Method and apparatus for finger, hand and wrist therapy

Exercise devices – Hand – wrist – or finger

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C482S047000, C482S048000, C482S124000, C601S040000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213918

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to exercise and therapeutic devices of the type utilized for muscle strengthening and more particular to portable devices which are constructed to permit therapy and strengthening of the fingers, hands and wrist of an individual and which use resilient bands to provide resistance to joint manipulation.
2. History of the Related Art
Loss of strength in an individual's fingers, hands and wrist can occur from a variety of factors such as; repeated finger movements resulting in carpel tunnel syndrome, as a result of a stroke, arthritis, or tendinitis, or due to finger injury or amputation. Not only is loss of strength a problem but often severe discomfort and pain accompanies the condition. Without proper rehabilitation therapy, such conditions may result in the necessity for surgery followed by expensive and extensive physical therapy in order to maintain even a small percentage of the original hand and wrist strength.
Some prior art therapeutic devices involve the use of objects which can be squeezed such as balls which are held in the patient's hand with patient being instructed to apply increasing pressure to the surface of the ball to provide increasing amounts of resistance to the flexing of the fingers. Unfortunately, such an exercise device only provides for resistance in one motion of the fingers closing relative to the palm in flexion and does not provide for necessary exercise for finger extension and finger movement relative to the plane of the palm of the hand. It is important, to provide total rehabilitation, to ensure that the joints of the hand, fingers and wrist are manipulated in all directions so that maximum strength and dexterity can be achieved through appropriate therapy and exercise.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,200 to Unger a hand and finger exercise device is disclosed which includes a central cylinder which is adapted to be engaged in a person's hand. A plurality of elastic straps extend along the length of the cylinder and over the fingers and a separate strap extends along only a portion of the cylinder for engaging over the thumb. In use, an individual squeezes on the cylinder and thereafter flexes the fingers or thumb outwardly against the resilient elements. Unfortunately, with this type of device, the resistance to flexing of the fingers inwardly can not be adjusted as the cylinder is substantially rigid. Also, the degree of resistance to outward flexing of the fingers can not be adjusted. In addition, the straps provide uniform resistance to the movement of the fingers and do not therefore provide relative resistance depending upon which finger is being exercised.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,436 to Gibney, a non-invasive method for treating carpal tunnel syndrome is disclosed which includes an elastomeric sheet having a plurality of holes therein for receiving the tips of the fingers and thumb. This sheet is designed to provide resistance axially outwardly from a center portion of the sheet thus drawing the fingers and thumb toward the center. With this type of device, the primary resistance is only in a single direction and the resistance in flexion and tension can not be adjusted. The device is designed to provide for outwardly flexing of the fingers but does not otherwise provide resistance for inward movement, flexion, of the fingers.
Other prior art patents for increasing strength and providing flexibility of the hand are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,871,646 to Slack, 4,836,531 to Niks, 5,303,696 to Boice, 5,514,052 to Charles et al., 5,374,226 to Graham, 5,445,582 to Brown and 5,573,479 to Harris.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and device for providing exercise for rehabilitation of an individual's fingers, hands and wrist so as to achieve maximum dexterity at each of the joints and thereby relieve individual discomfort and increase muscle strength to permit normal use of the hand. The invention includes a support base having opposite sides and, from at least one side extend, a plurality of pegs. In one embodiment the pegs are spaced in a somewhat circular orientation relative to one another and define a central area over which an individual's palm may be positioned. In a second embodiment, the pegs are situated along an arc of a circle and the base has an extension for mounting to the wrist.
In the first embodiment the pegs of the invention support at least one resilient band which is placed under tension by being placed around the periphery of the spaced pegs. The number of resilient bands may be increased to provide additional resistance to finger and hand movements. The pegs are spaced such that the fingers of an individual's hand can engage segments of at least one resilient band intermediate the spaced pegs. In some embodiments, the spacing between the pegs may be varied such that each segment of the at least one resilient band offers differing resistance to movement depending upon which finger is to engage a particular segment of the resilient band.
Also, in some embodiments, the pegs are mounted so as to extend outwardly from each of the opposite sides of the support base. In such embodiments, a plurality of openings may be formed in the base through which the pegs extend such that the end portions of the pegs are positioned outwardly on opposite sides of the support base. One or more resilient bands may be placed on opposite ends of the pegs on opposite sides of the support base so that the fingers, hands and/or wrists may be simultaneously or alternately exercised.
In the second embodiment, separate resilient bands are engaged or supported by each of the pegs such that an individual's fingers are engageable with the separate resilient bands when the individual's hand is placed on an adjacent support base.
In accordance with the methodologies of the present invention, an individual may use the devices of the first and second embodiments to exercise the muscles of the hands and wrist to achieve maximum strength and dexterity. With the first embodiment of the invention, in a first position, an individual positions their palm over the central portion of the apparatus with their fingers extending outwardly overlapping segments of the resilient band and thereafter squeeze the band as if attempting to pick up an object on the support base. By placing the fingers within the resilient bands and then pushing outward, a further strengthening of the muscles of the hand may be obtained in extension. The resilient bands may also be used to strengthen the grip between the thumbs and forefingers by pulling on the band or bands to pull or lift the bands from engagement with the pegs.
In the second embodiment of the invention, an individual places the wrist and hand against the support and secures the support base to the wrist and hand utilizing a strap. Prior to tightening the strap, the fingers are inserted within the bands extending from each of the pegs so that the fingers may be flexed thereby pulling against the resilient bands. To further exercise the wrist, the back of the hand is placed against the support base with the fingers extending beneath the resilient band. Thereafter the individual pivots their hand upwardly against the resilient bands to create a flexing motion at the wrist which is resisted by the bands. With either embodiment, the number of bands is varied to increase or decrease the amount of resistance to either finger or hand movement.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic device which is low cost and portable and which may be used to exercise the fingers, hands and wrist to strengthen the muscles associated therewith.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic exercise device which can be utilized for strengthening the muscles associated with the hand and wrist and which can be easily adjusted to vary the resistance to joint movement by increasing or decreasing the number of elastic bands associated th

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