--- title: "Use anti-gravity treadmill: rehab operated achilles tendon. | Sutter Health" description: "Confirmed hypothesis that being able to run at 85% of body weight after Achilles surgery was sufficient to clear patients to run outside." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/anti-gravity-treadmill-achilles-tendon-rehab-1055312414" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Use anti-gravity treadmill: rehab operated achilles tendon. # Use of an anti-gravity treadmill in the rehabilitation of the operated achilles tendon: a pilot study. Saxena A & Granot A. _J Foot Ankle Surg. 50(5):558-61. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2011.04.045. Epub 2011 Jun 23. Send to:_ 2011-09-01 ## Abstract Achilles surgical patients were evaluated using an "anti-gravity" Alter-G (AG) treadmill that allows for reduction of weightbearing pressure on the lower extremity. We studied our hypothesis, which was based on our prior clinical findings, that being able to run on the AG treadmill at 85% of body weight is sufficient to clear patients to run with full body weight outside. Patients undergoing Achilles tendon rupture or insertional repair surgery were prospectively studied. They were compared with a control group that had similar surgeries and a similar rehabilitation program during the same time period: the variable was not using the AG treadmill. The criteria for the study group to be allowed to run outside was being able to run for at least 10 minutes on the AG at 85% of body weight. Each group had 8 patients who underwent surgery for 2 complete tendon ruptures and 6 insertional repairs. There was no significant difference between the AG and control group as to age and postoperative follow-up. AG patients began their initial run on the treadmill at 70% of their body weight at 13.9 ± 3.4 weeks, 85% at 17.6 ± 3.9 weeks, and outside running at 18.1 ± 3.9 weeks. The control group's return to running outside time was 20.4 ± 4.1 weeks. This was not significantly different (p = .27). We confirmed our hypothesis that being able to run at 85% of body weight after Achilles surgery was sufficient to clear patients to run outside. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21703879) ## Research topics - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Hallux valgus surgery in the athlete: current evidence.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/hallux-valgus-surgery-in-the-athlete-current-evidence-1055312383) Fournier M, Saxena A, Maffulli N. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2018 Nov 14. pii: S1067-2516(18)30183-2. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2018.04.003. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2018 Nov 14 - Publication ### [Safe zone for placement of talar screws when fusing the ankle with an anterior plating system.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/place-talar-screws-ankle-fused-anterior-plating-1055312984) Haskell A, Dedini R, Dini M. Foot Ankle Int. 36(6):730-5. doi: 10.1177/1071100715571440. Epub 2015 Feb 9. 2015 Jun 01 - Publication ### [Synovial chondromatosis of the ankle: report of two cases with 23 and 126 loose bodies.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/synovial-chondromatosis-of-the-ankle-1055312460) Saxena A, St Louis M. J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(16)00130-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2016.02.009. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Apr 05 - Publication ### [Treatment of medial tibial stress syndrome with radial soundwave therapy in elite athletes: current evidence, report on two cases, and proposed treatment regimen.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/medial-tibial-stress-syndrome-radial-soundwave-therapy-1055312476) Saxena A, Fullem B, Gerdesmeyer L. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2017 Sep - Oct;56(5):985-989. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2017.06.013. Review. 2017 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes: a pilot study.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/radial-soundwave-sesamoidopathy-athletes-1055312521) Saxena A, Yun A, Patel R, Gerdesmeyer L, Maffulli N. J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(16)30186-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2016.07.024. \[Epub ahead of print\] Send to 2016 Sep 08 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/anti-gravity-treadmill-achilles-tendon-rehab-1055312414#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Use anti-gravity treadmill: rehab operated achilles tendon."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/anti-gravity-treadmill-achilles-tendon-rehab-1055312414#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Use of an anti-gravity treadmill in the rehabilitation of the operated achilles tendon: a pilot study.","headline":"Use anti-gravity treadmill: rehab operated achilles tendon.","abstract":"Achilles surgical patients were evaluated using an \"anti-gravity\" Alter-G (AG) treadmill that allows for reduction of weightbearing pressure on the lower extremity. We studied our hypothesis, which was based on our prior clinical findings, that being able to run on the AG treadmill at 85% of body weight is sufficient to clear patients to run with full body weight outside. Patients undergoing Achilles tendon rupture or insertional repair surgery were prospectively studied. They were compared with a control group that had similar surgeries and a similar rehabilitation program during the same time period: the variable was not using the AG treadmill. The criteria for the study group to be allowed to run outside was being able to run for at least 10 minutes on the AG at 85% of body weight. Each group had 8 patients who underwent surgery for 2 complete tendon ruptures and 6 insertional repairs. There was no significant difference between the AG and control group as to age and postoperative follow-up. AG patients began their initial run on the treadmill at 70% of their body weight at 13.9 ± 3.4 weeks, 85% at 17.6 ± 3.9 weeks, and outside running at 18.1 ± 3.9 weeks. The control group's return to running outside time was 20.4 ± 4.1 weeks. This was not significantly different (p = .27). 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