Anti gravity treadmill

About stroke Questions & Recommendations
1

my physio is keen for me to use an anti gravity treadmill I have researched it on line but would be keen to hear from anyone in this forum who has used this device and whether it was a success in helping you to regain a good walking gait

Cheers

PETER

2

Hi Peter, it's all well and good your physio suggesting using an anti gravity treadmill which I agree would be greatly beneficial for regaining walking gait. The problem with these treadmills are that there isn't really anywhere you can go to use these treadmills, unless you have a premiership football club nearby that will let you use it now and again which I very much doubt. Therefore the only option is to either rent one or buy one. To answer your question, no my father hasn't used one, but these are the kind of treadmills that football players use along with water tank therapy to fully recover after an ACL for instance. 

3

Hi Peter - I haven't actually heard of this. I go to a rehab gym myself twice a week and have a programme which was put together by their physio who works with stroke patients. One of the things she gets me to do is to walk backwards.  Not easy to do at first especially at home. I find looking in a mirror and putting my hands behind my back to feel for the set of drawers behind me the best way to do it.  I can do this at the gym on the treadmill at ultra slow speed but you need someone to press the start button for you and also to watch in case you lose your footing.  It has helped though. How do the anti gravity treadmills work if that's not a daft question?

4

Star wars episode nine...the stroke survivors fight back

5

Ah, never seen a Star Wars film in my life - Sorry!blush

6

For anti gravity to work uou put on special shorts while attached to the treadmill and 6ou walk in a confined space I assume the shorts inflate and in doing so take your weight there is a video you can watch on you tube simply type in anti gravity treadmill

Cheers peter

7

Hi Peter,

I have seen one of these contraptions in action at a rehab unit (didn't get to use it myself) and they look quite fun. Does your physio have somewhere in mind that has one? They are not the sort of thing most physio units have as they are an exceedingly expensive piece of kit.

8

had one trial session through private physio I would definitely recommend giving it a go

9

I don't really know what one is! I have been working in a swimming pool with a personal trainer. I can definitely do things in the water, that would be too difficult to do on land.

I do swim a little but mainly do exercise to improve my walking and balance. The water resistant also helps