Alter-G Treadmill

The Alter-G treadmill is the newest addition to the Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital Physical Therapy department. The Alter-G is an Anti-Gravity treadmill that uses air in a pressure-controlled chamber to provide a lifting force to the user. This cutting edge treadmill can adjust the amount of weight bearing the body experiences from as low as 20% body weight up to 100% in single digit increments. This adjustability decreases the ground reaction force the body senses and can be a beneficial tool to assist with and speed the return to normal walking, running, balance, and plyometric activities.

The unloading that the user experiences helps restore normal walking or running mechanics without causing pain. This allows the protection of healing tissues, full range of motion, earlier advancement to activities than in a fully weighted environment, and the prevention of muscle wasting.  

Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital Physical Therapy is an ideal setting for this treadmill.  Possible patients that could benefit from this technology include but are not limited to: 

• ACL surgery
• Meniscus surgery
• Total knees and hips
• Hip arthroscopies/surgery
• Ankle and foot injuries/surgeries
• Stress fractures
• Any lower extremity with decreased or painful weight bearing

One population of people that can show benefit from the Alter-G are runners.  Runners can benefit from increased training miles without the increased stress of the extra miles on their legs. They continue to receive the neuromuscular effects of the running motion without the negative effects from repetitive pounding. The Alter-G would also allow a runner who may be on the verge of an injury to continue training up to their event without negative effects.

For more information regarding the Alter-G treadmill, please contact one of our physical therapists at (402)609-1750.