Muscle stretching apparatus and method

Abstract

A muscle stretching apparatus includes a flexible, essentially inextensible main support structure of elongate dimension. At least a pair of bilateral auxiliary support structures is carried on the main support structure, each provided as serially arranged segments along at least a portion of an overall length of the main support structure. Each of the segments is connected with the main support structure creating a loop defining a bounded opening between each segment of the auxiliary support structure and the main support structure, thereby forming a handle structure for engagement by a hand or other appendage. Optionally, at least one end of the muscle stretching apparatus terminates in a loop free of the centrally disposed main support structure, for facilitated reception of, for example, a foot therein. Tension applied between an anchored position of the apparatus and at least one grasped position is used to stretch a selected muscle or muscles.

1 . A muscle stretching apparatus, comprising:
 a flexible, essentially inextensible main support structure of elongate dimension; and   at least a pair of auxiliary support structures carried bilaterally on the main support structure, at least a length portion of each of said pair of auxiliary support structures including at least three serially arranged segments along a length of the flexible main support structure, each of the segments being connected with the main support structure so as to define a discrete bounded opening between each of said auxiliary support structures and the main support structure.   
     
     
         2 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a loop structure carried on at least one terminal longitudinal end of said main support structure. 
     
     
         3 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein ones of said segments of a first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures positionally coincide in a longitudinal direction of the main support structure generally with other ones of said segments of a second one of said pair of auxiliary support structures located on another side of said main support structure from said first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures. 
     
     
         4 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein ones of said segments of a first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures positionally are staggered in a longitudinal direction of the main support structure in relation to other ones of said segments of a second one of said pair of auxiliary support structures located on another side of said main support structure from said first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures. 
     
     
         5 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said main support structure or said auxiliary support structures includes a band of flattened and widened dimension. 
     
     
         6 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising indicia, said indicia being unique for each of said segments occupying different respective longitudinal positions along the length of the main support structure. 
     
     
         7 . A method of stretching at least one muscle of a body of a user, comprising:
 providing a muscle stretching apparatus including a flexible, essentially inextensible main support structure of elongate dimension, said muscle stretching apparatus further including at least a pair of auxiliary support structures carried bilaterally on the main support structure, at least portions of each of said pair of auxiliary support structures including at least three serially arranged segments along a length of the main support structure, each of the segments being connected with the main support structure so as to define a discrete bounded opening between said auxiliary support and the main support structure;   using at least one hand of a user to grasp at least a selected one of the segments; and   applying tension between the at least the selected one of the segments and an other length position of the muscle stretching apparatus.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein said applying tension includes anchoring the muscle stretching apparatus at said other length position and pulling against said other length position at said at least the selected one of the segments. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein said grasping includes using both hands to each hold a respective one of the segments of at least one of said at least the pair of auxiliary support structures. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 ones of said segments of a first one of said at least the pair of auxiliary support structures positionally coincide in a longitudinal direction of the main support structure generally with other ones of said segments of a second one of said pair of auxiliary support structures located on another side of said main support structure from said first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures; and   said respective ones of the segments of said at least the pair of auxiliary support structures located in bilaterally oriented positions, which are held in both hands during said grasping, positionally coincide in the longitudinal direction of said main support structure.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said muscle stretching apparatus includes a loop structure carried on at least one terminal longitudinal end of the main support structure; and   said anchoring includes inserting a foot through said loop structure.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 7 , further performing a series of repetitions in which said tension is relaxed following said applying tension and then again tensioned. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 ones of said segments of a first one of said at least the pair of auxiliary support structures positionally coincide in a longitudinal direction of the main support structure generally with other ones of said segments of a second one of said pair of auxiliary support structures located on another side of said main support structure from said first one of said pair of auxiliary support structures; and   said using at least one hand includes engaging both of a selected pair of segments of the pair of auxiliary support structures located in bilaterally oriented positions and which occupy a common length position of said main support structure by a single hand inserted through each said discrete bounded opening corresponding to each of said respective ones of said the pair of auxiliary support structures.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 said muscle stretching apparatus further includes indicia which are unique for each of said segments occupying different respective longitudinal positions along the length of the main support structure; and   said method further comprises using said indicia to gauge a degree of stretching.   
     
     
         15 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least a length portion of each of said pair of auxiliary support structures which includes said at least three serially arranged segments spans a major portion of said elongate dimension of said main support structure. 
     
     
         16 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an auxiliary support structure segment length between positions of attachment of a one of the segments to the main support structure is greater than a corresponding main support structure segment length of the main support structure between said positions of attachment such that slack is created in the segments of the auxiliary support structure. 
     
     
         17 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said attachment includes stitching running cross-wise in a width direction of the stretching apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the respective ones of the segments of said at least the pair of auxiliary support structures are located in bilaterally oriented positions. 
     
     
         19 . A muscle stretching apparatus, comprising:
 a main support structure defining a flexible, essentially inextensible longitudinal extent; and   loops or handles being serially arranged along the longitudinal extent of said main support, said loops or handles being carried as at least three bilateral pairs on said main support structure, ones of said loops or handles of each of said bilateral pairs occupying a generally common longitudinal region along said longitudinal extent of said main support structure.   
     
     
         20 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising a loop structure carried on at least one terminal longitudinal end of said longitudinal extent of the main support structure. 
     
     
         21 . A method of stretching at least one muscle of a body of a user, comprising:
 providing a muscle stretching apparatus including a flexible, essentially inextensible main support structure of elongate dimension, said muscle stretching apparatus further including at least three loops or handles carried bilaterally on each side of said main support structure and being disposed in series along a length of the main support structure;   using at least one hand of a user to grasp at least a selected one of the segments; and   applying tension between the at least the selected one of the segments and an other length position of the muscle stretching apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . A muscle stretching apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein ones of said loops or handles bilaterally disposed on opposed sides of said main support structure form pairs occupying a generally common longitudinal region along said longitudinal extent of said main support structure.