Name: Sammy K. Bonfim PT, M.S, Cert. D.N
Title: President, Physical Therapist
Practice Name: Macon Rehabilitation & Performance Center
Location: 125 Plantation Centre Dr. South, BLDG 900, Macon, Georgia 31210
Specialties: General Orthopedics, Sports Rehabilitation
Prominent Patients/Groups that You Advise: Athletes, Geriatrics, Work Related Injuries
1. When did you first start using AlterG? 2014
2. What attracted you to the AlterG solution? The attraction for me as a Private Practice owner was a need to help distinguish my practice from others. I was compelled by the idea of providing a solution to patients with weight bearing limitations, whether it was a post-operative case, a post fracture issue, or other biomechanical issues. I needed a competitive edge that I could use therapeutically that patients would see, feel, and believe in. From the very beginning, I have seen patient after patient achieve their goals in an unconventional manner with the AlterG. A lot of therapists stay away from the “unconventional.” I explored the AlterG from a standpoint of “can I afford this”? After using the AlterG, I now say “How can I not afford to have this in my clinic?” Unconventional thinking can yield profound results when used properly. This is exactly what I have found out with my successful experience with the AlterG.
3. How were you achieving partial weight bearing therapy with patients prior to using AlterG? Prior to getting the AlterG in my clinic, I was very limited in treating patients with partial weight-bearing status. Therapy was boring and patients saw that the mat exercises could only get them so far.
4. What were the limitations to that type of treatment? The primary limitations that I previously described were that most of the partial to non-weight bearing exercises were very static and patients felt like they weren’t progressing.
5. How does AlterG help you overcome those limitations? The AlterG has revolutionized my practice through unconventional thinking. It enabled me to get patients moving from a static “status” to more dynamic therapy with the variable weight-bearing controls on the AlterG. I have been able to take patients post fracture when deemed medically cleared for weight-bearing, to start this progression with their gait pattern and allow them to see their legs moving and use the video monitor to illustrate their achievements… step by step.
6. How do you use AlterG? (injuries, rehab, pre-/post-op, other…) I have used the AlterG with patients that are s/p TKA and THA. It helps them to improve the quality of gait rather than just the quantity of steps. Minimizing the impact of gravity, I have been able to improve a functional gait pattern and promote a more normalized pattern of movement. I also have had a lot of success with patients with ACL reconstruction recovery and walking and also the transition to running. The rehab is so profound. It advances patients at such a higher rate with faster and quicker progress.