Exercise Device for Use as a Walking Stick Having an Ergonomically Angled Handle

Abstract

An ergonomic walking stick of the present invention is particularly useful during therapeutic exercise involving walking. The ergonomic walking stick of the present invention has an ergonomically angled handle that is configured such that said angled handle section is offset from the longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft and that allows for a more comfortable wrist angle through the entire walking stride. In one exemplary embodiment, the ergonomically angled handle is angled with respect to the handle support section and is further canted in relation to the plane defined by the vertical axis of the shaft and the horizontal axis of the handle support section.

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ergonomic walking stick having an ergonomically angled handle for use during walking, said ergonomic walking stick comprising:
 an elongated shaft section having an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis;   a handle support section connected to said upper end of said elongated shaft section, said handle support section having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of said handle support section defining an angle with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section, and wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane; and   an ergonomically angled handle section connected to said handle support section at a selected angle and configured such that said angled handle section is offset from said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft, wherein said ergonomically angled handle section has a longitudinal axis, wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section is offset from said first plane such that said ergonomically angled handle section is offset from said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said selected longitudinal axis of said handle support section is in an orthogonal relationship with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section. 
     
     
         3 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said selected angle between said longitudinal axis of said handle section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section is in a range of approximately 15° to approximately 75°. 
     
     
         4 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define an angle in a range of approximately 20° to approximately 70°. 
     
     
         5 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane, and said longitudinal axis of said handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define a second plane, and further wherein said first plane and said second plane intersect. 
     
     
         6 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section forms an acute angle with a level support surface during use. 
     
     
         7 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said shaft section, said handle support section, and said ergonomically angled handle section are integrally formed. 
     
     
         8 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said lower end of said elongated shaft is adapted for engaging a walking surface. 
     
     
         9 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 1  wherein said handle section includes a bi-directional curvature with respect to said elongated shaft. 
     
     
         10 . An ergonomic walking stick for use during walking, said ergonomic walking stick comprising:
 an elongated body section defined by an elongated shaft section having an upper end, a lower end adapted for engaging a walking surface, and a longitudinal axis;   a handle support section connected to said upper end of said elongated shaft section, said handle support section having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of said handle support section defining an angle with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section, and wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane; and   an ergonomically angled handle section connected to said handle support section at a selected angle and configured such that said angled handle section is offset from said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft, wherein said ergonomically angled handle section has a longitudinal axis, wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section is offset from said first plane, wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a selected angle in a range of approximately 15° to approximately 75°.   
     
     
         11 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 10  wherein said selected longitudinal axis of said handle support section is in an orthogonal relationship with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section. 
     
     
         12 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 10  wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define an angle in a range of approximately 20° to approximately 70°. 
     
     
         13 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 10  wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane, and said longitudinal axis of said handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define a second plane, and further wherein said first plane and said second plane intersect. 
     
     
         14 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 10  wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section forms an acute angle with a level support surface during use. 
     
     
         15 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 10  wherein said handle section includes a bi-directional curvature with respect to said elongated shaft. 
     
     
         16 . An ergonomic walking stick for use during walking, said ergonomic walking stick comprising:
 an elongated body section defined by an elongated shaft section having an upper end, a lower end adapted for engaging a walking surface, and a longitudinal axis;   a handle support section connected to said upper end of said elongated shaft section wherein said handle section includes a bi-directional curvature with respect to said elongated shaft, said handle support section having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of said handle support section defining an angle with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section, and wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane; and   an ergonomically angled handle section connected to said handle support section at a selected angle and configured such that said angled handle section is offset from said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft, wherein said ergonomically angled handle section has a longitudinal axis, offset from said first plane in relation to said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section to define a selected angle, wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define an angle in a range of approximately 20° to approximately 70°.   
     
     
         17 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 16  wherein said selected longitudinal axis of said handle support section is in an orthogonal relationship with said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section. 
     
     
         18 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 16  wherein said selected angle between said longitudinal axis of said handle section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section is in a range of approximately 15° to approximately 75°. 
     
     
         19 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 16  wherein said longitudinal axis of said handle support section and said longitudinal axis of said elongated shaft section define a first plane, and said longitudinal axis of said handle section and said longitudinal axis of said handle support section define a second plane, and further wherein said first plane and said second plane intersect. 
     
     
         20 . The ergonomic walking stick of  claim 16  wherein said longitudinal axis of said ergonomically angled handle section forms an acute angle with a level support surface during use.