AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill in Mississauga for Sports Injury

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The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill for Physiotherapy Treatment Mississauga

At Focus Physiotherapy—a clinic owned and operated by Registered Physiotherapists—we’re on a mission to provide the very best rehabilitation care for our community. As an innovative practice, we constantly research new services and equipment that will help our patients recover quickly and successfully—so you can return to normal activities with as little pain and as much mobility as possible. One of the relatively new rehabilitation tools on the scene is our anti-gravity treadmill, or the AlterG.

Focus Physiotherapy is proud to be the first physiotherapy clinic in Mississauga and the first physiotherapy clinic in Brampton to offer the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill as part of your rehabilitation treatment.

In fact, the Anti-Gravity Treadmill
can only be found in a few locations in Canada, and Focus Physiotherapy clinics have invested in this ground-breaking technology for two of our physiotherapy clinics.

AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill and Physiotherapy

The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill is a highly engineered piece of equipment that can help you recover from severe musculoskeletal and neurological problems.

Anti-Gravity treadmills are used to help in the recovery of injuries stemming from serious events such as car accidents, sports injuries, stroke, or traumatic brain injuries.

Anti-Gravity treadmills have also been proven to be very effective in paediatric neuro-mobility rehab, helping children who suffer from cerebral palsy, and encouraging them to maintain or improve their ability to walk.

What is the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill?

The Anti-Gravity Treadmill was invented by a man named Robert Whalen, a biomechanics researcher at NASA, in the 1990s. However, the technology did not take off until after 2005 when the anti-gravity treadmill’s technology was licensed to a company that renamed it the “AlterG”. Whalen’s motive for creating the anti-gravity treadmill was to help astronauts combat the difficulties they experienced exercising in space.

The climate of micro-gravity in the International Space Station contribute to the loss of bone mass and muscle in astronauts, and so Whalen understood that it was important for astronauts to be able to exercise comfortably for several hours a day to combat this.

However, as this NASA Article which extolls the virtues of the anti-gravity treadmill explains the anti-gravity treadmill technology was “developed for astronauts, but adapted for earth”.

As opposed to adding weight to astronauts in space, the anti-gravity treadmill, or AlterG, uses technology to reduce the load or weight off of recovering patients. By applying air pressure to the patient’s lower half, the anti-gravity treadmill’s technology can unload up to 80% of a patient’s weight, greatly reducing any stress while the body works to rehabilitate.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill use in Physiotherapy

Our Mississauga physiotherapist patients can work towards rehabilitation without exacerbating their injuries by using an anti-gravity treadmill.

Because patients can use the treadmill without bearing their entire body weight, AlterG anti-gravity treadmill enables faster rehabilitation, safer conditioning and almost effortless weight loss.

The anti-gravity’s Differential Air Pressure (DAP) technology, applies a lifting force to the body that reduces weight on the lower extremities and allows precise unweighting—up to 80 per cent of a person’s body weight—so that people can find exactly where the pain stops and natural movement feels good again.

By reducing the pain of recovery with an anti-gravity treadmill, Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga patients can achieve their goals faster, and more comfortably.

Our registered physiotherapists use the AlterG anti-gravity treadmill as a tool early in the rehabilitation process to provide accurate, safe and monitored weight bearing to support your recovery and promote normal gait patterns.

It’s how our physiotherapists help you return from an injured state to healthy activity. Using our anti-gravity treadmill, you’ll be able to walk or run as normal, and, if you need to lose weight to improve mobility, performance or health outcomes, the anti-gravity treadmill can provide all the motivation that’s required. By simulating your target body weight you will actually be able to feel all the stress-related benefits that weight loss would bring.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill: Who Is It For?

From injured soldiers in rehabilitation centres, professional and college athletes in sports training facilities, seniors, and even those with neurological injuries, helping to restore balance and natural gait, anti-gravity treadmills have taken off in the last few years as an effective form of treatment for a variety of physiotherapy needs.

Orthopedic Rehabilitation

Due to the gentle unloading of your own body weight when using the anti-gravity treadmill, activities that cause stress and pain after orthopedic injuries or surgeries are alleviated. Weight-bearing exercises can be performed by using the anti-gravity treadmill, which is otherwise often difficult for patients with lower extremity injuries. By performing these exercises the body is able to get back to proper conditioning, without the added stress of weight. Some possible treatment applications Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga will discuss with you, regarding the use of the anti-gravity treadmill are, but not limited to: Post-fracture, Post-operative rehab, ACL Reconstruction, Meniscectomies & meniscus repairs, Microfracture, Total hip & total knee replacement, Achilles reconstructionand any other post-injury rehab.

Neurological Rehabilitation

The AlterG anti-gravity treadmill is described as a fall-safe environment, promoting risk-free conditions for motor learning. Stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury (TBI), incomplete spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s Disease and Cerebral Palsy are just some of the potential neurological areas our anti-gravity treadmill rehabilitation program in Mississauga can address. If you are considering neurological rehabilitation, contact us at Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga, so we can discuss the anti-gravity treadmill rehabilitation options with you.

Chronic Issues and Obesity

Whether you are elderly or have not been able to participate in physical exercise for some time, the anti-gravity treadmill reduces barriers and combats those hurdles you may have experienced in attempting physical activity. Increasing volume while keeping stress minimal, the anti-gravity treadmill can be used on the deconditioned, obese, or otherwise impaired patients through its enabling of gradual progression with only partial bodyweight. If you feel the need to improve your cardiovascular health and experience the benefits of physical exercise in a safe, controlled and fall-free environment, you may want to try our anti-gravity treadmill at Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga.

Runners and Athletes

At Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga, we know that returning to an intensive training regimen after an injury can be challenging. Psychologically and physically, trying to get your body back to a place you feel comfortable, pre-injury, can be a struggle. The anti-gravity treadmill is used by professional and college athletes in their training and rehabilitation programs, for enabling runners to increase total running volume, while decreasing ground impact. Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga has multiple sports rehabilitation treatments, and the anti-gravity treadmill is just one potential option, but an excellent choice for runners.

But don’t just take Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga’s word for it! This collection of peer-reviewed articles available at Google Scholar, outlines multiple beneficial uses of the anti-gravity treadmill; from the rehabilitation of the Achilles tendon to total knee recovery. Learn more about the functions behind this NASA-derived technology.

AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill vs. Aqua Therapy

Transitioning to full activities is extremely difficult in a weakened or injured state. Before experiencing the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, many of our patients had tried aqua therapy. They tell us they prefer the AlterG because it’s more convenient and gives them greater control over weight-bearing movements that mimic normal activity.

The Alter G also allows our Registered Physiotherapists to modify the level of assistance as your physical abilities improve, whereas aqua therapy cannot be tailored to your particular needs.

As previously stated, the technology behind the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill was developed by NASA to allow athletes to reach the aerobic intensity of pre-injury workouts, without the impact or stress on their lower body. An anti-gravity treadmill is an excellent way of preventing further deconditioning or injury during the recovery process.

Benefits of the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill

Wearing custom neoprene shorts over your own clothing, you step into an airtight chamber, which calibrates to your exact body weight and allows precise control of your weight-bearing activities while rehabilitating. The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill then uses air pressure to generate a powerful lifting force that can reduce your bodyweight by 80 per cent.

You will benefit from using our AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmills for:

  • Athletic performance training
  • Overspeed training, intervals, hill training (up to 15 per cent incline), single leg hops, plyometrics (jump training), agility drills, lateral training, backpedalling (yes the treadmill can run in reverse too!)
  • Cardiovascular conditioning, strength and coordination
  • Target body weight simulation, weight management, obesity conditioning, caloric expenditure maintenance, comorbidity exercise (where two chronic diseases or conditions exist), introduction to safe exercise
  • Senior health and wellness—If you’re feeling sluggish, try our conditioning program for seniors
  • Fall and osteoporosis prevention
  • Balance training
  • Neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, incomplete spinal cord injury, learning to walk again or adjusting to a new prosthesis following amputation
  • Low-impact running for anyone who hasn’t been able to because of past injuries or arthritis—offers the chance to get extra workouts without the impact on joints, and recapture the fun of running.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill Frequently Asked Questions

It feels as if you’re walking on the moon. The AlterG has the ability to reduce the effective weight going through your lower extremities by 80 per cent. By way of comparison, the effective gravity on the moon reduces your body weight by 70 per cent, and aqua therapy can reduce your effective body weight by 40 per cent—depending on the depth of the water.

You would benefit from the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill if, for example:

  • You are motivated to recover and improve your walking or running ability
  • You have suffered a recent loss in mobility following injury or surgery
  • You want to break through a plateau in running performance

The AlterG is extremely safe and very well suited for people who want to benefit from walking but have balance issues. The more you use the machine, the greater the improvements in ambulation, function and motor control.

Your Registered Physiotherapist at Focus Physiotherapy has the specific knowledge about exercise and recovery to know if you will benefit from using this equipment. As registered professionals, our rehabilitation experience will guide your therapy and determine what equipment will best treat your condition. In the hands of a skilled physiotherapist, the AlterG could be an important factor in your recovery.
You’ll want to feel comfortable and unrestricted as you use the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. Loose fitting pants or shorts will work. Or simply wear what you typically do when you exercise.

Contact us today to book your appointment. It’s the first step on your road to recovery.

Mississauga: 416-961-2001
Brampton: 416-961-2001
Etobicoke Kingsway: 416-961-2001
Bolton: 416-961-2001
North York: 416-961-2001
York: 416-961-2001

Request an Appointment

The road to recovery starts with one step, and that step starts with contacting us at Focus Physiotherapy.

Check out the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill at our Focus Physiotherapy Mississauga Location Today!

Phone: 416-961-2001

Email: [email protected].

Hours of Operation:

Mon 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Tue 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Wed 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Thu 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Fri 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 2:00 pm