For anyone who has ever experienced physical therapy, they understand the pain and difficulty sometimes associated with getting back into pre-injury shape. This is especially true with injuries in the lower extremities. But now thanks to new anti-gravity technology, Methodist McKinney Hospital (MMH) has been helping patients recover faster and with less pain than ever before.
For more than four years, MMH has been taking advantage of one of the newest features available to physical therapy patients: the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. While the AlterG shares some familiar features with a regular treadmill, the difference lies in a brace that fits around a patient’s waist and allows him or her to be practically weightless while walking or running on the treadmill. Some of the key features of the AlterG include:
• Allowing a patient to walk or run with no pain while maintaining a normal gait
• Reducing stress on joints and injured areas in the lower body
• Giving patients the confidence and ability to run or walk longer and recover faster with less pain
Anna Alquiza, a Registered Physical Therapist at MMH, explains that the AlterG is helpful to physical therapy patients because it allows them to practice walking in a safe and controlled environment. It also allows them to strengthen their muscles while avoiding putting too much stress on their joints, cartilage and bones, which helps with both walking and balance.
At MMH, it is common for orthopedic patients to take advantage of the AlterG’s technology, ranging from simple strains and sprains to post-surgical cases. Most patients experience a faster recovery time because they are able to stimulate joints and soft tissues in the lower extremities while in the upright position earlier on in the rehabilitation process. During her three years at MMH, Alquiza cannot think of a day that she has not used the AlterG to help one of her patients.
So why come to MMH for physical therapy? Alquiza explains the Physical Therapy team at MMH is extremely dedicated in providing individualized treatment to each patient. The common goal throughout the department is to get each patient back to reaching their full potential safely within the least amount of time. Their vast knowledge of rehabilitation with orthopedic patients, including post-surgical patients, allows them to offer a wide variety of treatment modalities, in addition to the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill.
Leave A Comment