AlterG® Success Story Monica Caban Establishes Foundation to Help Fellow Injured Athletes

San Antonio triathlete and Promotion Physical Therapy patient Monica Caban has launched Now You See Me Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping injured athletes, like herself, rebuild their lives.

Caban is among many athletes who have discovered the benefits of the AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill for training and rehabilitation. Despite suffering a severe spinal cord injury and partial paralysis from a bicycle training accident in 2012, this courageous athlete will compete in her second Ironman in 2016 thanks to self determination, extraordinary advances in physical therapy and the financial wherewithal provided by her foundation, Now You See Me.

"Monica is recovering incredibly from her accident," says Lori Green, Now You See Me Foundation director. "She is out of the chair, swimming, biking and walking better every day."

NOW you see me
Struck by a motorist in October 2012 just weeks before the 2012 Arizona Ironman, Caban found her life turned upside down without the income to keep up with medical treatment and rehabilitation. Friends in cycling, swimming and running communities rallied behind Caban, and what began as grassroots fundraising to offset these expenses evolved into a 501(c) 3 with a mission to help other athletes with debilitating training-related injuries.

The Now You See Me Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support and assistance to athletes, primarily cyclists and runners in Texas, who have suffered traumatic, disabling injuries while training. It also aims to support funding for spinal cord research, and continues to advocate for bicycle awareness.

The AlterG® at work
Once Caban was able to propel her legs forward, she began therapy on the AlterG®. She started out, just over a year from the date of her accident, using 30 percent of her body weight, and can now run for 50 minutes at 2.1 miles per hour using 60 percent body weight.

Promotion Physical Therapy Founder and President Dr. Justin Martindale is excited to reveal, "This is remarkable progress for any athlete, especially someone like Monica who has faced extraordinary physical challenges."

The AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill - the first and only unweighted treadmill - brings unforeseen advances to physical training and rehabilitation. Promotion Physical Therapy, a front runner in physical therapy services, sports training and recovery programs, is pleased to offer this cutting edge therapy to its San Antonio area clients.

Dr. Martindale introduced AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmills to his physical therapy practice after sustaining a traumatic leg injury in 2011 and experiencing the life-changing benefits of unweighted, therapeutic exercise first-hand.  Now, this advanced technology - once only accessible via nationally renowned hospitals and elite training facilities - is available at Promotion Physical Therapy's North Central location.

AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmills utilize NASA-patented Differential Air Pressure "unweighting" technology, which works by inflating an air chamber in order to reduce stress on the body's lower extremities. This allows users to run while supporting as little as 20 percent of their actual body weight.

AlterG® anti-gravity therapy incorporates the three "Ss" - support, safety and stability - to transcend what traditional exercise equipment can accomplish. The many gains AlterG® users experience include:

  • Ability to get moving earlier post-trauma
  • Shortened recovery time from surgery or injury
  • Sustained cardiovascular health during recovery
  • Improved mobility, balance, muscle movement, strength and coordination
  • Uncompromised gait
  • Weight loss
  • More effective recovery overall
  • Motivation and restored self confidence

"It has really restored my confidence in everything, both personally and as an athlete," shares Caban.

Who uses the AlterG®
AlterG® anti-gravity treatment serves a vast following, from patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, stroke and obesity to those recovering from knee replacements and orthopedic injury. The Promotion team is now able to utilize the AlterG® F320 Anti-Gravity Treadmill to treat a broad clientele that includes:

  • Pediatric Patients
  • Obstetric Patients
  • Arthritis Sufferers
  • Podiatry and Orthopedic Referrals
  • NBA, NBL and NBA Athletes
  • Professional Triathletes, Cyclists and Ironman Champions

For Monica Caban, progress unfolds each day. "They are seeing my vision and how hard I am working," she says. "They know how hard to push me."

About AlterG®, Inc.
Fremont, California-based AlterG®, Inc. was founded in 2005 by Sean Whalen, who developed the technology for the first anti-gravity treadmill in his family garage. Having since received the 2010 Gold Medal for Medical Design Excellence Award for this innovation, AlterG®, Inc. now supplies its treadmills and other mobility enhancement products, including Lift Access and the Bionic Leg, to professional athletes and orthopedic patients worldwide.

About Now You See Me Foundation
Founded in 2015 by San Antonio triathlete Monica Caban, Now You See Me Foundation is dedicated to supporting and assisting athletes who have suffered traumatic disabling injuries while training. Its next fundraiser, a 25-mile bike ride, takes place May 31, 2105. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/monicacabansroadtorecovery.

About Promotion Physical Therapy
Promotion Physical Therapy, established in 2005, operates three clinics in the San Antonio area offering comprehensive physical therapy services that include aquatic therapy, vestibular rehabilitation therapy, sports performing training and a host of nutrition and wellness resources. For more information about Promotion Physical Therapy services, visit www.promotionpt-sa.com.