinded study investigating the effect that a 20-minute cycloidal vibration has on whole horse locomotion and thoracolumbar profiles – Russell Mackechnie-Guire, Erik Mackechnie-Guire, Rosie Bush, Ruth Wyatt, Diane Fisher, Mark Fisher, Lorna Cameron.
2. Vibration Therapy in Management of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) – Zubia Veqar, Shagufta Imtiyaz.
3. Short-term whole body vibration exercise in adult healthy horses – B Carstanjen, M Balali, Z Gajewski, K Furmanczyk, A Bondzio, B Remy, H Hartmann.
4. Influence of vibration on delayed onset of muscle soreness following eccentric exercise – Amir H Bakhtiary, Ziaeddin Safavi-Farokhi, Atefeh Aminian-Far
5. To Compare the effect of vibration therapy and massage in prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) – Shagufta Imtiyaz, Zubia Veqar, M Y Shareef.
6. Effect of vibration in prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness: a recent update – Zubia Vegar, Shagufta Imtiyaz.
7. Flexibility enhancement with vibration: acute and long-term – William A Sands, Jenr r McNeal, Michael H Stone, Elizabeth M Russell and Monem Jemni.
8. Six weeks of whole-body vibration exercise improves pain and fatigue in women with fibromyalgia – Eduard Alentorn-Geli, Jaume Padilla, Gerard Moras, Cristina Lazaro Haro, and Joaquim Fernandez-Sola.
9. Pain Alleviation by Vibratory Stimulation – T Lundberg, R Nordemar and D Ottoson.
10. Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice – S Cerciello, S Rossi, E Visona, K Corona, F Oliva.
Support Healing
1. Local low‐intensity vibration improves healing of muscle injury in mice – Thomas F Corbiere and Timothy J Koh. Full study provided by advertiser and was referenced by them in their email response.
2. Low-Magnitude High-Frequency vibration accelerated the foot wound healing of n5-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by enhancing glucose transporter 4 and blood microcirculation – Caroline Oi-Ling, Kwok-Sui Leung, Jonney Lei Jiang, Tina Bai-Yan Wang, Simon Kwoon-Ho Chow and Wing-Hoi Cheung. Advertiser only provided 3 pages of the study.
3. Healing venous ulcers with cycloidal multidirectional vibration therapy – J. M. Wilson, Y.M. Arseculeratne, Y. Yang, G.W. Cherry
4. The Acute Effects of Local Vibration Therapy on Ankle Sprain and Hamstring Strain Injuries – Kimberly S. Peer, Jacob E. Barkley, Danielle M Knapp.
5. Treatment of posttraumatic arthrofibrosis of the radioulnar joint with vibration therapy (VMTX Vibromax Therapeutics™): A case report and narrative review of literature – Ian Macintyre, Mohsen Kazemi.
6. Vibration stimuli and the differentiation of musculoskeletal progenitor cells: Review of results in vitro and in vivo – Jennifer Helen Edwards and Gwendolen Clair Reilly.
7. Vibration inhibits deterioration in rat deep-tissue injury through HIF1-MMP axis – Yunita Sari, Hiromi Sanada, Takeo Minematsu, Gojiro Nakagami, Takashi Nagase, Lijuan Huang, Hiroshi Noguchi, Taketoshi Mori, Kotaro Yoshimura, Junko Sugama.
8. Whole body vibration affects the cross-sectional area and symmetry of the m. multifidus of the thoracolumbar spine in the horse – B. T. Halsberghe, P. Gordon-Ross and R Peterson.
9. Local application of vibration in motor rehabilitation – Scientific and practical considerations – Daniela Poenaru, Delia Cinteza, Irina Petrusca, Liliana Cioc, Dan Cumitrascu.
10. A comparison of the effect of two types of vibration exercise on the endocrine and musculoskeletal system – M. Elamantaser, M McMillan, K Smith, S Khanna, D Chantler, M Panarelli, SF Ahmed.
11. The effects of muscle vibration in spasticity, rigidity, and cerebellar disorders – Karl-Erik Hagbarth and Goran Eklund.
12. Potential beneficial effects of whole-body vibration for muscle recovery after exercise – Angela C. Kosar, Darren G. Candow and Jessica T. Putland.
13. Joint mobility changes due to low frequency vibration and stretching exercise – J Atha and D. W. Wheatley.
14. Influence of brief daily tendon vibration on rat soleus muscle in non-weight bearing situation – Maurice Falempin and Soumeya Fodili In-Albon.
15. Supplement 1: The Creation of an standardized evidence based massage program for elite paracycling athletes.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
The Executive engaged the services of an independent expert in equine studies to review the studies provided by the advertisers in order to ascertain if they provided evidence for the claims made in the advertising.
The expert advised that clinical evidence referred to evidence derived in a clinical study or observational trial of a product or therapeutic agent in the species for which it was intended. In animal research studies, the scientific rigour and suitability of experimental design and methodologies used, choice of suitable controls etc required to substantiate study results required peer review and publication in reputable scientific journals related to the field before evidence based scientific claims related to the benefits of a technology could be validated and supported.
The expert noted that no evidence had been provided in this case that clinical trials or observational studies had been performed by the advertiser or any third-party independent institution using the products in question in studies involving the species for which they were intended (equine and canine).
Product Range 1 – Rambo Ionic:
The expert reviewed studies 1 to 10 provided by the advertisers and noted that none of the studies evaluated the Rambo Ionic products and that none of the studies had been conducted in horses. In the light of this they did not consider that they provided clinical support for the specific claims made.
Product Range 2 – Sportz-Vibe:
The expert reviewed studies 1 to 3 provided by the advertisers and noted that none of the studies evaluated the Sportz-Vibe products and had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances they did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims made for the products.
Product Range 3 – Ice-Vibe:
The expert reviewed studies 1 to 3 provided by the advertisers and noted that none of the studies evaluated the Ice-Vibe products and that none of the studies had been conducted in horses. In the circumstances, the expert did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims being made.
The expert also reviewed the nine studies provided as evidence for the claim “Increased Blood Supply”.
Study 1 – Electrophysical Therapies for the Equine Athlete – Carne Schlachter, Courtney Lewis, Vet Clin Equine. Published in The Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice.
The expert noted that the vibration plates evaluated in the study were not equivalent to the vibration provided in the Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products. Furthermore, they said that the study provided no evidence in support of increased blood supply and only stated that “Vibration plates are thought to improve circulation of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems”. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the study supported the claim that the products increased blood supply.
Study 2 – Increased skin blood flow during low intensity vibration in human participants: Analysis of control mechanisms using short-time Fourier transform – Yi-Ting Tzen, Eileen M Weinheimer-Haus, Thomas F Corbiere, Timothy J Koh.
The expert noted that the study had not evaluated Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and was not conducted in horses or dogs. They therefore considered that it did not provide clinical support for the specific claims made about the products advertised.
Study 3 – Effect of two months whole body vibration on hoof growth rate in the horse: A pilot study – Bart Tom Halsberghe.
The expert noted that the pilot study related to whole body vibration which was not equivalent to the vibration provided in the product advertised. They said that the study had not evaluated the Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and in the circumstances, they did not consider it provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
Study 4 – Effects of whole-body vibration on blood flow and neuromuscular activity in spinal cord injury – AJ Herrero, H Menendez, L Gill, J Martin, T Martin, D Garcia-Lopez, A Gill-Agudo and PJ Martin.
The expert noted that the study had not evaluated the Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the study provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
Study 5 – In vivo analysis of skin microcirculation and the role of nitric oxide during vibration – Shigeru Ichioka, Hideki Yokogawa, Gojiro Nakagami, Naomi Sekiya, Hiromi Sanada.
Study 6 – Plantar vibration improves leg fluid flow in perimenopausal women – Julian Steward, Carol Karman, Leslie D Montgomery and Kenneth McLeod.
Study 7 – Feasibility Study to evaluate cycloidal vibration therapy for the symptomatic treatment of intermittent claudication – Leanne Atkin, John Stephenson and Karen Ousey.
Study 8 – Whole body vibration training improves leg blood flow and adiposity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus – Borja Sanudo, Rosa Alfonso Rosa, Borja del Pozo-Cruz, Jesus del Pozo-Cruz, Delfin Galiano, Arturo Figueroa.
Study 9 – Oxygen uptake in Whole-Body Vibration Exercise: Influence of Vibration Frequency, Amplitude and External Load – J Rittweger, J Ehrig, K Just, M Mutschelknauss, K Kirsch, D Felsenberg.
The expert noted that studies 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 above had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products, and had not been conducted in horses or dogs, therefore, they did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
The expert also reviewed the nine studies provided as evidence for the claim “Support recovery, reducing Stiffness and Soreness”.
Study 1 – A controlled, blinded study investigating the effect that a 20-minute cycloidal vibration has on whole horse locomotion and thoracolumbar profiles – Russell Mackechnie-Guire, Erik Mackechnie-Guire, Rosie Bush, Ruth Wyatt, Diane Fisher, Mark Fisher, Lorna Cameron.
The expert noted that the study had been conducted to evaluate a product that provided cycloidal vibration therapy to the horse’s thoracic region in addition to a handheld device that was used manually to provide cycloidal vibration therapy to other regions of the horse’s body. They said that cycloidal vibration frequencies were published as being 45Hz for the roller and 65Hz for the handheld device. They noted that the product used in the study could be considered a competitor product to the Sportz-Vibe rug, however there were clear differences between the products that made the assumption that equivalent results could be achieved by a massage rug that provides a ‘gentle’ action impossible. They also noted that the study had not evaluated the efficacy of the products advertised, therefore they considered that it could not be used as supporting material for the product claims.
Study 2 – Vibration Therapy in Management of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) – Zubia Veqar, Shagufta Imtiyaz.
The expert noted that the study had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and that they had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the study provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising. products.
Study 3 – Short-term whole body vibration exercise in adult healthy horses – B Carstanjen, M Balali, Z Gajewski, K Furmanczyk, A Bondzio, B Remy, H Hartmann.
The expert noted that the study had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products, therefore, they did not consider that it provided clinical support for the specific claims made.
Study 4 – Influence of vibration on delayed onset of muscle soreness following eccentric exercise – Amir H Bakhtiary, Ziaeddin Safavi-Farokhi, Atefeh Aminian-Far
Study 5 – To Compare the effect of vibration therapy and massage in prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) – Shagufta Imtiyaz, Zubia Veqar, M Y Shareef.
Study 6 – Effect of vibration in prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness: a recent update – Zubia Vegar, Shagufta Imtiyaz.
Study 7 – Flexibility enhancement with vibration: acute and long-term – William A Sands, Jenr r McNeal, Michael H Stone, Elizabeth M Russell and Monem Jemni.
Study 8 – Six weeks of whole-body vibration exercise improves pain and fatigue in women with fibromyalgia – Eduard Alentorn-Geli, Jaume Padilla, Gerard Moras, Cristina Lazaro Haro, and Joaquim Fernandez-Sola.
Study 9 – Pain Alleviation by Vibratory Stimulation – T Lundberg, R Nordemar and D Ottoson.
Study 10 – Clinical applications of vibration therapy in orthopaedic practice – S Cerciello, S Rossi, E Visona, K Corona, F Oliva.
The expert noted that the studies 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and that they had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
The expert also reviewed the 15 studies provided as substantiation for the claim “Support Healing”.
Study 1 – Local low‐intensity vibration improves healing of muscle injury in mice – Thomas F Corbiere and Timothy J Koh. Full study provided by advertiser and was referenced by them in their email response.
Study 2 – Low-Magnitude High-Frequency vibration accelerated the foot wound healing of n5-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by enhancing glucose transporter 4 and blood microcirculation – Caroline Oi-Ling, Kwok-Sui Leung, Jonney Lei Jiang, Tina Bai-Yan Wang, Simon Kwoon-Ho Chow and Wing-Hoi Cheung. Advertiser only provided 3 pages of the study.
Study 3 – Healing venous ulcers with cycloidal multidirectional vibration therapy – J. M. Wilson, Y.M. Arseculeratne, Y. Yang, G.W. Cherry
Study 4 – The Acute Effects of Local Vibration Therapy on Ankle Sprain and Hamstring Strain Injuries – Kimberly S. Peer, Jacob E. Barkley, Danielle M Knapp.
Study 5 – Treatment of posttraumatic arthrofibrosis of the radioulnar joint with vibration therapy (VMTX Vibromax Therapeutics™): A case report and narrative review of literature – Ian Macintyre, Mohsen Kazemi.
Study 6 – Vibration stimuli and the differentiation of musculoskeletal progenitor cells: Review of results in vitro and in vivo – Jennifer Helen Edwards and Gwendolen Clair Reilly.
Study 7 – Vibration inhibits deterioration in rat deep-tissue injury through HIF1-MMP axis – Yunita Sari, Hiromi Sanada, Takeo Minematsu, Gojiro Nakagami, Takashi Nagase, Lijuan Huang, Hiroshi Noguchi, Taketoshi Mori, Kotaro Yoshimura, Junko Sugama.
The expert noted that studies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and that they had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
Study 8 – Whole body vibration affects the cross-sectional area and symmetry of the m. multifidus of the thoracolumbar spine in the horse – B. T. Halsberghe, P. Gordon-Ross and R Peterson.
The expert noted that the product used in this study was a mobile linear (vertical) type vibrating platform, producing an indirect vertical sinusoidal vibration applied to the feet of the horse and was not equivalent to any of the products advertised. They also noted that the study had not evaluated Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products, therefore they did not consider that it provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
Study 9 – Local application of vibration in motor rehabilitation – Scientific and practical considerations – Daniela Poenaru, Delia Cinteza, Irina Petrusca, Liliana Cioc, Dan Cumitrascu.
Study 10 – A comparison of the effect of two types of vibration exercise on the endocrine and musculoskeletal system – M. Elamantaser, M McMillan, K Smith, S Khanna, D Chantler, M Panarelli, SF Ahmed.
Study 11 – The effects of muscle vibration in spasticity, rigidity, and cerebellar disorders – Karl-Erik Hagbarth and Goran Eklund.
Study 12 – Potential beneficial effects of whole-body vibration for muscle recovery after exercise – Angela C. Kosar, Darren G. Candow and Jessica T. Putland.
Study 13 – Joint mobility changes due to low frequency vibration and stretching exercise – J Atha and D. W. Wheatley.
Study 14 – Influence of brief daily tendon vibration on rat soleus muscle in non-weight bearing situation – Maurice Falempin and Soumeya Fodili In-Albon.
Study 15 – Supplement 1: The Creation of an standardized evidence based massage program for elite paracycling athletes.
The expert noted that Studies 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 had not been evaluated on the Rambo Ionic, Ice-Vibe or Sportz-Vibe products and that they had not been conducted in horses or dogs. In the circumstances, they did not consider that the studies provided clinical support for the specific claims made in the advertising.
Conclusion
Complaint Upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaint and the advertisers’ response and the opinion provided by the independent expert.
Issue 1 to 3– Rambo Ionic, Sportz-Vibe and Ice-Vibe:
The Committee noted the opinion provided by the independent expert who reviewed the studies provided, that none of the studies had been carried out on the Rambo Ionic, Sportz-Vibe and Ice-Vibe products, and that the majority of the studies provided had not been conducted in either horses or dogs. The Committee also noted that the studies had not been carried out on products that were identically constructed to the advertised products. As the studies had not been carried out on either the advertised products or products identically constructed to the advertised products, and as the majority of the studies provided had not been carried out on either horses or dogs, the Committee did not consider that the claims made in the advertising of the Rambo Ionic, Sportz-Vibe and Ice-Vibe products had been substantiated. In the circumstances they considered that the advertising for the Rambo Ionic, Sportz-Vibe and Ice-Vibe products was in breach of Sections 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The advertising must not reappear in its current form unless appropriate and sufficient substantiation is provided for the claims made in the advertising.
