And what is it used for in Physical Therapy?

The AlterG, or anti-gravity treadmill, is one of our favorite machines at UP. Not only is it a very cool piece of equipment, but it also helps our patients to shorten recovery time, reduce energy risk and enhance athletic performance?

（CBA player）

So what is the AlterG exactly?

Well, it’s pretty much as the name says. The AlterG is a treadmill, which has a lifting effect to ease the impact on the lower body. Basically, you can feel like you’re running – or walking – on the moon. It’s ideal for patients who have had an injury to the lower body, are recovering from surgery to areas such as the knee or hip, or even for patients who have dealt with stroke. And on the less extreme side of rehabilitation, it’s also just a great tool for adding in weight bearing exercise into fitness and weight-loss routines.

Who is it for?

• Patient Recovery – In many cases, the AlterG is used for patients recovering from ACL surgery, stress fractures, joint replacement or stroke. Thanks to the supportive nature of the device, patients can feel comfortable and not worry about risk for re-injury, as well as manage the gravitational force to meet their needs. It can even help to reduce a patients post-surgery recovery  by days or sometimes weeks!

• 
  

• Overweight and irregular exercises – The AlterG is a gentle way to add in aerobic exercise that doesn’t put too much pressure on the joints, allowing patients to focus on strengthening specific areas, building intensity and even losing weight.

• 
  

• Endurance athletes – While our AlterG is mainly for patient recovery, it can be a great tool for endurance training as well, allowing the body to adapt and add on distance without putting too much extra stress on the body.

How does it work?

The AlterG is designed with an air chamber on the treadmill, which the patient is zipped into. Once activated, the chamber surrounds the lower body with air, supporting and reducing the amount of weight felt. The treadmill operates just like any normal treadmill with adjustments to speed and incline.

Based on the adjustment of air pressure, patients can typically feel between 20-100 percent of their body weight. While typical training programs prescribed by our therapists usually work to increase the amount of bodyweight felt over time.

While this is just one of our many tools at UP, it can be a great one to support your recovery process, as seen here by some of our previous patients.Case Study

If you are interested in learning more, or booking an appointment to help speed up your recovery process, contact us at UP today. It’s time to move forward in the year of the horse.