Exercise apparatus for improving balance and stability

Abstract

The present embodiments disclose an exercise apparatus including at least one rocker board dimensioned to support a user. A plurality of convex rockers are releasably engageable with the at least one rocker board to provide instability during an exercise. A cutout is positioned through the rocker boards to strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 at least one rocker board, having dimensions configured to support a user;   one or more convex rockers releasably engageable in one or more of a plurality of apertures in the at least one rocker board;   a cutout positioned through the entire thickness of the at least one rocker board, the cutout configured to isolate one or more rays, excluding a first ray, of the user; and   a base and a platform positioned between the base and the at least one rocker board, the platform having a plurality of recessed channels dimensioned to retain a convex surface of each convex rocker.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one rocker board include a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more convex rockers comprises two or more convex rockers, wherein two convex rockers are a single set of convex rockers, and wherein each convex rocker of the single set is positioned in parallel. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the plurality of apertures are further configured to releasably engage with an auxiliary exercise device. 
     
     
       5. An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a first and a second rocker board, the first rocker board configured to support the left foot of a user, the second rocker board configured to support the right foot of the user, each rocker board having a top surface and a bottom surface, each top surface including a foot indicator defining proper foot placement of the user;   a plurality of apertures in each of the first and second rocker boards, each aperture of the plurality of apertures positioned at a pre-determined angle from a central axis of each of the first and second rocker boards, the plurality of apertures each dimensioned to be capable of releasably receiving a convex rocker, the convex rocker extendable from the bottom surface to reduce the stability of the first and second rocker board; and   a cutout through the first and second rocker boards, the cutout configured to receive a second, third, fourth, and fifth rays of the user such that the second, third, fourth, and fifth rays are unable to contact a top or bottom surface of the rocker board to provide a balancing force.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein each foot indicator is oriented to correspond to a central axis in each of the first and second rocker boards. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pre-determined angle of each aperture of the plurality of apertures is between 35° and 55° from a central axis in each of the first and second rocker boards, corresponding to an anatomical axis of pronation and supination of a user's foot. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the primary impetus of a force to each rocker board is provided by the first ray of the user. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a left base and a left platform positioned between the left base and left rocker board, a right base and a right platform positioned between the right base and right rocker board, each left and right platform having a plurality of recessed channels dimensioned to retain a convex surface of each convex rocker. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each rocker board, each convex rocker, each base, and each platform are configured as releasably engageable singular components. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each rocker board is dimensioned to accommodate a human performing whole body exercises on one or both of the first and second rocker boards. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of apertures in each of the first and second rocker boards are configured to releasably engage with an auxiliary exercise device. 
     
     
       13. An exercise apparatus comprising:
 at least one platform positioned on at least one base, the platform including a plurality of recessed channels;   a first and a second rocker board, the first rocker board configured to support the left foot of a user, the second rocker board configured to support the right foot of the user, each rocker board having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of each rocker board including an indicator defining proper foot placement of either the left or right foot;   wherein said indicator is positioned along a central axis of each rocker board;   a plurality of apertures in each of the first and the second rocker boards, each aperture of the plurality of apertures positioned at a pre-determined angle from the central axis of each rocker board, each aperture of the plurality of apertures dimensioned to receive a convex rocker, each convex rocker extending from the bottom surface to reduce the stability of each rocker board;   wherein each convex rocker extending from the bottom surface of each of each rocker board is configured to align with a recessed channel of the plurality of recessed channels in the platform; and   a cutout through the first and second rocker boards, the cutout configured to receive and isolate a second, third, fourth, and fifth rays of the user to strengthen the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles and a first ray of the user related to balance and gait.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least two convex rockers are positioned in parallel along the bottom surface of each of the first and second rocker boards. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein two sets of two each convex rockers are positioned substantially perpendicular along the bottom surface of each rocker board. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the top surfaces of the first and second rocker boards are covered with a resilient material to create friction or texture between the rocker board and the foot of the user. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each rocker board, each convex rocker, the at least one base, and the at least one platform are configured as releasably engageable singular components. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one auxiliary exercise device mounted to at least one of the first and second rocker boards. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein one or more of the plurality of apertures are configured to releasably engage with the auxiliary exercise device to selectively increase a resistance along a portion of the at least one of the first and second rocker boards. 
     
     
       20. An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a rocker board having dimensions configured to support the weight of a user, said rocker board configured for the placement and support of one foot of the user and a first ray of said foot;   a cutout through said rocker board, said cutout configured such that a second, third, fourth and fifth ray of said foot of the user are unable to sufficiently contact a surface to provide a balancing force when positioned above said cutout, and said cutout oriented on said rocker board such that the first ray of said foot is supported when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said foot are positioned above the cutout; and   two or more convex rockers engageable in two or more of a plurality of apertures in the at least one rocker board.   
     
     
       21. The exercise apparatus of claim 20 wherein the cutout through the rocker board is further oriented so that a user's foot lies along a central axis through the rocker board when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said foot are positioned above the cutout; and wherein the apertures are at suitable angles from said central axis such that the angles correspond to the anatomical axis of pronation and supination of the foot. 
     
     
       22. The exercise apparatus of claim 21 wherein the suitable angle is from 35 degrees to 55 degrees from the central axis. 
     
     
       23. The exercise apparatus of claim 21 wherein the suitable angle is about 45 degrees from the central axis. 
     
     
       24. The exercise apparatus of claim 20 wherein the convex surface of the rocker produces an angle of deflection of the rocker board of 45 degrees or less. 
     
     
       25. The exercise apparatus of claim 24 wherein the angle of deflection is between 10 degrees and 35 degrees. 
     
     
       26. The exercise apparatus of claim 24 wherein the angle of deflection is between 12 degrees and 16 degrees. 
     
     
       27. The exercise apparatus of claim 21 wherein the rocker board includes a foot indicator along the central axis. 
     
     
       28. The exercise apparatus of claim 21 wherein the rocker board is further configured for the placement and support of one foot of the user on either of the top surface or a bottom surface of the rocker board;
 the cutout through the rocker board is further oriented so that a user's right foot lies along the central axis through the rocker board when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said user's right foot are positioned above the cutout, and so that, when the rocker board is turned over, said user's left foot lies along the central axis through the rocker board when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said user's left foot are positioned above the cutout; and   the apertures are each further configured to releasably engage a convex rocker on either of said top and bottom surfaces of said rocker board.   
     
     
       29. The exercise apparatus of claim 28 wherein one of the top and bottom surfaces of the rocker board includes a foot indicator for the user's right foot and the opposite surface of the rocker board includes a foot indicator for the user's left foot. 
     
     
       30. The exercise apparatus of claim 20 wherein the one or more of the plurality of apertures are further configured to releasably engage with an auxiliary exercise device. 
     
     
       31. The exercise apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a platform having a plurality of recessed channels, each channel dimensioned to releasably hold the bottom convex surface of one of each convex rockers, and further comprising a base on which said platform sits, said base configured to lie atop a substantially flat surface. 
     
     
       32. An exercise apparatus, comprising:
 a first and a second rocker board having dimensions configured to support the weight of a user, said first and second rocker board each configured for the placement and support of one foot of the user and a first ray of said foot;   a plurality of apertures in each of the first and second rocker boards, each aperture of the plurality of apertures positioned at a pre-determined angle from a central axis of each of the first and second rocker boards, the plurality of apertures each dimensioned to be capable of receiving a convex rocker, the convex rockers, when received in the apertures, extending from the rocker board to reduce the stability of the first and second rocker board;   a cutout through said first rocker board, said cutout configured such that a second, third, fourth and fifth ray of a right foot of the user are unable to sufficiently contact a surface to provide a balancing force when positioned above said cutout, and said cutout oriented on said first rocker board such that the first ray of said right foot is supported when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said right foot are positioned above the cutout;   a cutout through said second rocker board, said cutout configured such that a second, third, fourth and fifth ray of a left foot of the user are unable to sufficiently contact a surface to provide a balancing force when positioned above said cutout, and said cutout oriented on said second rocker board such that the first ray of said left foot is supported when the second, third, fourth and fifth rays of said left foot are positioned above the cutout.