Physical therapy and fitness device: resistance bands with pedals

Abstract

A physical therapy device with a pair of handles and one or more balance pedals. The balance pedal(s) are slidable along one or more bands attached, directly or indirectly, to the handles.

1 . A physical therapy and fitness device, comprising:
 one or more bands forming a band system having opposing ends, wherein each of the opposing ends are graspable by hands of the user, and the opposing ends are independently movable relative to each other;   a balance pedal adapted to removably support a foot of a user during use of the device, wherein the balance pedal is slidable along at least a portion of the band system;   wherein during use of the device the balance pedal supports one of the user's feet while the other of the user's feet is on the ground, and the balance pedal is capable of being pushed laterally by the user's foot in a direction generally perpendicular to the balance pedal and against resistance created by the band system, thereby causing the laterally-pushed balance pedal to move along a portion of the band system.   
     
     
         2 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of handles, wherein each of the handles are attached to an opposing end of the band system. 
     
     
         3 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 2 , wherein each handle is independently movable by the user relative to the other handle. 
     
     
         4 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bands comprise one or more elastic bands. 
     
     
         5 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein the balance pedals includes an aperture or cavity through which the one or more bands pass, thereby permitting the balance pedal to be slidable relative to the one or more bands when a lateral force is exerted on the pedal by the user's foot. 
     
     
         6 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 5 , wherein the aperture or cavity is adapted for relatively frictionless sliding contact between the aperture or cavity and the one or more bands passing through it. 
     
     
         7 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the balance pedal includes opposing projecting lips to facilitate holding the user's foot in place during use of the device. 
     
     
         8 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 7 , wherein the distance between the projecting lips is configured to be adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the balance pedal is less than a length of an average user's foot, thereby enabling the foot to rock back-and-forth relative to the pedal during use of the device. 
     
     
         10 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bands are color-coded to denote bands having different lengths useful for seating or standing use. 
     
     
         11 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bands are color-coded to denote bands having differing resistances. 
     
     
         12 . A physical therapy and fitness device, comprising:
 a band system having opposing ends;   a pair of handles, each of the handles attached at an opposing end of the band system and graspable by a hand of a user of the device,   a pair of balance pedals, each pedal being adapted to removably support one of the user's feet during use of the device, and each pedal being slidable along at least a portion of the band system;   wherein during use of the device either one of the balance pedals remains on the ground, supporting one of the user's feet, while the other balance pedal supports and is capable of being pushed laterally by the other of the user's feet, against resistance created by the band system, so that the other balance pedal slides along a portion of the band system, in a direction generally perpendicular to the balance pedal on the ground, thereby causing the laterally-pushed balance pedal to move laterally relative to the balance pedal on the ground.   
     
     
         13 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 12 , wherein during exercise
 each balance pedal is independently movable by a user's foot relative to the other pedal.   
     
     
         14 . The physical therapy and fitness device of  claim 12 , wherein the balance pedals are configured to remain in contact with the user's feet at least due to gravity and upward forces generated by the user's hands acting upwardly on the one or more bands and the balance pedals.