Optimizing Performance, Not Just Recovery: How Athletes Use AlterG to Fine-Tune Mechanics

Injury rehab isn't the only reason to step onto the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. At  Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, we use the AlterG in combination with video gait analysis not just to help athletes return to sport—but to help them perform better in it.

From runners and triathletes to field sport athletes, this high-tech pairing offers a unique opportunity to enhance performance, fine-tune biomechanics, and stay one step ahead of injury.

Beyond Rehab: A New Frontier for Performance

Most athletes focus on mileage, strength, and speed—but often overlook the efficiency of how they move. Even small biomechanical flaws can lead to energy leaks, overuse injuries, and performance plateaus.

Combining bodyweight-supported running on the AlterG with video gait analysis helps uncover and correct these inefficiencies in a way that standard training cannot.

1. Enhancing Running Economy

By reducing gravitational load, athletes can run longer and faster at lower physical cost. This enables:

• More focus on cadence, stride length, and foot strike

• Repetition of ideal patterns without fatigue interference

• Reduced wear on joints during technique drills

• Smoother integration of form changes over time

Training in a lower-impact environment makes it easier to build motor control without the noise of fatigue or pain.

2. Visual Feedback = Faster Learning

Seeing is believing. Video gait analysis lets athletes observe:

• Knee or hip valgus during stance

• Asymmetrical arm or trunk motion

• Overstriding or excessive heel striking

• Poor push-off mechanics

• Lateral sway or pelvic drop

This real-time and slow-motion footage, paired with expert cueing, gives athletes instant feedback and correction strategies, accelerating their learning curve.

3. Injury Prevention Through Proactive Assessment

Many overuse injuries develop long before pain appears. Gait analysis on the AlterG allows sports medicine professionals and physical therapists to detect:

• Strength imbalances

• Limb dominance

• Compensations from prior injuries

• Early signs of faulty loading patterns

Athletes can then address these issues with targeted strength and mobility programming—avoiding breakdowns before they happen.

Ideal for Peak Season, Off-Season, and Transition Phases

Whether you're ramping up for a race, coming back from downtime, or looking to optimize form before competition, AlterG + video analysis offers:

• Safe, efficient biomechanical tuning
• Reduced impact with real-world specificity
• Objective metrics to guide training modifications

It's a smart way to train smarter, not harder.

Take Your Stride to the Next Level

If you’re a healthy athlete looking to maximize your performance and minimize injury risk, don’t wait until you’re hurt. Let our team at  Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. help you optimize your stride, movement quality, and running economy—before the pain cycle ever begins.

Contact Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. today to schedule a performance-based gait analysis session on the AlterG. Book online or call now.

Author

Peter Wenger, MD Peter C. Wenger, MD, is an orthopedic and non-operative sports injury specialist at Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C., in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He is board certified in both family medicine and sports medicine. Dr. Wenger brings a unique approach to sports medicine care with his comprehensive understanding of family medicine, sports medicine, and surgery. As a multisport athlete himself, he understands a patient’s desire to safely return to their sport.