Adaptable range-of-motion exercise apparatus

Abstract

A resistance exercise apparatus is provided which includes structures for receiving a body extremity of a user, the means for receiving a body extremity subject to a force provided by the body extremity, structures for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement; and resistance providing devices to impose resistance against the movement of the body extremity. Versions of the apparatus may positioned on a floor, on a wall, or be free standing. Various embodiments of the invention are particularly suited to provide range-of-motion exercises for legs, arms, and hands of the user for both recreational strengthening and physical therapy applications.

1 . An apparatus comprising 
 means for receiving a body extremity of a user, said means for receiving a body extremity receiving a directional force provided by the body extremity,    means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement, and    means for providing resistance to movement upon application of the force to the means for receiving a body extremity, said force resulting in only a limited movement of the means for receiving a body extremity.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement is further for limiting movement of the means for receiving a body extremity to movement in one dimension.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 2  wherein the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement comprises at least one sleeve attached to the means for receiving a body extremity and a post upon which the sleeve is slidably mounted.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the sleeve is cylindrical in shape and includes a hollow central portion, the post upon which the sleeve is slidably mounted passing through the central portion of the sleeve.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein each post is disposed vertically to provide a vertical range of motion.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means for maintaining comprises two parallel posts, each post including a top portion and further comprising at least one crossbar connecting the two parallel posts together.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as in  claim 6  wherein the crossbar connects the two parallel posts together at the top portions thereof.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means for receiving a body extremity is a bar having two ends, both ends being securely attached to the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means for receiving a body extremity is at least one sling into which a body extremity may be inserted.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement is formed of an elastic material.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as in  claim 10  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement further comprises a flexible cord in tension.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as in  claim 11  wherein the resistance to movement is determined by the diameter of the flexible cord.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 3  wherein the post includes a top portion and a bottom portion, and wherein the means for providing resistance to movement comprises at lease one flexible cord in tension, the cord comprising a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, 
 such that the first end of the flexible cord in connected to the top portion of the post, the second end of the flexible cord is connected to the bottom portion of the post, and the middle portion of the flexible cord is connected to the sleeve.  
 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further comprising structural means for supporting the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus as in  claim 14  wherein the structural means comprising aa self-supporting base.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the structural means further includes an adjustable positioner for maintaining the user in a proper position during use of the apparatus relative to the means for receiving a body extremity.  
     
     
         17 . An apparatus as in  claim 15  wherein the structural means further includes means for receiving and maintaining a wheelchair in a proper position relative to the means for receiving a body extremity to enable the user confined to the wheelchair to contact the means for receiving a body extremity.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  further comprising connecting means for temporarily connecting the means maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predetermined plane during movement to a bed to enable the user confined to the bed to contact the means for receiving a body extremity.  
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for working any one of a plurality of muscle groups in the human body the apparatus comprising 
 a self-supporting base,    a pair of upright parallel posts defining a plane, each post including top, middle and bottom portions, the bottom portion of each post being fixedly attached to the base,    a horizontally disposed bar having two ends and extending between the middle portions of the posts,    means for slidably mounting the two ends of the bar to the middle portions of th posts, and    means for providing resistance to the movement of the bar when subjected to a force exerted by the human body within the plane such that movement of the bar is limited to less than the full range of motion of the body.    
     
     
         20 . An apparatus as in  claim 19  further comprising a cross member having two ends, one end being fixedly attached to the top portion of each of the posts.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus as in  claim 20  wherein the means for slidably mounting the two ends of the bar to the middle portions of the posts comprises cylindrically shaped sleeves, each sleeve including a hollow central portion through which one of the posts passes.  
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as in  claim 21  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement comprises elastic and flexible tubing material.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as in  claim 22  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement is a pair of elastic cords in tension having first and second ends and a middle portion, the first end of each cord being attached to the top portion of one of the posts, the second end of each cord being attached to the bottom portion of the same post, and the middle portion of each cord being attached to the sleeve slidably mounted on the post to which that cord is attached.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as in  claim 19  wherein the base further comprises means for properly positioning a user relative to the bar to allow the user to contact and provide a force against the bar, the force resulting in slight movement of the bar.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as in  claim 24  wherein the means for properly positioning a user is adjustable relative to the bar.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as in  claim 24  wherein the means for properly positioning a user comprises a pair of planar members adjustable relative to each other between a coplanar position and a noncoplanar position.  
     
     
         27 . An exercise apparatus comprising: frame means; 
 means for supporting the frame means on a non-horizontal surface;    means for receiving a body extremity of a user, said means for receiving a body extremity receiving a directional force provided by the body extremity.    means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement in a first direction and in a second direction, the second direction opposing that of the first direction, both directions being contained within the predefined plane;    means for holding the means for maintaining at any one of a plurality of angular positions, and    means for providing resistance to movement in both the first direction and in the second direction upon application of the force to the means for receiving a body extremity in either the first direction or the second direction, said force resulting in movement of the means for receiving a body extremity and such that the position of the means for receiving can be anthropometrically adjusted to suit different users and accommodate working different muscle groups.    
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising means for supporting a user, the means for supporting a user comprising: 
 means for supporting a user's buttocks;  
 means for supporting a user's back connected to the means for supporting a user's buttocks;  
 means for adjusting the angular position of the means for supporting the user's back;  
 means for supporting the lumbar region of the user's back connected to the means for supporting a user's buttocks;  
 means for supporting a user's leg connected to the means for supporting a user's buttocks; and  
 means for adjusting the angular position of the means for supporting a user's leg.  
 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement is further for limiting movement of the means for receiving a body extremity to movement in one dimension and wherein the means for maintaining the means for receiving a body extremity in a predefined plane during movement comprises at least one sleeve attached to the means for receiving a body extremity and a post upon which the sleeve is slidably mounted.  
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as in  claim 29  wherein the sleeve is cylindrical in shape and includes a hollow central portion, the post upon which the sleeve is slidably mounted passing through the central portion of the sleeve and wherein the post is disposed vertically to provide a vertical range-of-motion.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for pivoting the means for maintaining through an angular range-of-motion comprises means for pivoting the means for maintaining through an angular range-of-motion of at least forty-five degrees.  
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising means for providing resistance to movement of the means for maintaining as it is moved from one angular position to another angular position.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for receiving a body extremity comprises at least one sling into which a body extremity may be inserted.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement comprises a length of elastic material.  
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement comprises a pneumatic resistance providing device.  
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the means for providing resistance to movement comprises a length of elastic material and a pneumatic resistance providing device.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein the position of the means for receiving can be adjusted such that maximal loading of at least one of said muscle groups can occur at any one of several points along the range-of-motion of said muscle group.  
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as in  claim 27  further comprising means for adjusting the resting position of the means for receiving a body extremity.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for exercising a human extremity including a plurality of fingers and a palm, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving the plurality of fingers;    means for receiving the palm of the user's hand;    means for resisting the movement of the plurality of fingers;    first means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm in a first plane in relation to a first point in space;    second means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm in a second plane in relation to a first point in space, the second plane being different than the first plane;    third means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm in a third plane in relation to a first point in space, the third plane being different than the second plane; and    means for locking the position of the means for receiving the palm so that the position of the means for receiving is anthropometrically adjusted to suit different users and accommodate working different muscles and the position of the means for receiving the palm can be adjusted such that at least partial range-of-motion exercises can be performed.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 39  wherein the first, second, and third means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm comprises: 
 a post;  
 means for attaching the post to an underlying surface;  
 means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm along the length of the post;  
 means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm about the perimeter of the post; and  
 means for adjusting the position of the means for receiving the palm closer to and farther from the post.