Alter-G Provides Sweet Relief

When patients leave our facility with smiles on their faces, we can’t help but smile with them. It seems that many patients experience this pleasure point much earlier in the treatment timeline since we incorporated the Alter-G Anti-Gravity Treadmill into rehabilitation protocols. For most, walking or running never felt so good!

The Alter-G helps patients transition back to their normal, active lives by providing an opportunity to walk, jog and run in a controlled environment sans the painful impact on joints, injury and surgery sites. Muscles stay strong, normal gait is maintained, recovery is expedited, and most of all, patients feel better about how they look and feel while in recovery.

To date, the Alter-G treadmill has been integrated into the rehabilitation programs of over 70 FORMA patients, with most benefitting greatly in both body AND mind. First-time users like Susan, an active woman experiencing lumbar pain, said walking on the Alter-G gave her a sense of “floating while working out.” She said it was the first time in a while that she was able to exercise without suffering from the pins-and-needles sensation she typically feels even after walking her dog Teddy, each night.

There is also a consensus among patients that the Alter-G concept makes perfect sense, adding a more active element to therapy. Mostly, patients like that they are able to stay fit while rehabilitating, or even improve overall fitness, giving them a head start on a new and more active lifestyle. This is especially true for those who have been nursing old injuries for years. For those who have been carrying around unwanted pounds, the Alter-G “unweights” them so they can experience what it would be like to weigh less. Talk about a great motivator!

Rocio’s Story

Shortly after taking a spill on her bicycle, 27-year-old Rocio, began having numbness in her right leg. The timing wasn’t good. She was training for a marathon, and had nine weeks before the big day. The FORMA team designed a comprehensive rehabilitation plan including the Alter-G to her help her slowly and safely transition back to running. She began by using only 40% of her body weight, slowly progressing to 85%, with a few minor adjustments in between to accommodate comfort level.

“This experience has been great,” said Rocio. “The Alter-G creates a challenge for my body by allowing me to continue functional movement without risking injury. I feel like I’m working with the injury, not against it,” she added. Rocio has already scheduled another full marathon for this fall.

FORMA provides a variety of rehabilitation and training program packages for patients and visitors to take advantage of this leading edge, anti-gravity technology. The Alter-G is also an excellent tool for those with neurological conditions, and seniors looking to increase their mobility and independence.