Soon, athletes in Central Oregon will have access to some of the same equipment Olympians use for training.

By the end of the month, Rebound Physical Therapy and Sports Performance Lab is expected to open its doors on Century Drive, at the former Pine Mountain Sports location.

Part of the performance lab’s focus will be on providing special equipment and training to endurance athletes, while incorporating the injury prevention methods of physical therapy.

”There is nothing like it in the country,” said Andy Fecteau, co-owner of Rebound Physical Therapy. ”We are combining physical therapy knowledge and skill sets with world-class services.”

Those service include a number of specific techniques like digital video overlay technology, altitude training programs and lactate testing.

Rebound Physical Therapy will be moving from its current location at 133 SW Century Drive into the 3,500-square-foot building, just a few buildings away.

Rebound Physical Therapy has five additional locations throughout Central Oregon.

Along with the help of Rebound staff, three-time cross-country Olympian Justin Wadsworth will also be involved in training clients at the performance lab.

”We thought this town deserved a training center more focused to endurance athletes,” Wadsworth said. ”One of the big downfalls of the training in North America is it isn’t done properly.”

The performance lab will be open to everyone from world-class athletes to individuals whose goal is to lose weight or start a training program.

”We’re not only catering toward the elite athlete,” Fecteau said. ”The goal is to bring Olympic-training services to everyone.”

Special programs are being developed to analyze swimmers strokes, and specific equipment will be available to measure the energy output and technique of cyclists, skiers and runners.

Rebound has invested between $75,000 and $100,000 on equipment alone for the facility, Wadsworth said.

One service that will be offered at the center is digital video overlay, the same technology that was used at this year’s summer Olympics to break down the different positions of the divers, frame by frame, before hitting the water.

Wadsworth said if someone wants to have the same time trial position as Lance Armstrong, for instance, they can get a picture of him and overlay it on their client’s picture to see how they need to change their position on the bike to match his.

The same tool can be used for analyzing running and skiing techniques.

The lab will also have a high-speed treadmill that uses a harness to simulate downhill running.

Lactate testing will be available in the field so people who are training outside can get the blood test to see how much lactic acid the activity is producing.

”Another really interesting thing that is big and making a lot of waves is we will be renting altitude tents,” Fecteau said.

The tents, which can be set up in the home or when traveling, use a generator that pumps in air with a lower amount of oxygen concentration that mimics the air quality at higher altitudes.

When you sleep in the tent, you are able to get acclimated to higher altitudes and more red blood cells are produced, Fecteau said.

”It’s our intent to use them for people who are training for the Ironman in Hawaii or are going to the Andes for a three-week trek, to do everything they can to optimize the experience,” Fecteau said. ”It’s a tool they can use to increase their fitness.”

Cost for the services will vary depending on what an individual’s goals are, but many of the services will come in a package format, Wadsworth said.

”We are really trying to get into the whole spectrum and treat athletes for performance and injury prevention,” Fecteau said.

Kristy Hessman can be reached at 541-383-0350 or at khessman@bendbulletin.com.