![]() Technology inside the chamber calibrates to your bodyweight and fills the chamber with air, which creates a “lifting effect on the body,” Fraleigh explains. Then, these shorts (and thus you) get zipped into the cocoon, which is basically a giant air chamber. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, tells Runner’s World. Using an anti-gravity treadmill requires more set-up than simply stepping onto the machine and pressing start.įirst, you don specialized shorts, which are like a mix between a short wetsuit and a kayak spray skirt, Chris Campbell, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., president and owner of Sport & Spine Physical Therapy, Inc. Fraleigh currently uses the AlterG with clients about one to two days a week. For instance, with the AlterG (a specific brand of anti-gravity treadmill), you can diminish your bodyweight up to 80 percent, meaning you can experience what it’s like to stride with just 20 percent of your normal weight.Īn anti-gravity treadmill looks like a standard treadmill but has a “big plastic cocoon” attached to the outer railing, Brandon Fraleigh, P.T., D.P.T., physical therapist and head of the Runner’s Clinic at the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center, tells Runner’s World. It’s up to the user how much weight you want to shave off. We tapped two physical therapists to learn more about anti-gravity treadmills, including how they work, who they’re for, and where you can give one a whirl.Īn anti-gravity treadmill is a special type of treadmill that reduces the effects of gravity and allows you to run at a fraction of your bodyweight. ![]() Athletes using it are more likely to prolong their careers with less impact on the body, maintain cardiovascular fitness, run longer and recover faster with less pain.Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play Incorporating the AlterG into a training program or injury rehab helps participants build confidence. In addition, AlterG was used on The Biggest Loser TV show. Top runners find it beneficial for overspeed training to enhance race times. They include football, basketball and baseball players. The treadmill is being used by sports professionals all over the world. “We generally do a pool or bike workout to maintain cardio, but the treadmill allowed the athlete to actually run without pain.” “The AlterG provided a more real-life training experience,” Stompro said. Kathy Stompro, an athletic trainer with Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, referred a teenage track athlete with tibial stress syndrome to Sanford POWER to train on the treadmill. In applications for both training and physical therapy rehabilitation, the AlterG helps a broad spectrum of people - top athletes, orthopedic and neurologic patients, pediatric, geriatric, and those looking to lose weight. “I feel like I’m on the top of a mountain! It really motivates me to keep going.” Anti-gravity treadmill helps all ages “It’s exhilarating seeing my legs move, because when I’m laying down or in my wheelchair I can’t move my legs,” Gwen said. Gwen Martin, a rehab therapy patient at the Good Samaritan Society, calls the technology “thrilling.” Recover effectively and with less pain after training or competition.Push training sessions further and longer with less risk of injury.Lose weight safely and exercise more intensively.Maintain fitness while rehabilitating from injury or surgery.Rehabilitate lower extremity injuries with less pain and less impact.Train without pain and reduce stress to joints and muscles.Lessened gravitational forces allow people of all ages and experiences to: Athletes using the machine have the option to select between 20% and 100% of their full body weight. But it’s also valuable to athletes training in Sanford POWER facilities in Sioux Falls, Fargo and Bismarck. Related story: Woman with MS walks with new treadmillĮxercise is key to maintaining wellness and optimizing recovery in older adults. Users walk and run normally while eliminating pain and protecting healing tissue. It applies a uniform lifting force, resulting in a feeling of reduced body weight and comfortable support. ![]() The AlterG design is based on technology developed by NASA. The AlterG helps patients regain balance and strength following illness, injury or surgery, and boosts performance for athletes. Sanford POWER and several Good Samaritan Society locations are using a new anti-gravity treadmill in their rehabilitation programs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |