GERSTUNG AIRBASE® SUBFLOOR

Research conducted by the scientific and medical community shows the majority of dance and aerobic injuries occur in the legs,feet, and back and appear to be related to the impact of repetitive jumping and dance exercising. Injury experts agree on certain characteristic necessary for an aerobic floor. The floor should absorb the shock of vertical movements. It must be stable for lateral movements and it has to be resilient so the surface springs back into shape. The Gerstung AirBase® system’s shock absorbent and resilient subfloor, a suspended system, helps minimize the chance of injury while providing a stable structure for athletes and dancers.

We developed our subfloor to flex with quick recovery in the immediate vicinity of the foot’s impact. This cushioning feature is followed by a slight rebound, making it a safer floor. Only the Gerstung AirBase® design gives both localized resiliency and shock absorbency on a stable structure. How do we do it?

Gerstung experimented with various materials until the best Energy Blocks™ were developed. They are long lasting, practically indestructible, and support a strong yet relatively thin layer of hardwood veneer plywood that is raised 1 ½” or 2”, depending on the design. An air cushion is created beneath the floor’s surface using our Energy Blocks™. This cushion of air absorbs and recovers quickly for safety and performance standards that exceed others on the market.

It is very important that the “membrane” on top of the blocks remain as thin and flexible as possible to maintain the give and take inherent in a Gerstung Floor. The imported plywood we use over our Energy Blocks™ is unlike the plywood you buy at the lumber yard, which is typically 3 ply. Gerstung uses thinner and twice as many hardwood lamination, making it much more flexible without sacrificing strength.

Each AirBase® design is a high performance support system that deserves the best top surface for your facility. The best top surface depends on the selected subfloor and the primary activities planned for your new Gerstung floor.