Periodic Acceleration Therapy (PAT)

Whenever you exercise your body produces a chemical compound called Nitric Oxide (NO) that confers all kinds of health benefits. For instance, lining of blood vessels in your body will take in NO and respond by sending signals that tell smooth muscle that surrounds blood vessels to relax. This increases blood flow to various organs and tissues. It also plays a role in mobilizing stem cells from your bone marrow that participate in body maintenance and healing activities throughout the human body.

For people who cannot get the exercise they need due to arthritic or other health issues, time spent doing Periodic Acceleration Therapy is a sound alternative. Many studies have been carried out that clearly indicate that an hour or so spent doing Periodic Acceleration Therapy has the same impact on the body as doing moderate exercise for the same length of time.

In addition to its positive effects on circulation, Periodic Acceleration Therapy also relaxes muscles and relieves aches and pains all over.

How exactly does a Periodic Acceleration Therapy device work? In-a-word, with the patient laying prone on the motorized treatment platform, this is moved back-and-forth (head-to-foot) approximately 140 times a minute, over a distance of 12 to 16 mm (Just under ½ inches to 5/8 inches.)  A typical treatment session runs 30 to 45 minutes. What this does is generate small pulses in the patient’s bloodstream that are superimposed on the body’s natural pulse. One effect of this is that it creates “shear stress” on blood vessel walls that gets them to churn out NO.

Dr. Steenblock employs Periodic Acceleration Therapy in the treatment of various circulatory and other medical conditions, as well as to help mobilize stem cells either as a standalone measure or as part of preparing a patient for a stem cell rich bone marrow transplant.