Physiotherapy and the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill Caledon

The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill is a highly engineered piece of equipment that can help you recover from severe musculoskeletal and neurological problems.

Anti-Gravity treadmills are used to help in the recovery of injuries stemming from serious events such as car accidents, sports injuries, stroke, or traumatic brain injuries.

They have also been proven to be very effective in paediatric neuro-mobility rehab, helping children who suffer from cerebral palsy, and encouraging them to maintain or improve their ability to walk.

What is the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill?

The Anti-Gravity Treadmill was invented by a man named Robert Whalen, a biomechanics researcher at NASA, in the 1990s. However, the technology did not take off until after 2005 when the anti-gravity treadmill’s technology was licensed to a company that renamed it the “AlterG”. Whalen’s motive for creating the anti-gravity treadmill was to help astronauts combat the difficulties they experienced exercising in space.

The climate of micro-gravity in the International Space Station contribute to the loss of bone mass and muscle in astronauts, and so Whalen understood that it was important for astronauts to be able to exercise comfortably for several hours a day to combat this.

However, as this NASA Article which extolls the virtues of the anti-gravity treadmill explains the technology was “developed for astronauts, but adapted for earth”.

As opposed to adding weight to astronauts in space, the anti-gravity treadmill, or AlterG, uses technology to reduce the load or weight off of recovering patients. By applying air pressure to the patient’s lower half, the anti-gravity treadmill’s technology can unload up to 80% of a patient’s weight, greatly reducing any stress while the body works to rehabilitate.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill use in Physiotherapy

Our Physiotherapy patients can work towards rehabilitation without exacerbating their injuries by using an anti-gravity treadmill Caledon.

Because patients can use the treadmill without bearing their entire body weight, AlterG anti-gravity treadmill enables faster rehabilitation, safer conditioning and almost effortless weight loss.

The anti-gravity’s Differential Air Pressure (DAP) technology, applies a lifting force to the body that reduces weight on the lower extremities and allows precise unweighting—up to 80 percent of a person’s body weight—so that people can find exactly where the pain stops and natural movement feels good again.

By reducing the pain of recovery with an anti-gravity treadmill, Focus Physiotherapy near Caledon patients can achieve their goals faster, and more comfortably.

Our registered physiotherapists use the AlterG anti-gravity treadmill as a tool early in the rehabilitation process to provide accurate, safe and monitored weight-bearing to support your recovery and promote normal gait patterns.

It’s how our physiotherapists help you return from an injured state to healthy activity. Using our anti-gravity treadmill, you’ll be able to walk or run as normal, and, if you need to lose weight to improve mobility, performance or health outcomes. It provides all the motivation that’s required. By simulating your target bodyweight you will actually be able to feel all the stress-related benefits that weight loss would bring.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill: Who Is It For?

From injured soldiers in rehabilitation centres, professional and college athletes in sports training facilities, seniors, and even those with neurological injuries, helping to restore balance and natural gait, anti-gravity treadmills have taken off in the last few years as an effective form of treatment for a variety of physiotherapy needs.

Orthopedic Rehabilitation

Due to the gentle unloading of your own body weight when using the anti-gravity treadmill Caledon, activities that cause stress and pain after orthopedic injuries or surgeries are alleviated. Weight-bearing exercises can be performed by using the anti-gravity treadmill, which is otherwise often difficult for patients with lower extremity injuries. By performing these exercises the body is able to get back to proper conditioning, without the added stress of weight. Some possible treatment applications Focus Physiotherapy near Caledon will discuss with you, include, but not limited to: Post-fracture, Post-operative rehab, ACL Reconstruction, Meniscectomies & meniscus repairs, Microfracture, Total hip & total knee replacement, Achilles reconstructionand any other post-injury rehab.

Neurological Rehabilitation

The AlterG anti-gravity treadmill near Caledon is described as a fall-safe environment, promoting risk-free conditions for motor learning. Stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury (TBI), incomplete spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s Disease and Cerebral Palsy are just some of the potential neurological areas our anti-gravity treadmill rehabilitation program can address. If you are considering neurological rehabilitation, contact us at Focus Physiotherapy near Caledon, so we can discuss the rehabilitation options with you.

Chronic Issues and Obesity

Whether you are elderly or have not been able to participate in physical exercise for some time, the anti-gravity treadmill reduces barriers and combats those hurdles you may have experienced in attempting physical activity. Increasing volume while keeping stress minimal, the anti-gravity treadmill can be used on the deconditioned, obese, or otherwise impaired patients through its enabling of gradual progression with only partial bodyweight. If you feel the need to improve your cardiovascular health and experience the benefits of physical exercise in a safe, controlled and fall-free environment, you may want to try our anti-gravity treadmill at Focus Physiotherapy.

Runners and Athletes

At Focus Physiotherapy, we know that returning to an intensive training regimen after an injury can be challenging. Psychologically and physically, trying to get your body back to a place you feel comfortable, pre-injury, can be a struggle. Itis used by professional and college athletes in their training and rehabilitation programs, for enabling runners to increase total running volume, while decreasing ground impact. Focus Physiotherapy has multiple sports rehabilitation treatments, and the anti-gravity treadmill Caledon is just one potential option, but an excellent choice for runners.

But don’t just take Focus Physiotherapy’s word for it! This collection of peer-reviewed articles available at Google Scholar, outlines multiple beneficial uses of the anti-gravity treadmill; from the rehabilitation of the Achilles tendon to total knee recovery. Learn more about the functions behind this NASA-derived technology.

AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill vs. Aqua Therapy

Transitioning to full activities is extremely difficult in a weakened or injured state. Before experiencing the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, many of our patients had tried aqua therapy. They tell us they prefer the AlterG because it’s more convenient and gives them greater control over weight-bearing movements that mimic normal activity.

The Alter G also allows our Registered Physiotherapists to modify the level of assistance as your physical abilities improve, whereas aqua therapy cannot be tailored to your particular needs.

As previously stated, the technology behind the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill was developed by NASA to allow athletes to reach the aerobic intensity of pre-injury workouts, without the impact or stress on their lower body. An anti-gravity treadmill is an excellent way of preventing further deconditioning or injury during the recovery process.

Benefits of the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill near Caledon

Wearing custom neoprene shorts over your own clothing, you step into an airtight chamber, which calibrates to your exact body weight and allows precise control of your weight-bearing activities while rehabilitating. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill then uses air pressure to generate a powerful lifting force that can reduce your body weight by 80 per cent.

You will benefit from using our AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmills for:

• Athletic performance training
• Overspeed training, intervals, hill training (up to 15 per cent incline), single leg hops, plyometrics (jump training), agility drills, lateral training, backpedalling (yes the treadmill can run in reverse too!)
• Cardiovascular conditioning, strength and coordination
• Target body weight simulation, weight management, obesity conditioning, caloric expenditure maintenance, comorbidity exercise (where two chronic diseases or conditions exist), introduction to safe exercise
• Senior health and wellness—If you’re feeling sluggish, try our conditioning program for seniors
• Fall and osteoporosis prevention
• Balance training
• Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, incomplete spinal cord injury, learning to walk again or adjusting to a new prosthesis following amputation
• Low-impact running for anyone who hasn’t been able to because of past injuries or arthritis—offers the chance to get extra workouts without the impact on joints, and recapture the fun of running.