Antigravity Treadmill Therapy After Lower Extremity Fractures​

Antigravity treadmills, popularized by the leading AlterG brand, use pressurized air to reduce effective body weight by up to 80%. Long employed by high-profile athletes, the technology now raises the question of whether it can help everyday fracture patients.

Testing antigravity therapy 

A recent trial examined whether antigravity treadmill therapy improves recovery after lower extremity fractures compared to standard care.

• 78 patients with knee and distal tibia fractures were randomized to 10 weeks of antigravity treadmill therapy versus standard care.

• Distal tibia fracture patients trended toward better ankle outcomes with antigravity therapy (p = 0.05), which was the largest difference in the study.

• No significant difference in six-month function scores was found for knee fracture patients.

• No differences in fracture healing or complication rates were found between groups.

• Patients on the antigravity treadmill reported significantly higher satisfaction at six weeks and three months.

What this means for patients

Antigravity treadmill therapy did not outperform standard care overall. However, its safety profile, higher patient satisfaction, and potential benefit for distal tibia fractures make it worth considering if it's accessible for patients.