Saints’ High Performance Manager, Peter Burge, said the Alter G is one of the best rehabilitation tools for AFL players because of its ability to replicate a normal running routine - but with less impact.
“It has a bag around the treadmill which you step into and it inflates,” described Peter Burge.
“We can adjust the body weight of the athlete that is running in it to a percentage of their body weight.”
“It can unload their joints and can give them a workout but without the stress and the impact that they’d normally get outside”
The unique treadmill is used by three categories of players at the St Kilda Football Club: those who are injured and need rehabilitation, older players who are starting to age and those who need to rebuild their fitness levels.
“The third category doesn’t generally apply to St Kilda players, but occasionally players need to get into shape. They can do extra cross-training on the Alter G because they can run faster but with less stress, so they’re not affected for the next session.”
29-year-old Club stalwart Nick Riewoldt uses the machine on a weekly basis, and said it works well for his training.
“Early in the week it’s good to get on and rather than go out and have a run around the oval this takes a lot of the impact out of your training,” Nick Riewoldt said.
”It just basically feels like a little lighter than you are. You don’t have that jarring sort of impact feeling when you’re doing a normal running session and you feel pretty good when you get off.”
The Musashi High Performance Report gives Saints fans an inside look into the St Kilda Football players’ training routines.
