G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmill gets approved by the FDA

Alter-G looks to have been boasting about its G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmill for some time now, but it seems that it's now a whole lot closer to finding itself under your feet someday, as it has now been approved as an actual medical device by the FDA. In case it didn't pop up on your radar, the device itself makes use of a specialized air pressure regulation system to reduce the individuals' effective body weight by up to 80%, with it apparently precise enough to make changes in increments as small as 1%. Of course, Alter-G also seems to be quite confident that the rig is entirely safe but, given some of the predicaments we've seen other, seemingly innocuous treadmills get in, we'd still be a little cautious about strapping ourselves into the thing.

[Via MedGadget]

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 5:27PM]

welcome to the matrix, neo

[Hotrod @ Feb 20th 2008 5:27PM]

So what are the benefits of this? I honestly don't know and I'm curious.

[Ignatius @ Feb 20th 2008 5:29PM]

The less weight, the less energy you need to use to move and the longer you can continue to run?

I dunno.

[Magnulus @ Feb 20th 2008 5:30PM]

I would suppose it's good for people like my fiancée, who has knee issues and can't really run because of it. Probably also good for any people just starting out training, especially people with severe weight issues, as it would allow them to run longer and thus burn more calories.

[disciple83 @ Feb 20th 2008 5:36PM]

Magnulus is right on. Consider this like the big assisted weight machines you see at the gym in their little corner away from the free weights. It is for people just starting out, or maybe needing something lower impact to help reduce the strain on joints.

[Mike @ Feb 20th 2008 6:19PM]

I can understand that it might make working out easier, especially for people that may be overweight. This might help out their knees and other areas but I think there is a large downside to this piece of equipment as well. I imagine that this machine will have smaller results than actual walking or running and this would discourage someone that is new to training or someone that is trying to lose a lot of weight. They will initially like the piece of equipment because its not as difficult as other methods but once they realize the amount of time they are spending and the lack of results I think there will be a high turnover for this machine.

[CHEESEMAN @ Feb 20th 2008 7:22PM]

Magnulus

"...especially people with severe weight issues,..."

i don't see how someone with severe weight issues would be able to fit in that thing.

[tylersmyler @ Feb 20th 2008 7:07PM]

So it's easy on your joints like swimming but your running. hmmmmm..

what happens if that was an anti-gravity elliptical? Wouldn't that be even less strain?

[Mr. Funk @ Feb 20th 2008 8:53PM]

I don't get it. If you only weigh 1% of normal, how will running burn any calories?

[Taylor @ Feb 21st 2008 12:08AM]

Its goals are presumed to be rehabilitative. Athletes and patients who have injuries and/or undergone surgical procedures may not be able to handle full weight bearing on an injured joint or leg. This device will allow rehabilitative clinicians to accurately manipulate the degree of weight bearing at which a patient can exercise, with fewer concerns of re-injury. Intensity will decrease, however the activity of the large muscle groups provides sufficient exercise to minimize loss of cardio-respiratory endurance and promote reductions in swelling and edema in local tissues. As some other comments have posited, this device can assist with patients with repetitive stress and overuse injuries, where the intensity of gravitational force associated with unmodified exercise would predispose new injury or worsen existing injury. I've seen similar devices in high-end gyms and labs, but the FDA approval will hopefully lead to wider acceptance, as ultimately rehabilitative use will become billable to Medicare and other third-party-payer systems (insurance companies, etc.). Any other questions kiddies...

[John @ Feb 20th 2008 5:33PM]

Geeze, I know the dude is a little chubby, but calling him a cow is a bit harsh, don't you think?

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 5:35PM]

how now brown cow

[john @ Feb 20th 2008 5:35PM]

I'd say that if you can't understand what this machine does from an article about the machine, then the article sucks. i don't understand what this machine does or how.

[Esat @ Feb 20th 2008 5:40PM]

Lets hope the pressure system doesn't go haywire... exploding legs do not a good day make.

[Eh @ Feb 20th 2008 5:42PM]

Hence the FDA approval.

[Traceur @ Feb 20th 2008 5:52PM]

They have had one of these at the University of Colorado Biomechanics department for a while now.

[ShadowMaker @ Feb 20th 2008 5:53PM]

I'll wait for the home shopping version of this:
"look how easy it will fold and store under your bed"

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 5:56PM]

here's an idea. it's called bicycle.

[Andrew @ Feb 20th 2008 11:55PM]

here's an idea... run in a swimming pool... or aqua jog, low impact, no risks of explosions or falling off a bike. (might drown though)... good luck fatties!

[Brent @ Feb 20th 2008 5:58PM]

What about INCREASING gravity? Like if I wanted to train with an increased gravitational pull to build leg strength?

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 6:03PM]

it's called incline on your treadmill. or better yet it's called mountain

[Van @ Feb 20th 2008 6:07PM]

Sounds you like you to train in one of those Dragonball Z spaceships with 100X gravity!!!!

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 6:15PM]

dragons have ballz?

[Bobs @ Feb 20th 2008 8:07PM]

And if you can somehow harvest 8 of them, you get a wish.

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 8:38PM]

hey are you the bobs from office space?

[Bobs @ Feb 21st 2008 2:07AM]

Im...not sure.

[Eric Leung @ Feb 21st 2008 5:21AM]

O_o you mean ankle weights?

[bob sakamano @ Feb 20th 2008 5:59PM]

simple: en fuego.

[bob sakamano @ Feb 20th 2008 6:00PM]

simply*

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 6:44PM]

bob: ¿que?

[Notso @ Feb 20th 2008 6:20PM]

I can't wait to check this out at Sharper Image.

Oh...nevermind

[Osiris @ Feb 20th 2008 6:31PM]

How about for people who are having to relearn how to walk after serious injuries?

[Mathew @ Feb 20th 2008 6:35PM]

about half of all dragons have ballz

[Sam @ Feb 20th 2008 6:36PM]

They featured this treadmill in the most recent ESPN magazine in a short article about a marathon runner
Not sure how he got his hands on it

[Charles Levy @ Feb 20th 2008 6:52PM]

Sounds like it's made for people post back surgery where rehab is limited to walking in a pool. It's tough to do that here in Florida once the temperature gets below 85 degrees! Sharper Image went into bankruptcy today so you may want to look elsewhere.

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 6:57PM]

chucky, do you mean to tell me that you'll freeze to death at 75deg F? GTFO! and you don't think Notso was aware of the Sharper Image sitch? give him some credit!

[Charles Levy @ Feb 20th 2008 7:15PM]

It's tough walking in a pool with a winter coat.

[Zack Johnston @ Feb 20th 2008 6:54PM]

For astronauts planning to run marathons on the moon where gravity is 1/6th that on earth.
I hear the Olympics in the year 2108 are scheduled for the dark side of the Moon.
It´s never too early to start training!

[wilson @ Feb 20th 2008 7:21PM]

i'll wait for a gravity increasing machine, a la Dragonball Z.

[Gar @ Feb 20th 2008 7:47PM]

Is it just me, or did it look like he was running inside the ankle of a giant shoe? I thought it was some sort of shoemobile.

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 7:59PM]

i think he offed the old lady who lived there too

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 8:32PM]

i think this dude's a minotaur

[Grey Acumen @ Feb 20th 2008 10:14PM]

Lets see Ok Go do a dance number on THESE

[Allen @ Feb 20th 2008 10:15PM]

To all those who said its for people who are just starting out losing weight and are clinically obese: wouldn't it be cheaper to just get Lipo first, then work out on normal equipment? This thing will cost some serious bucks when it comes out.

[eugene @ Feb 20th 2008 10:27PM]

Gilbert Arenas said he used it while rehabbing his knee

[Jason @ Feb 20th 2008 11:15PM]

I have mixed feelings about this product. On the one hand its a good technological leap forward in exercise gear which can be utilized by many. On the other hand, its a somewhat impractical solution to already solved problems. People doing rehab for back surgery or relearning how to walk can either walk in a (HEATED) pool or on a treadmil with a harness to reduce your weight. Another point as far as increasing your weight to get a more intense workout is one, incline (as others said) or two, get a weighted vest that evenly displaces weight and stays snug.

All in all, i think its just another step forward for the advancement of mankind and should be good for rehab patients as another option to try.

[Jason @ Feb 20th 2008 11:16PM]

I have mixed feelings about this product. On the one hand its a good technological leap forward in exercise gear which can be utilized by many. On the other hand, its a somewhat impractical solution to already solved problems. People doing rehab for back surgery or relearning how to walk can either walk in a (HEATED) pool or on a treadmil with a harness to reduce your weight. Another point as far as increasing your weight to get a more intense workout is one, incline (as others said) or two, get a weighted vest that evenly displaces weight and stays snug.

All in all, i think its just another step forward for the advancement of mankind and should be good for rehab patients as another option to try.

[4.7onN20 @ Feb 21st 2008 1:48AM]

I would like one that increases gravity. So if increasing air pressure makes you lighter the decreasing should make you heavier. Im not sure if id like to stick my lower half into a negative pressure it would feel like everything was being suc..... Wait this sounds like a great idea. :)

[Darkroom @ Feb 21st 2008 4:22AM]

what do you do when you live in a shoe?

[Pyro @ Feb 21st 2008 11:47AM]

Wouldn't some kind of spring-based system work equally well, without giving you that bloated feeling? It also wouldn't need a compressor to pump it up the whole time.