Case Studies

Those with cardiac conditions may have difficulty tolerating upright positions or exercise for extended periods. Deconditioning can be counteracted in the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill by allowing a user to start walking or standing at a fraction of his or her body weight. Load can be reintroduced gradually as cardiovascular condition improves.

• Allows deconditioned patients to start standing/walking at lower body weights.
• Progress to more body weight as patient endurance improves.
• Monitor progress/changes in condition with precise measures of patient’s load tolerance.

The key for weight loss is balancing physical activity with nutrition. Energy expenditure must be consistently maintained above caloric intake if individuals are to reach their fitness goals. If someone has joint, muscle, or tendon pain, that can make exercise difficult. With the Anti-Gravity Treadmill, they don’t have to stop exercising if they do have pain. Just lighten the load with the AlterG and users will stay on the path to a healthier body.

• Encourages physical activity for deconditioned individuals.
• Encourages exercise for those with joint pain.
• Allow for regular exercise prescription to maintain caloric expenditure for those who might otherwise give up.

Lower extremity fracture rehabilitation is important to reduce the risk of morbidity. Optimizing the rehab process can improve patient quality of life and outcomes. Current weight bearing methods often result in patients placing loads greater than what is recommended on healing bone, likely resulting in persistent pain and altered gait patterns. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill provides precise and accurate measures to ensure safe progression of lower extremity loading.

• Precise, controlled loading of healing lower extremity fractures.
• Normalize gait mechanics by reducing pain with body weight support.
• Improve walking and functional confidence for daily activities performed outside of the rehabilitation setting.
• Improve quality of life.

Patients who have lumbar disc problems can have difficulty standing/walking because of increased pressure on the injured area. Lower body positive pressure decreases ground reaction forces with walking, minimizing stress and allowing for healing.

• Allows for decreased ground reaction forces and thus decreased pressure to lumbar discs.
• Helps restore normal gait mechanics in a pain-free environment.
• Progressively load lumbar spine to allow for return to prior level of function.

One fall can lead to a multiple disc herniation and the recovery from spinal injuries requires easy levels of movement while increasing independence. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill provides an environment for body weight support and enables patients to start standing and closed-kinetic chain activities at easier levels.

• Increase lower extremity strength to increase independence with transfers and standing balance
• Ambulate without loss of balance
• Increase independence and endurance

Hip surgical procedures like arthroscopic debridement and labral repairs may result in increased sensitivity at the hip joint for a period of time. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill can be used to introduce overground training earlier in the rehabilitation process to encourage proprioceptive retraining and to supplement cardiovascular training.

• Early safe loading for post-surgical protocols.
• Begin proprioceptive retraining sooner.
• Maintain cardiovascular condition/fitness levels.

Cartilage procedures can often require a period of modified or partial weight bearing by the patient to avoid damage to the healing tissue. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill can precisely measure weight bearing status in as small as 1% increments, from 100% BW to as low as 20% BW. This ensures that the patient can adhere to all post-surgical precautions while encouraging movement.

• Allows for safe, comfortable weight bearing that follows post-surgical precautions.
• Restore normal gait mechanics in a pain-free environment.
• Progressively load lower extremities to improve strength, proprioception, and endurance.