Using Differential Air Pressure technology on AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmills

AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmills use NASA developed patented technology to provide “Differential Air Pressure” (DAP) in the form of a “bubble” on a treadmill. This enables patients to be unweighted from 100% down to 20% in precise 1% increments, precise partial weight bearing at its finest.

Many compare AlterG’s unweighting treadmills to hydrotherapy, but what are the key differences?

Water will always have a place in rehabilitation, for example, rehabilitation of upper limbs, it is easier to increase heart rate when running in water due to the difficultly pushing against the viscosity of the water. However, there are also some benefits to being out of water:

• Possibility to use the AlterG after day one of surgery without the risk of water affecting any surgery/infection risk.
• Accurately unweight from 100% down to 20% of their body weight in 1% increments. If you are lucky to have a pool with a moving floor you can still only unweight between 20% to approximately 50% and not accurately.
• Muscle firing patterns and ground reaction forces mimic walking normally unlike water where you push through the viscosity of water and the faster you walk the more buoyant you become.
• Running costs are key and the cost of running a pool or underwater treadmill is significantly more than the running cost of an AlterG.
• AlterG can be used unattended, where appropriate, unlike water where you need at least one if not 2 people to help, maximising physiotherapists time.

SportsMed Products Ltd are proud to distribute AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmills in the UK & Ireland with more than 200 machines installed to date within NHS & Private Hospitals, private physio clinics, charities, government bodies and professional sports.

Louis O’Connor Clinical Lead at the Regional Trauma Unit at the Royal Victoria NHS hospital said “We are enabling people that can’t walk to walk, we are enabling people to run that can’t run”

Want to find out more about the technology? Contact sales@sports-medical.co.uk for more information.