Dana Fowler

Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jalston Fowler looks to be making strides in his comeback from a season-ending knee injury.

The junior from Mobile suffered the injury during the Tide’s 35-0 victory over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The loss of Fowler was a blow to the offensive scheme of first-year offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who had used Fowler at H-back in the I-formation early in the season.

In this photo, Fowler is running with the aid of an AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill, which uses air pressure to reduce body weight in order to reduce impact on joints during exercise. This allows the patient to go through range-of-motion exercises without putting damaging pressure on the injured joints or bones. According to one facility that uses this machine, it allows a patient to run at between 20 and 1oo percent of normal body weight.

While there’s no exact time table for Fowler’s recovery, it’s apparent Fowler is making strides in his attempt to be ready for the 2013 season.