Health and Medical Applications

When rehabilitating from a lower extremity injury or surgery unweighting exercise can play a part in returning range of motion, building strength, and assisting in proprioceptive retraining. As the most technologically advanced anti-gravity system available, the G-Trainer provides precise control over progressive weight bearing and natural gait mechanics.

Many lower extremity rehabilitation programs stress the importance of becoming mobile as soon as possible after injury or surgery. Unweighting is a natural choice for many therapists and patients because pain or other limitations are often a factor. Because the G-Trainer is comfortable, does not restrict mobility, and allows for natural body movement without the resistance of water or restrictions of a harness, it is quickly becoming the preferred unweighting system.

As a general rule of thumb, every day someone doesn't exercise requires a workout day to return to their level of fitness. This applies regardless of why they missed a workout, whether due to injury, surgery, or simply watching a movie instead. The implication is clear—the less time away from exercise the less the impact on aerobic capacity.

Going to the movies instead of exercising is a personal choice, but recovering from injury or surgery or dealing with other weight-bearing limitations is not. The G-Trainer's anti-gravity technology allows an individual to reduce their body weight up to 80% in precise 1% increments. This reduces the impact force on their body and protects tissue recovery while providing a full range of motion and unrestricted mobility. The G-Trainer's exceptional performance, running surface, and heart rate feedback give the clinician all the tools required to achieve full aerobic recovery of their patients.

Weight control is highly dependent on balancing the number of calories taken in by the number of calories burned. A healthy diet is key, but exercise is also vital. Unfortunately, obesity-related mobility limitations can make even moderate exercise programs difficult. The G-Trainer allows individuals to reduce their body weight making it easier to begin a regular walking program. As they become stronger and the weight begins to come off, the G-Trainer lets them gradually increase the incline, speed, and body weight percentage to move them toward more vigorous exercise. They're able to watch their progress on the user interface which can be a great mood booster—and a person's mood is widely recognized has having an impact on their attitude toward exercise and determination to stick with their program.

One of the first applications of unweighted exercise was the rehabilitation of patients with neurological conditions including individuals who had suffered a stroke or brain injury. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of this approach for improving gait symmetry and speed.* The G-Trainer allows a reduction of body weight as much as 80% with a zero starting speed and increases in increments of .1 mph.

For patients with these conditions, the uncomfortable nature of a harness system can be an unnecessary strain and patients may not be willing to get in and out of water to achieve unweighting. Clinicians prescribe the G-Trainer because it provides a comfortable, safe, and secure environment for retraining, and it achieves this without compromising gait mechanics.

Loss of strength and overall conditioning can lead to numerous health complications and disabilities for older individuals. For instance, many clinicians feel that hip fractures are often a result of poor ambulation due to muscular weakness.

Studies indicate older individuals are very capable of significant improvements in both muscle strength and aerobic capacity given appropriate exercise protocols. However, older individuals are often faced with mobility challenges that make exercising difficult. Because the G-Trainer allows them to reduce their body weight, while maintaining balance and natural body movement, it gives them the opportunity to progressively condition while reducing the risk of falling.

*These studies have used halter/treadmill systems. The G-Trainer has not been evaluated for this particular application.

The contents of this website are designed to educate readers on the benefits of the G-Trainer when used for training or rehabilitation. At no time should the information on this website be used to replace the knowledge and expertise of the physician, rehabilitation specialist or athletic trainer. Consult a health care professional before engaging in any physical activity.