The ATM 2 (Active Therapeutic Movement) is a medical rehab device that restores function and eliminates painful bending or movement patterns by applying belts to the body’s painful area, then instructing a patient to perform resistance exercises. The process by which this rehab therapy works is simple, we are re-training the body’s central nervous system with a new muscle activation pattern. It also could be described as tricking the bodies CNS by using belts, shifting the pelvis, and adding different pressures to muscles and creating a new and “correct” muscle firing pattern. The theory of shunting the body’s painful movement patterns by applying a belting system and resistance training was first thought of by a famous PT by the name of Brian Mulligan.
“Brian Mulligan is an author, educator and developer of the world renowned Mulligan Concept for treating musculoskeletal disorders. He has been teaching manual therapy internationally since 1972 and was rated as the seventh most influential therapist in the world in a survey conducted by Advance for Physical Therapy Journal. He stated in his recently published fifth edition book, “This incredible apparatus has further enhanced my ability to treat the lumbar spine. When indicated it is instantly beneficial and the results obtained are gained without pain.” Source: Back-Project Corporation
Then, the ATM 2 Pro was designed and developed by Steve Hoffman and the Back-Project Corporation. It has been used by many Physical Therapists, Chiropractors and many other health care professionals worldwide. ATM rehab is a robust phenomenon that will if instructed and applied correctly, show results immediately in a patient’s bending pain and ROM limitations.