Active Passive Trainers (APT) vs. Pedal Exercise Machines: Which is Right for Your Patients?

For clinicians prescribing exercise equipment to help rehabilitate lower-limb injuries, the choice comes down to one important question – does your patient need assistance to move, or are they ready to generate the movement themselves? Active Passive Trainers (APT) and pedal exercise machines both come with a  simple pedalling action to support circulation, joint mobility, and muscle activation, but they’re designed for very different points on the rehabilitation pathway.

Choosing the right device for the right time in a patient’s recovery journey can make a meaningful difference to the recovery outcome. This guide breaks down how APT trainers and pedal exercise machines differ, as well as what to take into consideration when recommending either equipment to a patient.

What is an Active Passive Trainer (APT)?

An APT is a motorised device designed to help users get their upper and lower legs moving. It is most commonly used in physical therapy and aged care facilities.

In Passive Mode the motorised pedals or handles, gently rotate while the user holds on. For patients with little or no muscle control it promotes blood circulation and helps to maintain joint flexibility and muscle tone without physical exertion.

In Active Mode the patient engages their own muscles to pedal with, or move against adjustable resistance. This mode helps build cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and joint mobility.

Features of an APT include:

• Spasm Detection. Many of the advanced APTs feature intelligent spasm and seizure detection. If a patient’s muscles lock up while using the equipment, the motor reverses direction to help release the tension of those muscles.
• Versatility. The units can be put on the floor for leg work, or on a table for arm work.
• Rehabilitation Support. These units are widely used for patients recovering from strokes or spinal cord injuries as well as seniors maintaining physical function.

Access Health has an active passive trainer that can sit under a desk, the E-Cycle APT. This product lets patients work both arms and legs from one unit, with four resistance levels for active exercise and smooth forward/reverse cycling for passive exercise. A slow-starting motor and built-in 15/30/45 minute timer make sessions safe and easy to structure. Available standard or with calf supports for extra stability. Enquire now to learn more.

What is a Pedal Exercise Machine?

A pedal exercise machine, or mini exercise bike, is a compact and portable fitness device with a set of pedals mounted on a small base. A user can perform low-impact pedalling exercises while seated and can be put under the desk while they work, or can be put on a table for arm workouts.

Usually they are a manual device where a user needs to engage their own muscles to push the pedals around the device. The resistance of the pedals can be increased or decreased manually with the adjusting knob.

Some of the pedalling can be motorised to assist with movement. It’s good for physical therapy and senior fitness, and is a good way to get people up to manual peddling in their recovery journey.

Better units have a digital display to show you the time, distance and other stats and figures, so your patients know how much they have exercised. While they may feel good pedalling for miles, sometimes too much exercise can be damaging during recovery.

The features of a pedal exercise machine include:

• Low Impact. Pedalling is a low impact workout, low stress on the joints. This makes pedalling ideal for patients with arthritis or people recovering from hip, knee or ankle surgeries.
• Multitasking. The compact size of these machines mean a user can sit at their desk working, while pedalling beneath the desk. Or they can perform the exercises while watching TV, reading, sitting at a table eating dinner, you name it.
• Rehabilitation. It is a great rehab exercise device to improve joint mobility, coordination and blood circulation.
• Accessibility. These machines give a person basic cardiovascular exercise without the need to stand, balance, be at the mercy of the elements or pay out for gym membership or expensive gym equipment at home.

The Access Deluxe Pedal Exerciser is a compact, foldable option for legs and arms, with adjustable resistance and a built-in LCD tracking time, reps, and calories burned. Non-slip rubber feet keep it stable during use, and it folds flat for easy storage under a bed or chair. Enquire now.

Key differences at a glance

Both APT trainers and pedal exercise machines offer low-impact cycling exercise for both the lower and upper body, so they are very similar. However, they serve different purposes. Here are the differences laid out for you.

Floor pedal exercisers – A quick note on form factor

There are three main kinds of floor pedal exercisers, being manual mini-bikes, under-desk ellipticals and motorised sitters. How much space is available can determine which style of pedal exerciser someone may purchase. Different machines also dictate how a person will pedal, either with a bicycle motion or a stepping motion.

1. Manual Mini Exercise Bike.
   This has a classic bicycle pedal motion and will have knees moving up and down which requires vertical clearance beneath a desk. Most units have adjustable resistance and are good for both home and office rehabilitation use. When using this device avoid having a rolling office chair, as the act of pushing the pedals will push the chair backwards.
2. Under-desk Ellipticals.
   Legs perform a flatter, elongated stepping motion rather than a cycling motion. They fit better under a desk as their knees won’t rise as much and are quite popular for use in the office due to the fact that the space under the desk is minimal, and the movement is actually quite quiet when in use.
3. Motorised Pedal Exercisers.
   Again, a classic pedalling motion, but motorised so it does the work for the patient. They are similar to pedal exercise machines in that the knees require vertical space to move into, however as the machine is doing the work, rather than the user pushing, wheeled chairs are generally fine. Be aware they do need an electrical port to be plugged into, to work.

Which should you recommend?

When making recommendations for your patients, consider these things before prescribing one or the other of these pedalling machines:

Recommend an Active Passive Trainer to your patients if:

• They are recovering from surgery such as knee or hip surgery; have suffered a stroke; spinal cord injury or managing a neurological condition, such as Parkinson’s or MS.
• They have limited muscle strength or range of motion and need motor-assisted range-of-motion therapy.
• It is a good idea for built-in safety features like spasm-detection and biofeedback on left-and-right symmetry.

Recommend a pedal Exercise Machine if:

• Your client would like an affordable under-the-desk option to stay active while they work or watch TV at home.
• Your patient has sufficient strength to pedal on their own and they want to maintain joint mobility and blood circulation.
• Your patient isn’t needing heavy clinical rehabilitation or recovery, and just wants casual exercise routines.

Active passive trainers and pedal exercise machines both have a place in a well-equipped rehabilitation toolkit, but they’re designed to meet patients at different stages of recovery. APT units are built for patients who need motor-assisted movement, while pedal exercisers suit patients who have the strength and control to drive their own movement and simply need a low-impact way to maintain mobility, circulation, and cardiovascular fitness.

For many patients, the right equipment will change as they progress through recovery. Starting on an APT in passive or assistive mode and graduating to a manual pedal exerciser as strength returns can be a natural part of a rehabilitation pathway, giving patients a sense of progress along the way.

Access Health stocks a range of APT units and pedal exercise machines suited to clinical and home-based rehabilitation settings. Browse the full APT range or pedal exercisers to find the right fit for your patients, or get in touch with our team for tailored equipment advice.