Anti Gravity Treadmill
The G-Trainer Anti-Gravity Treadmill was developed by Alter-G and enables users to reduce their effective body weight during exercise. It incorporates an advanced air pressure regulation system and a high-end treadmill to create a lifting force that lets users walk or run at reduced effective body weight.
The Alter-G uses a NASA-designed air pressure system to reduce a runner’s (or more likely a walker’s) weight by up to 80 percent. The support is reportedly barely noticeable and doesn’t alter one’s movement. The FDA has just approved the device for medical use, so expect to see them in rehabilitation centers soon.
The Anti Gravity Threadmill was invented by NASA
Alter-G’s technology was originally developed at NASA as part of an effort to help astronauts maintain fitness during prolonged space flight. Alter-G combined this technology with an advanced pressure regulation system and a treadmill to produce the first anti-gravity treadmill. The physical lifting force generated by the G-Trainer comes from a difference in air pressure around the individual’s body.
The G-Trainer enables individuals who have been weakened or impaired by illness, disuse or injury to improve mobility and health, recover from injury and surgery more effectively and overcome medical challenges that limit movement. Originally developed at NASA, the patented gravity differential technology further developed by Alter-G makes use of an advanced air pressure regulation system to create a lifting force. This achieves unweighting without altering natural body movement and easily and comfortably lets users walk or run while reducing the amount of impact on their body.
With the G-Trainer, individuals can add reduction of body weight to traditional treadmill variables of speed and incline. Variables can be adjusted and programmed to meet any health, medical, therapeutic, training, or conditioning need. The G-Trainer continually adjusts to ensure the accuracy of set variables is consistent throughout a session.
Weight, speed, and incline settings can be set with precision and include a broad range. Effective body weight can be reduced to as low as 20% of the individual’s body weight with reduction increments of 1% allowing for progressive weight bearing. Speed variables can be adjusted up to 18 miles per hour in forward motion or 10 miles per hour in reverse and incline can be set up to 15%.
The system pumps pressure into an air-tight tent. The runner wears a spray skirt, similar to the water-tight skirt on a kayak, that has a lip on it to zip into that tent.
The anti-gravity technology behind the G-Trainer was originally developed at NASA. Air pressure is used to accomplish unweighting allowing individuals to set body weight as low as 20% in 1% increments.
To make a short story long, Phil and Russ finally got around to running. Both had a blast, Phil preferred the 80% weight loss and Russ the 50% weight loss. According to Russ, he felt like he was 10 years younger, the G-Trainer removed all feelings of impact on joints, and he was able to run to his fullest. Phil got up to 12 miles per hour (queue in The Six Million Dollar Man sound effects).
Millions in comprehensive donated medical services now being provided. Allentown, PA July 23, 2008 — The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a not-for-profit Section 501(c)(3) organization that provides assistance to retired NFL players in dire need, began implementation today of a groundbreaking medical program that will provide millions of dollars in donated medical care to former NFL players in dire need. 1
In addition to rehabilitation, several Nike runners, including Ritzenhein and former CU All-Americans Adam and Kara Goucher, regularly use anti-gravity treadmills to supplement their training. In June, all three qualified to represent the U.S. at the 2007 World Track and Field Championships next month in Osaka, Japan.
