Therapeutic color changing putty and method of therapeutic exercise using same

Abstract

A color changing putty is provided for therapeutic exercise, comprising a silicone putty and a pigment such that when the putty is worked by the hands, the pigmented putty gives visual indication of color change when it reaches one temperature, and disappears, or reverts back in color, when reaching a higher temperature. A method is also provided for a therapeutic hand exercise using such putties.

1 . A color changing pigmented putty useful for therapeutic exercise by manipulation by the hands of a patient, comprising a silicone putty having a color A and a thermochromic pigment, said pigmented putty exhibiting a color B associated with said pigment at room temperature, but wherein said color reverts back to the initial color A after manipulation of said pigmented putty and raising its temperature above room temperature.  
     
     
         2 . A color changing pigmented putty as in  claim 1  wherein said pigmented putty exhibits the color associated with said pigment at a temperature of about 68° F. but wherein said color disappears when the temperature of said pigmented putty reaches at least about 75° F.  
     
     
         3 . A color changing pigmented putty as in  claim 1  wherein said pigment constitutes from about 0.5 to about 6.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said silicone compound.  
     
     
         4 . A color changing pigmented putty as in  claim 2  wherein said pigment constitutes from about 0.5 to about 6.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said silicone compound.  
     
     
         5 . A color changing pigmented putty useful for therapeutic physical exercise, comprising a silicone putty and two color changing pigments, a first pigment which changes color at one temperature and a second pigment which changes color at a second, higher temperature.  
     
     
         6 . A color changing putty as in  claim 5  wherein said first pigment changes color at a temperature of about 68° F. to about 75° F. and said second pigment changes color at a temperature of about 75° F. to about 85° F.  
     
     
         7 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 1  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         8 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 2  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         9 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 3  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         10 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 4  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 5  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         12 . A therapeutic exercise method comprising hand manipulating a pigmented putty as claimed in  claim 6  until said putty exhibits a visual change in color indicative of the extent of exercise, and thereafter discontinuing said manipulation when said color change is exhibited.  
     
     
         13 . A color changing pigmented putty useful for therapeutic exercise by manipulation by the hands of a patient, comprising a silicone putty having a color A and a pigment imparting a color B to the putty, wherein when said pigmented putty is manipulated by the hands to a temperature of at least about 85° F., said pigmented putty reverts to the color A of said putty, and wherein after cooling said manipulated pigmented putty to a temperature of from about 50° F. to about 55° F., said pigmented putty will return to the color B of the pigmented putty.