Antigravity treadmill training improves muscle function in people with MS
Antigravity treadmill training can improve muscle endurance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), even in the presence of moderate-to-severe disability, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Georgia and the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
Past studies have shown that endurance training can improve muscle function and mobility in people with MS. However, those with moderate-to-severe levels of disability have substantial mobility impairments that limit participation in traditional exercise activities such as walking, running, cycling, and more.
“Antigravity treadmill systems use lower body positive pressure to deliver body weight support, providing a safe way for people with significant walking impairments to participate in treadmill exercise training,” said Brad Willingham, an alumnus of the UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education and primary author of the study. “Using a multidisciplinary approach, we found that antigravity treadmill training can improve muscle metabolism and endurance in people with MS who have substantial impairments.”
Conducted in collaboration with UGA’s Exercise Muscle Physiology Lab in the Department of Kinesiology and the Andrew C. Carlos Multiple Sclerosis Institute at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, the study analyzed six participants across 16 sessions consisting of a 2-minute warmup, a 20-minute exercise training period, and a 2-minute cool down.