science and technology


Anti-gravity Treadmill Bolsters Physical Therapy


anti-gravity treadmill at the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center. Cristin is recovering from recent spinal-fusion surgery and training to qualify for the Olympic marathon trials.


F “The treadmill allows me to train at a percentage of my body weight,


which eliminates a lot of pounding on muscles and joints,” Cristin said. She already carries a couple of extra pounds of titanium hardware, thanks to


the surgery that has resolved lingering numbness and weakness in her left leg resulting from a traumatic bike crash in 2000. Called the AlterG, the treadmill can “remove” a percentage or even all of a person’s body weight during running exercises,


allowing a rehabilitation patient to begin exercises earlier and potentially heal faster. It is helpful for athletes or a wide range of other patients, such as those recovering from ACL surgery, hip replacement, tendon repair, stroke or obese patients.


“It is one of the many tools available to the experts in our comprehensive physical therapy department,” said Michael


Ribar, the center’s head athletic trainer and performance-enhancement coordinator. Through the Sports Medicine Center, patients can access fellowship-trained Medical College of Wisconsin physicians, certified athletic trainers, registered dietitians and physical therapists. They work together to help patients recover or enhance athletic performance.


“Mike and the staff are the reason I can keep training,” said Cristin. “They’re second to none.” Very few sports/rehabilitation centers offer the AlterG anti-gravity treadmill. To reserve a session, call the Sports Medicine Center at 414-805-7114. n


qual i ty Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s — Or Something Else Entirely?


Also known as “water on the brain,” it occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up deep in the brain and compresses it. “NPH can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms are not specific and often overlap with many


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other disorders common in older people,” said Malgorzata Franczak, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin neurologist and director of the NPH Program at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin. It is the only program in Wisconsin dedicated to diagnosing and treating NPH.


Diagnosis of NPH is based on a patient’s history, a thorough physical and neurological examination


and brain imaging, such as a CT or MRI scan and testing to confirm it. The NPH program uses a multidisciplinary team approach, including experts in neurology, neurosurgery,


neuropsychology, physical therapy and radiology who offer the most comprehensive treatment options. “We test to determine which patients with NPH will respond to treatment,” Dr. Franczak said. Physicians


remove fluid and assess if the patient’s symptoms improved. If so, the patient may be treated with a shunt, a small catheter that will continue to drain excess fluid from the brain. For those with NPH who are not candidates for the surgery, the program works to relieve negative symptoms and maximize functioning.


Dementia caused by NPH (about 5 percent of all dementia cases) is one of the few causes of


dementia that is treatable if caught early. An estimated 200,000 to 375,000 Americans have NPH, with many more undiagnosed and, therefore, never properly treated.


or call 414-805-3666 or 800-272-3666. n


n MALGORZATA FRANCZAK, MD


Dr. Franczak emphasized the importance of a thorough workup in patients who have NPH symptoms: “The condition


gets progressively worse if left untreated or is misdiagnosed and will eventually lead to death.” Patients may be referred to the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin NPH Program by their physician,


froedtert.com Froedtert Today May 2011 5


emory loss and difficulty walking for an older adult might readily suggest Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. As we age, bladder control problems are also common. But together, these three symptoms could point to something else — an under-diagnosed but treatable condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).


or weekend athletes, elite athletes or other patients in physical therapy, less is more when it comes to weight and rehabilitating from injuries. Just ask Cristin Van Driel of Grafton, who uses a new


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