Red Cross helps service members defy gravity

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) --  American Red Cross volunteers and members of the 374th Medical Group gathered at the physical therapy clinic here May 11 for the dedication of an AlterG zero-gravity treadmill.

The treadmill is designed to help patients recover in rehabilitation following injury or surgery of the hip, knee, ankle or foot, as well as strengthening and conditioning for older patients.

The treadmill was donated by the ARC as part of its military outreach program. The program was started in 2008 after the ARC received a $20 million appropriation from Congress to provide services to injured and sick service members. The fund was later expanded to include additional benefits for military facilities around the world.

"We work with the 374th Medical Group to buy equipment and programs that would help enhance patient care," said Mary Basiliere, the ARC senior station manager here. "The anti-gravity treadmill is going to be a great asset for patients recovering from lower-body injuries."

The treadmill is the first of its kind for the Air Force; it is available for service members throughout the area, as well as those who come to Yokota Air Base for treatment.

The treadmill was designed using technology developed by NASA and further developed by AlterG. It allows air pressure to inflate a skirt around the base of the treadmill into a bubble, making the treadmill resemble a bumper car.

The air pressure inside the bubble skirt can be increased or decreased to counter the weight of the runner to varying degrees, going as low as 20 percent of the runner's body weight.

"The treadmill is a welcome addition to the department," said Maj. Jeremy Skabelund, the 374th Surgical Operations Squadron physical medicine element chief. "I look forward to using it. It will allow us to get people back on their feet a lot sooner."