NASA-inspired Technology Now Offered at Harborview Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy to Advance Rehabilitation Treatment

BALTIMORE, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- NRH Regional Rehab, National Rehabilitation Hospital's network of outpatient centers located in Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia, announced that it is now offering the revolutionary AlterG anti-gravity treadmill at its Harborview Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy site, located at Harbor Hospital in Baltimore.  This revolutionary device will now be available to patients undergoing physical therapy, as well as those who wish to use this innovative training tool as part of their workout regimen.

The Harborview site is currently one of only two public facilities in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region offering AlterG's treadmill, which reduces weight on the lower extremities without altering natural body movement, for rehabilitation as well as general training and fitness.

"This equipment will enable our patients to effectively advance their therapy allowing them to achieve more efficient results while decreasing their recovery time," said Josh Billings, physical therapist and the practice's clinic director. "By reducing the weight placed on their joints and muscles, they are able to complete an effective workout with less strain on the body."

The anti-gravity treadmill, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2008 and manufactured by AlterG, Inc., applies a lifting force to the body that enables individuals to comfortably walk or run without putting undue stress on joints and ligaments. Not only does the treadmill give patients the ability to set the exact point where exercise becomes pain free, but the technology also provides clinicians a way to accurately measure patient progress.

In addition to its uses for physical therapy, Harborview Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy will also offer the treadmill to the general public as an exciting new training tool allowing high school athletes, seniors and general fitness enthusiasts to help improve their performance and results.    

"Being able to offer the AlterG treadmill further demonstrates our commitment to providing state-of-the-art physical therapy and training facilities to the Baltimore-Washington region," said Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, president of Harbor Hospital. "In partnership with National Rehabilitation Hospital, we are now able to offer the public technology that will significantly improve physical therapy for individuals recovering from injury or surgery, as well as those suffering from mobility issues, including seniors."

Originally developed by NASA so astronauts could work out in space, the AlterG treadmill is now primarily used for physical therapy and rehabilitation. Previously, this equipment was only available in the Baltimore-Washington area at two private facilities, including Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the Baltimore Ravens' training facility, and the Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. There are currently less than 200 facilities in the nation that offer AlterG treadmills, including government and professional training facilities.

Both Harbor Hospital and National Rehabilitation Hospital are part of MedStar Health, a not-for-profit, regional healthcare system with nine hospitals and more than 20 other health-related services in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., region. MedStar Health's patient-first philosophy emphasizes service, quality and safety, combining compassionate care and clinical excellence. More than a half-million patients trust their care to MedStar Health each year.

For more information about the AlterG or to schedule an appoint please call 410-352-8372 or visit nrhrehab.org.

National Rehabilitation Hospital

National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) is a private, not-for-profit facility with 137 beds located in Northwest Washington, D.C. NRH's services are designed specifically for the rehabilitation of individuals with disabling injuries and illnesses such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury and disease, arthritis, amputations, post-polio syndrome, chronic pain, back and neck pain, occupational injuries, cancer and cardiac disease that require medical rehabilitation, and other neurological and orthopedic conditions. Annually, NRH admits approximately 2,200 inpatients and provides nearly 350,000 ambulatory visits at 34 NRH Regional Rehab outpatient sites located in Washington, D.C., Suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. NRH has appeared on the "Best Hospitals" list in U.S. News & World Report for 16 consecutive years and is currently ranked among the top hospitals for medical rehabilitation in America. NRH is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). NRH has CARF accredited specialty programs for Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, and Stroke. In addition, NRH's Spinal Cord Injury Program has been designated one of only 14 Model SCI Systems of care in the country by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a part of the Department of Education. NRH is a proud member of MedStar Health. For more on NRH, log on to nrhrehab.org.

Harbor Hospital

For more than a century, Harbor Hospital has grown alongside the communities it serves in Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard counties. The hospital was first established in 1903 as a small community clinic servicing the waterfront community in Baltimore. More than 100 years later, the 193-bed hospital continues to offer the personal touch of a community hospital while incorporating the excellence of a high technology medical center. It has been the recipient of the Delmarva Foundation's highest honor, the Excellence Award for Quality for Hospitals, in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010.

With more than 500 physicians representing 30 medical and surgical specialties, and more than 1,500 employees, the hospital offers a full range of health care services for patients from infancy through the senior years. Harbor Hospital's specialty areas include orthopedics, women's services, cancer care, diabetes care, fetal assessment, cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation, and treatment of chronic lung conditions. The hospital's continuum of care also includes wellness programs, outpatient services and inpatient treatment.

SOURCE National Rehabilitation Hospital