Bone growth can also be achieved by loading of bone during childhood in the form of regular sport activities such as gymnastics and exercise programmes. Equally it can be achieved by using whole body vibration (WBV). WBV is the application of vibratory stimulus to the body in a synchronous fashion by which the bones are made much stronger reducing the risk of fracture in later life. Thus WBV can be used as a means to assess bone responsiveness to mechanical stimulation. Studies have shown that standing on a vibrating platform for 10 minutes a day can significantly increase the bone mass. Investigators' own research has also shown that healthy boys when made to stand on a vibration platform for 10 minutes daily for 5 days increased the strength and quality of their bones.