Physical Therapy Clinic receives new equipment

Col. David Almand, 375 Air Mobility Wing commander, goes runs on a anti-gravity treadmill called the Alter G in the Physical Therapy Clinic of the 375th Medical Group Jan. 4. The Alter G can take up to 80% off a person's body weight using air pressure and allows a patient to run up to 12 mph. The treadmill is useful for patients with ankle, knee and hip injuries, as well as post-operative patients and recent amputees who are getting used to their prosthetic limb(s).

Physical Therapy Clinic receives new equipment

Published Feb. 26, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Maria Bowman
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Scott's Physical Therapy Clinic recently received new equipment, which will increase their capability to evaluate and treat ankle, foot, knee and hip injuries, and puts them on the cutting edge of running rehab and training.

"Our goal at Scott PT is to provide the best in injury and surgery rehab and prevention as well as sport enhancement," said Capt. Rett Reber, 375th Medical Group's physical therapy element chief. "Military members are athletes, and we aim to help them perform better and get back in the game sooner. [Our new] tools fit into the larger picture of what we do."

One new piece of equipment is the AlterG Antigravity Treadmill.

"This device uses air pressure to lift the patient up while running on a treadmill," Reber said. "Up to 80 percent of the person's body weight can be lifted. It's perfect for patients with ankle, foot, knee or hip injuries who wish to run again. They can run with much less impact and less pain."

To do so, patients don special shorts, step onto the treadmill and get connected to the machine before running.

"I like how it takes the weight off your legs," said Reber said after testing the equipment for the first time. "My legs felt like they were able to move more freely. There is less pain--I can see my feet and how I was running, so I could make adjustments."

The PT Clinic also added two new running gait training tools.

"The Gait Analysis System is a sophisticated treadmill with high speed cameras and pressure sensors embedded in the tread," Reber said. "This allows the physical therapist to slow down video of the patient or athlete in order to see errors in running form. The pressure sensors allow the physical therapists to quantify impact loads on the feet as the person is running. With that information, the physical therapists can train individuals and give exercise techniques to improve running efficiency."

The new equipment is available only for active-duty members, Reserve or Guard on active-duty orders. Patients must get a referral from their doctor and meet with the physical therapist who will determine if the treatment and equipment would be beneficial.

Maj. Jon Ehrenfried, 375th MDG physical therapy and chiropractic flight commander, said he plans to allow more people access to the gait analysis equipment in the future, since it's currently only being used by Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine patients.

However, he plans to work with the Health and Wellness Center to extend that service to non-patient active duty and family members.