Adjustably sloped simulated walking or exercise surface having multiple handles at multiple heights or positions

Abstract

Briefly, adjustably sloped simulated walking or exercise surfaces having multiple handles at multiple heights or positions are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: a device including one or more handles, said device capable of simulating exercise over various types of terrain, said device further capable of positional management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user during use of said device. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more handles comprise multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently also comprise multiple handles at multiple heights and multiple positions concurrently. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a set of handles and wherein the handles in a set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a front traverse set of handles. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a side set of handles. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the set of handles comprise: a front traverse set of handles; and further comprising a side set of handles wherein the handles in the side set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said device capable of simulating exercise over various types of terrain is capable of simulating walking over various types of terrain. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a type of terrain comprises inclined terrain. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a treadmill. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user for a user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height for users of varying heights. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said flexion comprises lumbo-sacral flexion. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine position. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine and body position. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said positional management of handle height includes said device capable of adjusting height and position of said one or more handles as the amount of inclination of said terrain changes. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine position. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine and body position. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said device comprises an exercise device that has been retrofitted to be capable of position management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user during use of said device. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus comprising: a set of one or more handles to retrofit a device; wherein said device is capable of simulating exercise over various types of terrain, said set of handles being capable of positional management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user during use of said device. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more handles comprise multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently also comprise multiple handles at multiple heights and multiple positions concurrently. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a set of handles and wherein the handles in a set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a front traverse set of handles. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a side set of handles. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the set of handles comprise: a front traverse set of handles; and further comprising a side set of handles wherein the handles in the side set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user for a user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height for users of varying heights. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said flexion comprises lumbo-sacral flexion. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine position. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine and body position. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine position. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine and body position. 
     
     
         34 . A method comprising:
 exercising on a treadmill while holding selected handles, wherein position management of height of the selected handles induces flexion of a spine of a device user during use of said device.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more handles comprise multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently also comprise multiple handles at multiple heights and multiple positions concurrently. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a set of handles and wherein the handles in a set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a front traverse set of handles. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the multiple handles at multiple heights concurrently comprise a side set of handles. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the set of handles comprise: a front traverse set of handles; and further comprising a side set of handles wherein the handles in the side set of handles are in a fixed relative position where individual handles are offset in a staggered arrangement with at least the handle portion of separate handles being substantially parallel. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height so as to induce flexion of a spine of a device user for a user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , where said device is capable of positional management of handle height for users of varying heights. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said flexion comprises lumbo-sacral flexion. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine position. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce optimal spine and body position. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine position. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said positional management of handle height comprises positioning and height of said one or more handles for a device user having spinal stenosis and/or other conditions so as to induce at least functional spine and body position.