Therapeutic exercise device

Abstract

A therapeutic exercise device, including receptacle means designed to support a person's lower or upper extremities. A substantially rectangular support base ( 10 ) is slidably associated with the carriage ( 16 ), in such a manner as to allow a longitudinal displacement of the carriage on the support base. In addition an adjustable resistance arrangement is included to allow increased frictional resistance in between the carriage, and the support base Consequently with increased frictional resistance, increased muscular energy is required to achieve the longitudinal displacement of the carriage on the support base. Thus a more versatile therapeutic device is provided, that permits a simple and accurate measurement of the rehabilitation performance of the lower or upper extremity affected. This device may be employed for strengthening abdominal and back muscles in the process of physical therapy, especially in facilitating Mc Kinsey exercises for lower back. Also, the present invention may be employed as a transferring device for a patient from one surface such as a wheelchair, to another surface such as a bed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A therapeutic exercise device comprising: 
 a. A carriage assembly in combination with means for supporting a human's lower or upper extremity.    b. A substantially rectangular support base having means that enables said carriage to be movable in a substantially longitudinal path on said base support.    c. A plurality of adjustable resistance means attached to said carriage.    
     
     
         2 . The therapeutic exercise device according to claims  1  wherein the support base has a substantially rectangular top surface, that includes a longitudinally mounted track rail slidably connected to a guide block inserted in said track rail.  
     
     
         3 . The therapeutic exercise device according to  claim 1  wherein the carriage assembly is attached to the guide block, and is longitudinally displaceable in the track rail by a drive force produced by muscular power.  
     
     
         4 . The therapeutic exercise device according to  claim 1  wherein the carriage assembly includes a removable platform, said platform having at least one arrangement for supporting a person's lower or upper extremity.  
     
     
         5 . The therapeutic exercise device according to  claim 1  wherein the arrangement of resistance force means is constructed in such a manner as to enable a person to adjust different levels of resistance on the displacement of the carriage longitudinally on the support base.  
     
     
         6 . A therapeutic exercise device comprising: 
 a. A generally rectangular support base.    b. A carriage slideably associated with said support base.    c. A recessed guide track affixed laterally on the side of the base support on its length.    
     
     
         7 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 6  wherein a plurality of end travel stops for the carriage are mounted in the recessed lateral guide.  
     
     
         8 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 6  wherein an arrangement of resistance force means is attached laterally along the side of the carriage that is in apposition with the recessed lateral guide track on the support base.  
     
     
         9 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 6  wherein a plurality of screw spring plungers are hand adjustable thereby enabling side slack elimination between the support base and carriage. Furthermore, said screw spring plungers enable a sliding resistance force of the carriage on the support base.  
     
     
         10 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 6  wherein the carriage is adapted to support a person in a sitting position for a transfer movement from one surface such as a wheelchair to another surface such as a bed.  
     
     
         11 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 10  wherein a platform is removably attached on the carriage, said platform including means for supporting a human's feet, such as an arrangement of concave receptacles in combination with loop and hook fasteners.  
     
     
         12 . A therapeutic exercise device comprising: 
 a. A generally rectangular support base.    b. A carriage assembly including means for supporting a human's lower or upper extremity, slidably associated with said support base.    c. A plurality of adjustable resistance force means attached to said carriage.    
     
     
         13 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 12  wherein the resistance force is provided by an arrangement which includes a plurality of screw spring plungers connected to a hand accessible adjusting member, said adjusting member is marked as to enable different levels of resistance of the longitudinal displacement of the carriage on the support base to be displayed.  
     
     
         14 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 12  further including at least an elongated air inflatable element aligned with at least one of the inner longitudinal side walls of the guide track, in combination with air pressure controlling means.  
     
     
         15 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 14  wherein the carriage assembly includes rolling means connected to the screw spring plungers.  
     
     
         16 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 14  wherein an intermediate wear strip is placed longitudinally in between the rolling means attached to the screw spring plunger and the elongated air inflatable element.  
     
     
         17 . The therapeutic exercise device of  claim 14  further including at least one air flow directional check valve, and means of air pressure reading such as air pressure gauges.