Scoop® and TheraScoop® are designed to facilitate a circular motion with your feet. This is what engages the muscles you want to engage. If you pedal down too hard, as if you are on a bicycle, you might find that the machine pushes away from you. Instead, concentrate on lifting your knees up. Imagine your feet are drawing a circle, like following the hands around a clock. This is the correct motion, and if you pedal this way, the machine will not push away from you. If the machine pushes away from you, it is your cue that you need to focus on that crucial circular motion. For a demonstration, see this video.

Yes, on Scoop® you may adjust the tension from no tension (knob turned all the way to the left or counter clockwise) to moderate tension (knob turned all the way to the right or clockwise). Because Scoop® is primarily for therapy, heavy tension is not recommended. On TheraScoop®, you have 8 distinct tension settings and you can adjust it from light resistance to high resistance. This means that TheraScoop® can double as a true workout machine as well as to provide therapy when used with the lower resistance levels.

Some customers use this therapy daily, while some do a few sessions per week. While it is always important to listen to your own body (and of course to follow the recommendation of your PT or healthcare professional) we typically recommend working up to three - four 20 minutes sessions per week. If you are are recovering from injury, very weakened or in severe pain, we want you to start very slowly, perhaps simply a few minutes per session. It is important to remember that lateral training is zero impact and will not harm even bone-on-bone joints, yet it is working muscles that most of us have not worked in a very long time, so there could be some muscle soreness afterwards. After your first workout, evaluate how you feel and wait for any soreness to subside before you start your next session. Then, gradually build up to longer and longer sessions by adding one to two minutes per workout. Remember to alternate directions throughout the session. Finally, our free classes on Facebook are always an excellent way to learn more and to get expert advice.

Lateral trainers work more muscles than traditional pedalers, and they go in two different directions to allow you to focus on different muscle groups. When you are pedaling so that your right foot is going clockwise (pedaling 'out'), you are adding an extra focus to your hips and outer thighs. When you are pedaling so that your right foot is going counter-clockwise (pedaling 'in'), you are adding an extra focus to your inner thighs. We recommend switching throughout your workout to ensure a balanced workout. Please watch the video for more.

Yes! You may wear bare feet, socks or flat soled shoes of any kind.