Contra-equipoise muscel destabiilzing roller exercise apparatus and method

Abstract

A method to exercise the muscles acting on the thoracolumbar fascia of an individual utilizes a manually held apparatus which is manipulated to roll a ball in the apparatus to change continuously the balance of the apparatus to destabilize muscles in the body of an individual utilizing the apparatus.

Having described the invention and presently preferred embodiments and the best modes thereof in such terms as to enable one of skill in the art to make and use the invention, I claim: 
     
         1 . A method to exercise the muscles acting on the thoracolumbar fascia of an individual, comprising the steps of
 (a) providing a contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus comprising
 (i) an elongate housing having
 a first end, 
 a second end, 
 a first closure at said first end, 
 a second closure at said second end, 
 at least a first resilient rebound member mounted at one of said first and second ends, 
 a traversible hollow space in said housing extending between said first end and said second end, 
 a ball mounted in said traversible hollow space to
 traverse under the force of gravity from one of said ends toward said resilient rebound member when said housing is canted away from the horizontal, 
 contact and rebound from said resilient rebound member, and 
 alter the center of gravity of said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus when said ball traverses said hollow space; 
 
 
   (b) grasping said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus with at least one hand;   (c) holding said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus above the ground;   (d) engaging the muscles acting on the thoracolumbar fascia by manually tilting said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus such that said ball moves from one end toward said resilient rebound member and contacts and rebounds from said resilient rebound member.   
     
     
         2 . A method to exercise the muscles acting on the thoracolumbar fascia of an individual, comprising the steps of
 (a) providing a contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus comprising
 (i) an elongate hollow housing having
 a first end, 
 a second end, 
 a first closure at said first end, 
 a second closure at said second end, 
 at least a first resilient rebound member mounted at one of said first and second ends, 
 an inner space in said housing extending between said first end and said second end, 
 a ball mounted in said inner space to
 traverse said space under the force of gravity from one of said ends toward the other of said ends when said housing is canted away from the horizontal, 
 compress said first resilient rebound member, and 
 alter the center of gravity of said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus when said ball traverses said inner space; 
 
 
   (b) grasping said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus with at least one hand;   (c) holding said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus above the ground;   (d) engaging the muscles acting on the thoracolumbar fascia by manually tilting said contra-equipoise muscle destabilizing apparatus such that said ball moves from one end toward the other of said ends and compresses said first resilient rebound member.