Exercise devices – Support for entire body of user
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-04-10
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Support for entire body of user
C482S140000, C128S098100, C297S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213923
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to exercise devices, and more particularly, to exercise devices for strengthening muscles of the lower back and abdominal muscles. Specifically, this invention relates to a device for imparting extension to the spine of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lower back pain is a common complaint. Often lower back pain is associated with sedentary lifestyles. Posture responsible for lower back pain may be related to occupations or lifestyles which include a large amount of sitting and/or leaning forward. Poor lifting and bending posture may also result in lower back pain. Recently, it has been recognized that a majority of back pain is mechanical in origin, and that physical activity is the cornerstone of low-back rehabilitation.
One recognized treatment for chronic lower back pain is physical exercise including extension of the spine. As used herein, “extension of the spine” refers to movement which bends the spine backwards through contraction of the lumbar extensor muscles. In the past, exercises for extending and strengthening the lower back have included floor exercises and exercises using inversion therapy devices. A floor exercise program for developing back strength may be difficult to implement and maintain for some patients who have weak backs or are poorly conditioned. Furthermore, the amount of spinal extension provided by such floor exercises is typically limited.
Inversion therapy devices are typically relatively expensive and bulky, and relatively difficult to operate by one person. Common inversion therapy devices include those having a tiltable table for supporting a user in a number of different positions. Such devices typically include foot clamps attached at one end of the table for suspending the patient when the table is placed in an inverted position. A user typically mounts such a device with the table in near-upright position and straps their feet to foot clamps at the base of the table. The user may then be positioned in various positions of partial and full inversion by tilting and rotating the table backwards. Besides being bulky and relatively expensive, such inversion devices may cause or aggravate health problems for hypertensive individuals. In addition, while inversion devices may provide some unloading of the spinal column of the lower back by virtue of gravity inversion, no spinal extension is typically imparted to the user due to the flat surface of the table.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed is a device and method for greatly improving the strength and flexibility of the lower back, abdominals and obliques of, for example, both individuals who are suffering from lower-back pain, and individuals who do not suffer from lower-back pain but who wish to gain strength and flexibility in the their lumbar extensor muscles. The disclosed method and device may be used to provide a user with the ability to strengthen and stabilize lumbar extensor muscles through extension movements as well as the abdominals and obliques through flexion movements. The lower back and hamstrings may also be kept flexible to minimize back strain or sprain. Due to its relatively simple design and wide range of decline angle and resistance control(s), the disclosed device facilitates regular workouts for users having lower back pain. Such regular exercise may help alleviate lower back pain relatively quickly, and may strengthen muscles that support the back to improve flexibility, and reduce the chance of future acute attack.
Advantageously, the disclosed device is relatively compact and simple to use to provide extension to a user's back in addition to unloading of the spinal column. Using the disclosed device, a user may strengthen lower back and abdominal muscles, plus increase and maintain flexibility in the trunk, so as to reduce the incidence of future low-back pain. Further advantageously, the disclosed device may also serve as a static workout bench for whole body strength-training program. Thus, one disclosed embodiment is a relatively inexpensive and compact exercise device which provides the combined functions of a back extension machine, abdominal conditioning machine and weight bench.
Surprisingly, use of the disclosed device and method allows users suffering lower-back pain to reduce future incidence of such pain by strengthening and increasing flexibility in the lower back while comfortably positioned off the floor, rather than lying and performing traditional back exercises on a floor. By providing extension to the spinal column, the disclosed method and device address low-back pain in a manner superior to traditional or conventional inversion devices which utilize a flat table. In one embodiment, a foam-padded backrest and seat help support a user's body throughout the range of motion, and optional lumbar support may be provided.
As a further advantage, one embodiment of the disclosed method and device allows a user to customize the degree of extension according to physical ability and/or doctor's or chiropractor's advice.
Advantageously, in various other embodiments, an adjustable footbar, hand hold positions, and relatively simple decline and resistance controls allow the disclosed device to be operated by users from poorly conditioned beginners to well-conditioned athletes. Furthermore, a wide assortment of settings, wide backrest and features noted above also make the disclosed device ideal for use by an entire family.
In one exemplary embodiment, the disclosed device is an adjustable chair which may be declined at varying angles by a user. Advantageously, the angle of decline as well as the amount of resistance inherent in the movement of the chair may be easily controlled by the user. Furthermore, the angle of decline may exceed 180° as measured between the plane of the backrest and the plane of the seat of the chair so as to result in extension of the spine, thus providing superior motion for back rehabilitation as compared to conventional methods and devices employing flat-surfaces.
In one respect, disclosed is an exercise device including a back rest having a first surface and first and second ends; a seat having a first surface and first and second ends, the first end of the seat being disposed adjacent the second end of the back rest, wherein a plane of the back rest and a plane of the seat define an angle of decline between the first surface of the back rest and the first surface of the seat; and a support frame supporting the back rest and the seat, wherein the back rest and the seat are pivotally movable relative to each other so that the angle of decline may be adjustable. The back rest and the seat together may be adapted to receive a user in an exercise position wherein the first surface of the back rest supports an upper back of the user, and wherein the first surface of the seat supports a posterior of the user. The angle of decline may be adjustable from an angle of less than about 180° to an angle of greater than about 180°. The angle of decline may also be adjustable between a minimum angle and a maximum angle, the minimum angle being from about 65° to about 215°, and the maximum angle being from about 180° to about 235.
The exercise device may further include a decline control mechanism, the decline control mechanism being operable to limit adjustment of the angle of decline. In this regard, the decline control mechanism may be operable to limit adjustment of the angle of decline to a maximum decline angle of from about 180° to about 235°. Additionally or alternatively, the decline control mechanism may be operable to resist adjustment of the angle of decline, and in one embodiment, the decline control mechanism may be operable to selectively prevent or resist adjustment of the angle of decline. In another embodiment, the decline control mechanism may be selectively operable to limit adjustment of the angle of decline to at least two different operable decline angle ranges.
In another respect, this invention is an exercise d
Cameron William J.
Duchesne Francois
Dykgraaf Brenda S.
Amerson Lori Baker
Cape Hatteras Management Limited
Donnelly Jerome W.
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
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