Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill for Functional Improvement in Knee Conditions

Clinical Evidence and Guidelines

• The British Journal of Sports Medicine guidelines note that backward walking on an inclined treadmill can significantly improve knee joint proprioception in early and intermediate phases after ACL reconstruction 1, 2
• The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends low-impact aerobic fitness exercises, which LBPP treadmill walking would qualify as, for knee osteoarthritis 4, 5
• Strength training for lower limbs has been shown to reduce pain effectively (ES 0.53, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.79) and improve physical function (ES 0.58, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.88) in knee OA patients, according to the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 6, 7
• A systematic review of 23 RCTs found no significant difference between body-weight support treadmill training and conventional overground training for stroke rehabilitation, as reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine 3