When we think of the Fall season, many of us correlate these cooler days with sports. Some may think about chips and dip in front of the television watching NFL games. But many Americans of all ages are up off the couch and participating in sports like football, soccer, rugby, running, cycling, field hockey, lacrosse and tennis. It might surprise you to know that 212.6 million Americans in 2015 actively took part in sports and fitness, which is an increase from the prior year. And with that increase in activity comes an increase in injuries.
Consider that about 1.35 million children ages 12-17 go to Emergency Departments each year to be treated for sports injuries . Sprains, strains, fractures and ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries are common. When you factor in skateboarding and hover boarding, ankles are the most injured part of the body for young people.
Whether doing a quick cut move in a high school soccer game or going for a “ball and all” tackle in the weekend Millennial rugby league, strength, flexibility and balance are needed to play safe, winning sports. But injuries are going to happen, and when they do, athletes and weekend warriors need to prevent a decline in performance levels and return to their pre-injury condition as quickly as possible. True competitors want to get back in the game sooner than later.
The AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill™ can play an important tool in a rehabilitation program to meet those goals for those with a hip, knee, ankle foot or leg injury. Thanks to its precise unweighting technology, pain can be reduced during and after physical therapy sessions allowing athletes to start rehab sooner and maintain fitness while undergoing rehab. Gravity’s impact is reduced in the AlterG by selecting any weight between 20% and 100% of body weight in 1% increments.
Incorporating AlterG’s NASA patented technology into a sports rehabilitation program helps athletes:
- Rehabilitate a lower-extremity injury and train without pain and with less impact.
- Reduce stress on joints and injured areas in the lower body.
- Push training sessions longer with less risk of injury.
- Maintain and develop fitness while rehabilitation from an injury or surgery.
- Easily adjust the intensity and weight bearing of your workout.
- Train with a natural gait, and avoid developing compensatory habits.
- Easily track progress during training and rehabilitation with precise unweighting.
- Potentially return to competition sooner.
- Reduce the risk of injury after returning to the field, court or track.
The state-of-the-art Anti-Gravity Treadmill is ideal for rehabilitation injuries for all types of active people – from professional basketball players to the local 5K runner. Some athletes, with the help of a physical therapist, have even used the AlterG to rehabilitation while in a cast or soon after surgery.
The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill also is a great tool for athletes looking to prolong their career. A conditioning program that uses the treadmill helps maintain and even increase endurance and leg strength, without the usual pounding on pavement.
Injured athletes of all ages can go farther and faster with AlterG after an injury, surgery or other mobility impairment. To experience the “no pain, all gain” fun of anti-gravity rehabilitation, check out our Zip Code Locater to find an AlterG unit and therapist near. It could be your gamer changer!