AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill Benefits

AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill

Chelsea Hall PT, DPT

Fit For Life Physical Therapy

The AlterG is an anti-gravity treadmill developed by NASA that allows individuals to run or walk at a percentage of their body weight, anywhere from 20% to 100% bodyweight.  For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you can set the treadmill to 20% and run as if you weighed 40 pounds!  This process involves putting on a specific pair of shorts and being zipped into a bubble structure that is over this treadmill.  Air pressure inflates the bubble to lift you and reduce stress on your lower body.

How can you benefit from using the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill?

• If you are dealing with a nagging injury, running or walking on the AlterG treadmill can help you to decrease stress on the injured area and allow you to keep training through an injury to maintain fitness.
• If you are returning to running or walking from an extended time off, initially running on the AlterG will allow you ease back into running or walking and reduce your risk of injury.
• Additionally, the AlterG treadmill is beneficial even if you are not injured as it will allow you to push your training further with less impact (i.e., less risk of injury!) and increase recovery. Performing your easy run or a part of your second run of the day on the AlterG is a fantastic way to maintain fitness and use the same muscles required for running all while allowing your body to recover.
• By maintaining the body weight level at 80-85% of your normal weight, you can get these remarkable results for your legs with a thorough cardiovascular workout.
• If you are looking to improve your running speed, the AlterG will allow you to run at a harder pace with less impact on your body. To get faster, we must run faster.  The AlterG will allow you to tap into speeds that may be difficult on the roads.  Although this may not fully translate fully to when you are running at your regular running weight on the road, it is still beneficial as it improves the brain-muscle connection required for fast running and can tap into the fast twitch muscle fibers.

Interested in adding the AlterG to your training plan?  You can find an AlterG treadmill at the Lane Avenue Fit for Life Physical Therapy location (https://www.fitforlifephysicaltherapy.com/retail-services) inside Fleet Feet Upper Arlington.  Feel free to contact Fit For Life to how this can specifically help you or to set up your first session!

Fit For Life Physical Therapy cares for people of all activity levels - to help prevent, recover from, or rehabilitate sports & orthopedic injuries.  We are proud to move people every day.

Please visit our website https://www.fitforlifephysicaltherapy.com/, email us at info@fitforlifephysicaltherapy.com, or call or text us at any of the phone numbers for our three convenient locations inside Fleet Feet Columbus stores:

Polaris:  1270 East Powell Road Lewis Center, Ohio 43035 ~ 614-981-2065

Upper Arlington:  1344 West Lane Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43221 ~ 614-981-1979

New Albany:  5792 North Hamilton Road, Columbus, Ohio 43230 ~ 614-581-7441