Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training

Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training (BWSTT) is an approach for gait training that involves the unloading of the lower extremities by supporting a percentage of a patient’s body weight via an overhead suspension system. The patient is strapped into a harness which un-weights the body as the patient walks on a treadmill.  Current studies show that the use of body weight-supported treadmill training leads to a better recovery of ambulation, with positive effects on walking speed, endurance, and physical assistance required to walk.  At Shoreline Physical Therapy, we utilize the Biodex Unweighting System.  The Biodex Unweighing System enables partial weight-bearing therapy to be conducted with the assurance of patient comfort and safety, and with convenient access to the patient for manual assistance and observation.

Benefits of Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training:

• It integrates all essential components of gait: upright posture, weight-bearing, swing-phase (stepping), and balance.

• It facilitates symmetrical gait patterns.

• It discourages the development of compensatory strategies (i.e. bad habits) that are often seen in gait training with walking aides, which may promote an asymmetrical gait pattern.

• It allows your therapist to safely initiate gait training earlier in the rehabilitation process.

• It provides immediate feedback to the patient and often increases their motivation and participation.

• It allows for cardiovascular fitness for patients who would otherwise be sedentary.

Who can benefit from Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training:

Potential Diagnostic Categories

• Stroke

• Brain Injury

• Spinal Cord Injury

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Polyneuropathy