Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 21 94334
Description
EXERCISE APPARATUS
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to
exercise equipment, and more particularly, to an exercise
apparatus which is usable to stretch and strengthen
gluteal and hamstring muscles and thereby alleviate back
pain.
Background of the Invention
Back pain is a large problem in the United
States and throughout the world. It is estimated that
over 60% of the adults in developed societies have had at
least one episode of low back pain. It is estimated that
the problem is experienced by 3.4 million people each year
in the United States. For the people under the age of 45
who have lived with some type of chronic disorder, about
40% of them are living with back pain. In the United
States alone, about $13 billion is spent annually trying
to relieve low back pain and the associated complaints.
Back pain is among the most common reasons given for
absence from work.
There are a variety of causes of back pain and
many theories of treatment and prevention. Strength and
flexibility of certain muscles, specifically the gluteal
and hamstring muscles, are widely recognized as
contributing factors with regard to the treatment and
prevention of back pain. For example, since the hamstring
muscles are attached to both the leg and the pelvis, a
tight hamstring will cause the pelvis to rotate in the
direction of the pull. This rotation will affect the
curvature of the spine and compression on the disks of the
spine. Correcting this rotation is a common back
treatment.
2 1 q4334
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Many athletes and exercisers not suffering from
back pain also desire to strengthen and stretch the
hamstring and gluteal muscles. This can be part of a
program of strength training and stretching, or for warm-
up prior to an athletic endeavor.
The difficulty with strengthening and stretching
these muscles is that it has heretofore been difficult, if
not impossible, to do so without also involving and
thereby stressing the muscles and structure of the lower
back. Using existing equipment and techniques, the
involvement of the muscles of the lower back and the
flexing of the lower back during such exercises can cause
a lower back problem and will frequently exacerbate an
already existing lower back problem. This can interfere
with an otherwise prudent back treatment.
It will therefore be appreciated that there has
long been a significant need for an exercise apparatus
which allows the stretching and strengthening of gluteal
and hamstring muscles without stressing the muscles of the
lower back. The present invention fulfills this need and
further provides other related advantages.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention resides in an exercise
apparatus for stretching and strengthening, particularly
for stretching and strengthening the gluteal and hamstring
muscles. The apparatus includes a body support having
first and second body support portions. The first support
portion is sized to provide support to a first body
portion of a user when in position thereon, and has an
inward end portion. The second support portion is sized
to provide support to a second body portion of the user
when in position thereon, and has an inward end portion.
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the first
support portion receives a lower body portion of the user
- 3 21 94334
thereon and the second support portion receives an upper
body portion of the user thereon.
The first support inward end portion and the
second support inward end portion are positioned toward
each other and pivotally coupled together by a pivot
coupler for angular movement of the first support portion
and the second support portion relative to each other
about a pivot axis of the pivot coupler. The pivot axis
of the pivot coupler is located to an upper side of and
spaced away from both the first and second support
portions at about the position of an imaginary line
extending between a user's hip joints when the user is
resting the user's first and second body portions on the
first and second support portions, respectively, in
position for exercise using the back exercise apparatus of
the present invention.
The illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus further includes a foot stop. The foot stop is
positioned toward an outward end portion of the first
support portion to be engaged by at least one foot of the
user. The foot stop limits movement of the user's lower
body portion toward the first support outward end portion
when the user is resting the user's lower body portion on
the first support portion and the user's upper body
portion on the second support portion during exercise with
the hinge line of the user's hip joints generally
coincident with the pivot axis of the pivot coupler. The
foot stop is adjustably attached to the first support
outward end portion and selectively movable along a length
of the first support outward end portion to position the
foot stop according to the user's lower body length.
Thereby, the user's body stays on the first and second
support portions with the hinge line of the user's hip
joints generally coincident with the pivot axis.
In the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus, a weight attachment member is attached to the
21 94334
body support and removably receives a weight at a position
to produce a selected downward force on the body support
tending to move the first and second support inward end
portions downward and pivot the first and second support
portions about the pivot axis with the upper sides of the
first and second support portions generally moving toward
each other.
In the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus, the pivot coupler includes left and right side
pivot couplers. The first support portion includes Ieft
and right arms projecting away from the upper side of the
first support portion, and the second support portion
includes left and right arms projecting away from the
upper side of the second support portion. The left arms
of the first and second support portions are pivotally
coupled together by the left side pivot coupler, and the
right arms of the first and second support portions are
pivotally coupled together by the right side pivot
coupler.
The exercise apparatus further includes a first
member coupled to the first support portion to hold the
first support portion and permit pivotal movement thereof
relative to the second support portion during exercise.
Similarly, a second member is coupled to the second
support portion to hold the second support portion and
permit pivotal movement thereof relative to the first body
support portion during exercise. In the illustrated
embodiment, the first member is held stationary during
exercise and has a first end portion pivotally coupled to
the first support portion, and the second member is
movable during exercise and has a first end portion
pivotally coupled to the second support portion and a
second end portion supported for pivotal movement. The
exercise apparatus includes a ground engaging base member,
and the first member has a second end portion rigidly
attached to the base member. The second end portion of
21 94334
the second member is pivotally attached to the base
member.
In the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus, the first and second members are coupled to the
first and second support portions at locations spaced
apart along a length of the body support to allow the body
weight of the user on the upper sides of the first and
second support portions to move the first and second
support inward end portions downward. This also pivots
the first and second support portions about the pivot axis
with the upper sides of the first and second support
portions moving toward each other.
A selectively operable lock is provided to
selectively lock the first and second support portions
against angular movement reLative to each other.
Other features and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from the following detailed
description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a front isometric view of the
exercise apparatus of the present invention shown in the
rest position.
Figure 2 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown in the rest position.
Figure 3 is a rear isometric view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown in a flexed position.
Figure 4 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown in a flexed position.
Figure 5 is a first end elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown in the flexed
position.
Figure 6 is a second end elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown in the flexed
position.
21 94334
Figure 7 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown with a representation
of a human user positioned thereon in the rest position.
Figure 8 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 1 shown with the user thereon
in the flexed position.
Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the
pivot coupler and lock pin assemblies of the exercise
apparatus shown in Figure 1.
Figure 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of
the adjustable foot stop assembly of the exercise
apparatus shown in Figure 1.
Figure 11 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus as shown in Figure 8 with the foot stop
removed to illustrate the possible resultant undesirable
lumbar flexion.
Figure 12 is a left side elevational view of a
first alternative embodiment of the present invention
shown in the rest position.
Figure 13 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 12 shown in a flexed
position.
Figure 14 is a left side elevational view of a
second alternative embodiment of the present invention
shown in the rest position.
Figure 15 is a left side elevational view of the
exercise apparatus of Figure 14 shown in flexed position.
Detailed Description of the Invention
As shown in the drawings for purposes of
illustration, the present invention is embodied in an
exercise apparatus 10 which includes a lower body support
12 and an upper body support 14 in longitudinally
extending arrangement. As illustrated in Figure 7 for the
rest position, a user 16 positions himself resting on his
back atop the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 in a
21 q4334
recumbent or reclined position for exercise using the
exercise apparatus 10.
The lower body support 12 includes a rigid frame
18 with a cushion 20 mounted thereon. The frame 18 has
left and right side frame members and cross-members
extending therebetween, as best illustrated in Figure 5.
The cushion 20 is sized to support a lower body portion
16a of the user 16 when in position thereon for exercise
(see Figures 7 and 8). If desired the cushion 20 can be
contoured to comfortably support the user's lower body
portion and to assist the user in maintaining his legs
bent during exercise. The lower body support 12 has a
longitudinally outward first end portion 12a toward which
the user's feet 16b are positioned, and a longitudinally
inward second end portion 12b toward which the user's
upper legs 16c are positioned.
The upper body support 14 has a rigid frame 22
supporting a contoured cushion 24 shaped to comfortably
support an upper body portion 16d of the user 16 when in
position thereon for exercise. The cushion 24 has
separate portions to support the user's head, upper back
and lower back. The frame 22 has a longitudinally
extending center frame member, as best illustrated in
Figure 6. The upper body support 14 has a longitudinally
outward first end portion 14a towards which the user's
head 16e is positioned, and a longitudinally inward second
end portion 14b toward which the user's lower back 16f is
positioned.
The lower body support second end portion 12b
and the upper body support second end portion 14b are
positioned toward each other and are pivotally coupled
together by a pivot coupler assembly 26 for angular
movement of the lower body support 12 and the upper body
support 14 relative to each other through a vertical plane
about a pivot axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26
shown by broken line in Figures 1 and 3.
21 94334
In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,
the pivot coupler assembly 26 includes a left side pivot
coupler 30 and a right side pivot coupler 32. The lower
body support 12 includes left and right arms 34 and 36,
respectively, rigidly attached to the corresponding one of
the left and right side frame members of the frame 18 of
the lower body support at the second end portion 12b
thereof. The left and right arms 34 and 35 project upward
and beyond an upper side of the cushion 20 of the lower
body support. Further, the upper body support 14 includes
left and right arms 38 and 40, respectively, rigidly
attached to the center frame member of the frame 22 of the
upper body support at the second end portion 14b thereof,
as best illustrated in Figures 3 and 6. The left and
right arms 38 and 40 extend laterally left and right,
respectively, from the center frame member and turn
upward, projecting upward and beyond an upper side of the
cushion 24 of the upper body support. The upper ends of
the left arms 34 and 38 of the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14 are pivotally coupled together by the
left side pivot coupler 30. Similarly, the upper ends of
the right arms 36 and 40 of the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14 are pivotally coupled together by the
right side pivot coupler 32.
2S The left side pivot coupler 30 is pivotal about
a left side pivot axis coincident with the pivot axis 28
and the right side pivot coupler 32 is pivotal about a
right side pivot axis that is coincident with the pivot
axis 28 such that the left and right side pivot axes are
generally coaxially aligned. The left arms 34 and 38 are
positioned to a left side of the cushions 20 and 24, and
the right arms 36 and 40 are positioned to a right side of
the cushions so as to position the left and right arms and
the left and right pivot couplers 30 and 32 sufficiently
laterally spaced apart to allow the user's pelvis to be
positioned therebetween.
21 94334
g
The left arms 34 and 38 and the right arms 36
and 40 have a sufficient length so as to position the left
and right couplers 30 and 32 attached at the upper ends of
the arms in position spaced away from and above the lower
and upper body supports 12 and 14 by a distance such that
the left side pivot axis of the left side pivot coupler 30
is at a location corresponding to about the location of
the user's left hip joint and the right side pivot axis of
the right side pivot coupler 32 is at a location
corresponding to about the location of the user's right
hip joint when the user 16 is in position for exercise
resting on the cushions 20 and 24 of the lower and upper
body supports.
In the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus 10, the left and right side pivot couplers 30
and 32 each comprise a pivot pin rotatably retained by the
upper ends of the corresponding left or right arms, as
best illustrated in Figure 9. It should be recognized
that other forms of pivotal couplers which provide for the
angular movement of the lower body support 12 relative to
the upper body support 14, preferably through a plane, can
be utilized. Further, while an arrangement is illustrated
for movement through a vertical plane, the angular
orientation of the plane through which the lower and upper
body supports move can be varied as desired.
With the exercise apparatus 10 of the present
invention, the location of the pivot axis 28 of the pivot
coupler assembly 26 is closely matched to an imaginary
hinge line extending between the user's hip joints when
the user is resting the user's lower body portion 16a on
the lower body support 12 and the user's upper body
portion 16d on the upper body support 14 in position for
exercise using the exercise apparatus. With the user's
lower and upper body portions on the exercise apparatus in
the position described, when the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14 are angularly moved through the
lo 21 94334
vertical plane by the user 16 during exercise they pivot
about the pivot axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26,
and the lower and upper body portions 16a and 16b of the
user bend therewith about the hinge line of the user's hip
joints. As noted above, the hinge line of the user's hip
joints is generally coincident with the pivot axis 28
thereby allowing bending about the user's hip without
substantial bending of the user's lower back 16f. As a
result of such use of the exercise apparatus 10, the user
16 will stretch and strengthen his gluteal and hamstring
muscles without stressing the muscles of the lower back
16f (i.e., without flexion of the lumbar spine).
The exercise apparatus 10 of the present
invention allows the user 16 to stretch and strengthen the
gluteal and hamstring muscles by flexing at the hips
without concern that the lumbar spine will also
significantly flex. By limiting the flexion of the spine
the exercise apparatus 10 permits a very powerful stretch
of the gluteal and hamstring muscles without the
associated risk of injuring the lower back associated with
prior art exercise apparatus. By increasing the
flexibility of the gluteal and hamstring muscles, the
exercise apparatus 10 will help treat and prevent back
injuries. By use in a program of strength training and
stretching, or by use prior to engaging in an athletic
endeavor, the gluteal and hamstring muscles will be
strengthened and stretched, and less susceptible to
injury. Hamstring injuries in athletes, for example, are
often correlated with flexibility. With the exercise
apparatus 10 it is possible to perform strong terminal
extension contractions of the gluteal and hamstring
muscles. Terminal extension contractions are
strengthening exercises performed when the muscle is fully
stretched. Strengthening in this range further protects
the muscle from injury by developing strength where the
- 11 21 94334
muscle is vulnerable. Hamstring injuries have also been
highly correlated to muscle strength.
The use of the exercise apparatus 10 is best
illustrated by Figure 7 showing the exercise apparatus in
S the rest position, and Figure 8 showing the exercise
apparatus in the flexed position. In the rest position,
the user 16 is simply resting upon the cushions 20 and 22
of the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14. To
facilitate the user 16 mounting and dismounting from the
exercise apparatus 10, a generally semi-circular locking
plate 42 is fixedly attached by welding to the left arm 34
(best illustrated in Figure 9), which as noted above is
fixedly attached to the frame 18 at the second end portion
12b of the lower body support 12. A lock pin assembly 44
is fixedly attached to the left arm 38, which as noted
above is fixedly attached to the frame 22 at the second
end portion 14b of the upper body support 14. The lock
pin assembly 44 slidably retains a lock pin 46 for
selective lateral extension thereof. The lock pin
assembly 44 is positioned along the length of the left arm
38 such that the lock pin 46 coincides with a series of
lock pin holes 48 positioned around a perimeter portion of
the locking plate 42. The lock pin holes 48 are arranged
along a circumferential path relative to the pivot axis 28
of the pivot coupler assembly 26, and thus the lock pin 46
will sequentially move past the lock pin holes as the
lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 angularly move
relative to each other about the pivot axis 28.
The lock pin 46 has sufficient length that when
moved laterally within the lock pin assembly 44 toward the
right side of the exercise apparatus, the lock pin will
project through and beyond the left arm 38 and enter into
a selected one of the lock pin holes 48 in the locking
plate 42. In such fashion, further angular movement of
the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 relative to
12 21 94334
each other is inhibited, and the user is permitted to
safely mount and dismount from the exercise apparatus.
When resting on the cushions 20 and 24 of the
lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 in position to
commence an exercise, i. e., the rest position shown in
Figure 7, the user 16 or an assistant simply pulls
laterally outward on the lock pin 46 enough to withdraw
the lock pin from the lock pin hole 48 in which it was
positioned. The lower and upper body supports 12 and 14
are then free to angularly move relative to each other
about the pivot axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26.
The basic movement involved is relatively simple in that
gravity acting on the body of the user (i.e., the user's
body weight) presses downward on the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14 to move the second end portions 12b and
14b of the lower and upper body supports downward and
pivot the lower and upper body supports about the pivot
axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26. This causes the
upper sides of the lower and upper body supports to
generally move toward each other and into the flexed
position shown in Figure 8. The user 16 engages in
exercise by resisting the resulting downward movement of
his body and by also using his gluteal and hamstring
muscles to return the lower and upper body supports 12 and
14 from the flexed position back to the rest position
shown in Figure 7. This results in a complete repetition.
When a desired number of repetitions have been computed,
the user 16 can simply slide the lock pin 46 laterally
into a desired one of the lock pin holes 48 to again lock
the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 against
further angular movement relative to each other and
dismount from the exercise apparatus 10.
In the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus 10, the lower body support 12 is supported in an
elevated position by left and right side lower body
support legs 50. The left side lower body support leg 50
21 94334
13
has an upper end portion 50a pivotally attached to the
left side frame member of the frame 18 of the lower body
support 12, and the right side lower body support leg has
its upper end portion 50a pivotally attached to the right
side frame member of the frame 18. Each of the lower body
support legs 50 has a lower portion 50b attached to a
stationary U-shaped base frame 52 which engages the floor
or ground on which the exercise apparatus 10 is
positioned. The lower body support legs 50 are held
stationary during exercise by the rigid attachment of
their lower end portions 50b to a corresponding one of
left and right leg portion 52a of the base frame 52, and
by left and right braces 54. The braces 54 each have an
upper end portion 54a rigidly attached toward the upper
end portion 50a of a corresponding one of the left and
right lower body support legs 50 and a lower end portion
54b rigidly attached to a corresponding one of the left
and right leg portions 52a of the base frame 52. In such
manner, the lower body support legs 50 are coupled to the
lower body support 12 in a manner that permits pivotal
movement of the lower body support relative to the upper
body support 14 during exercise.
A single upper body support leg 56 holds the
upper body support 14 in an elevated position. As best
illustrated in Figure 6, an upper end portion 56a of the
upper body support leg 56 is pivotally attached to the
center frame member of the frame 22 of the upper body
support 14. The upper body support leg 56 has a lower end
portion 56b pivotally attached to a longitudinally inward
projecting frame member portion 52b rigidly attached to a
cross-member portion 52c extending between the left and
right leg portions 52a of the base frame 52. In such
manner, the upper body support leg permits pivotal
movement of the upper body support 14 relative to the
lower body support 12 during exercise. The lower body
support legs 50 are held stationary during exercise,
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14
whereas the upper body support leg 56 is free to rotate
relative to both the upper body support 14 and the base
frame 52 during the exercise as a result of its pivotally
coupling to both the upper body support and the base
frame. While the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14
are illustrated and described as being supported by legs,
it should be understood that a frame or other means for
support may be utilized which allows the desired angular
movement between the lower and upper body supports needed
to accomplish the intended exercise.
The upper end portions 50a of the lower body
support legs 50 are pivotally coupled to the frame 18 of
the lower body support 12 generally midway along the
length thereof. Similarly, the upper end portion 56a of
the upper body support leg 56 is pivotally coupled to the
frame 22 of the upper body support 14 generally midway
along the length of the upper body support. This places
the attachment points of the upper end portions 50a of the
lower body support legs 50 and the upper end portion 56a
of the upper body support leg 56 sufficiently spaced apart
along the length of the lower and upper body supports so
as to cause the body weight of the user resting thereon to
apply a downward force on the lower and upper body support
second end portions 12b and 14b tending to move them
downward. This placement also causes the lower and upper
body supports 12 and 14 to pivot about the pivot axis 28
of the pivot coupler assembly 26 so as to cause the upper
sides of the lower and upper body supports to move toward
each other as the exercise apparatus is moved from the
rest position shown in Figure 7 to the flexed position
shown in Figure 8. By so positioning the upper body
support and lower body support legs 50 and 56, the center
of gravity of the user 16 resting on the lower and upper
body supports 12 and 14 drops as the user flexes at his
hips and the exercise apparatus 10 goes from the rest
position toward the flexed position. This causes the
21 94334
- 15
weight of the user to encourage hip flexion. Muscular
effort must be exerted to resist this flexion or to extend
the hip.
A post 58 is rigidly attached to the right arm
S 40, which as described above is rigidly attached at one
end to the frame 22 of the upper body support 14. The
post 58 extends laterally outward to the right of the user
16 when the user is positioned on the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14, and allows the user or an assistant to
10 selectively add and remove weights, such as the weight 60
illustrated on the post in Figure 1. The selectively
added weight 60 causes a correspondingly greater force
which pulls the exercise apparatus 10 into the flexed
position of Figure 8 and the user 16 into a flexed hip
lS position. This force assists in the stretching of the
gluteal and hamstring muscles and builds strength in these
muscles as the user works against the weight 60, his own
body weight and the weight of the lower and upper body
supports 12 and 14 to resist downward movement of the
20 lower and upper body supports toward the flexed position
and to extend the hip after each flexion of the hip as the
lower and upper body supports are moved toward the rest
position. The ability to vary the size of the weight 60
permits control over the strengthening portion of the
25 exercise.
To maintain the alignment of the imaginary line
extending between the user's hip joints with the pivot
axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26 when the user 16
is resting on the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14
30 while performing an exercise using the exercise apparatus
10, a foot plate or stop 62 is adjustably attached to the
first end portion 12a of the lower body support 12 in a
position to be engaged by the user's feet 16b. The foot
stop 62 limits movement of the user's lower and upper body
35 portions 16a and 16d toward the lower body support first
end portion 12a. By properly setting the location of the
21 94334
16
foot stop 62 based upon the length of the user's lower
body 16a, the hinge line of the user's hip joints can be
maintained by the user generally coincident with the pivot
axis 28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26 throughout the
5 exercise. It is noted that the hinge line of the user's
hip joints is illustrated in Figures-7 and 8 for both the
rest position and the flexed position as the flex point 64
along an imaginary line 66 which extends longitudinally
through the body of the user 16. As can be seen from
10 Figures 7 and 8, the foot stop 62 prevents the hinge line
from moving longitudinally relative to the pivot axis 28
(the pivot axis 28 is shown in Figures 1 and 3 as a broken
line).
The foot stop 62 is adjustably attached to the
15 frame 18 of the lower body support 12 at the lower body
support first end portion 12a and is selectively movable
along the length of the lower body support first end
portion to permit adjustable positioning of the foot stop
prior to commencing an exercise according to the user's
20 lower body length. As best illustrated in Figure 10, to
allow selective longitudinal adjustment of the position of
the foot stop 62, the foot stop includes an inverted
U-shaped frame 68 having left and right end portions 68a,
each with an inner and outer plate 70 and 72,
25 respectively, which extend downward to the inside and
outside of a corresponding one of the left and right side
frame members of the frame 18 of the lower body support 12
and below the frame member. Each pair of the inner and
outer plates 70 and 72 has a retainer pin 74 extending
30 therebetween at a position below the corresponding one of
the left and right side frame members of the frame 18 to
couple the foot stop 62 to the frame 18 for selective
longitudinal movement therealong. The left and right end
portions 68a of the U-shaped frame 68 has a downwardly
35 slidable lock pin 76 positioned to enter a selected one of
a longitudinally distributed plurality of holes 78 in the
'~ 17 2 1 94334
top side of the left and right side frames of the frame 18
to selectively lock the foot stop 62 against longitudinal
movement during an exercise.
Before commencement of an exercise using the
exercise apparatus 10, and while standing, the length
between the user's hip joint and the floor is measured.
The foot plate 62 is then moved to position the lock pins
76 into the lock pin holes 78 that correspond with the
measured length. The user 16 then mounts the exercise
apparatus and lays on his back with his pelvis positioned
between the left and right pivot couplers 30 and 32. He
then moves his body longitudinally along the lower and
upper body supports 12 and 14, either toward the first end
portion 12a of the lower body support or the first end
portion 14a of the upper body support, by an amount
necessary to generally align the hinge line of the user's
hip joints with the pivot axis 28 of the pivot coupler
assembly 26. By so adjusting the longitudinal position of
the foot stop 62 based upon the measured leg length of the
-20 user 16, the user's hip joints will be fixed in position
during the entire exercise with the hinge line thereof
generally coincident with the pivot axis 28 of the pivot
coupler assembly 26. In so doing, the hip will be the
only joint that will be caused to significantly articulate
when the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 angularly
move relative to each other during the exercise.
If the foot stop 62 or some other manner of
maintaining alignment of the hinge line of the user's hip
joints with the pivot axis 28 were not used, as the user
16 exercised by moving the exercise apparatus 10 between
the rest and flexed positions, the body of the user would
tend to slide along the lower body support 12 toward the
first end portion 12a of the lower body support. This
would tend to longitudinally move the hinge line of the
user's hip joints away from the pivot axis 28 of the pivot
coupler assembly 26 to a position such as shown in Figure
~ . . . . . . . . . . ... .
- 21 94334
18
11 (showing the exercise apparatus 10 with the foot stop
62 removed). The result would be not only flexion at the
hinge line of the user's hip joints (indicated by the flex
point 64), but also flexion at the flex point 74 along the
imaginary longitudinal body line 66 which is in the lumbar
region of the user's back. The same problem would occur
with a similar style exercise apparatus which was designed
to have a pivot coupler assembly with a pivot axis located
other than at about the hinge line of the user's hip
joints.
If such an exercise apparatus does not align the
pivot axis of the pivot coupler assembly with the hinge
line of the user's hip joints, or if aligned, does not
provide a means for maintaining the user's body throughout
lS the exercise in an aligned position, undesirable flexing
of the spine in the lumbar region will occur as the hip
joints bend when the lower and upper body supports
angularly move relative to each other. Of course, even
with the exercise apparatus 10 of the prèsent invention,
if the user does not set the foot stop 62 at a position to
produce precise alignment of the hinge line of the user's
hip joints with the pivot axis 28 of the pivot coupler
assembly 26, some spine flexion will occur in the lumbar
region, especially if the user engages in a full range of
hip flexion during the exercise. However, even if the
foot stop 62 of the present invention is not precisely
set, it will still prevent the user's body from slipping
along the length of the exercise apparatus while
exercising and thereby progressively increasing the
longitudinal distance between the hinge line of the user's
hip joints and the pivot axis of the pivot coupler
assembly, and thus will minimize the amount of spine
flexion and possible damage that does occur. Naturally,
the human body can tolerate some spine flexion in the
lumbar region without damage occurring, so an extremely
precise placement of the foot stop 62 is not required.
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However, it is important that the foot stop 62 be used to
prevent the longitudinal movement of the user's body along
the exercise apparatus during an exercise and the
resultant misalignment of the hinge line of the user's hip
joints with the pivot axis of the pivot coupler assembly
during the exercise.
It is noted that use of the foot stop 62 assumes
the user 16 will exercise with the exercise apparatus 10
without significantly bending his legs beyond whatever
initial bend exists in the legs when the longitudinal
position of the foot stop is set before the exercise
commences .
While the illustrated embodiment of the exercise
apparatus 10 utilizes the foot stop 62, it is contemplated
that other retainer means might be employed to maintain
the desired initial longitudinal position of the user's
body on the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 during
the entire exercise, or to at least m; n; mi ze the
longitudinal movement to within tolerable limits. For
example, contouring the cushions 20 and 24 or utilizing
leg straps would prevent or min;m; ze longitudinal movement
of a user's body. Also, fasteners which retain the user's
upper body in the vicinity of the pelvis in position on
the upper body support 14 could also be used to prevent or
m;n;m; ze longitudinal movement of the user's body.
A first alternative embodiment of an exercise
apparatus 10' embodying the present invention is shown in
Figures 12 and 13 in the rest and flexed positions,
respectively. For ease of understanding, the components
of the alternative embodiments described hereinafter will
be similarly numbered with those of the embodiment of
Figures 1-11 when of similar construction. Only the
differences in construction will be described in detail.
In this first embodiment of the exercise
apparatus 10', at least the upper body support 14 rests
directly on the ground or a floor 80. A mechanical
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mechanism or an assistant tnot shown) raises the lower
body support 12 and causes it to angularly move relative
to the upper body support 14 about the pivot axis 28 of
the pivot coupler assembly 26 toward the flexed position
S shown in Figure 13. The user 16 resting on the lower and
upper body supports 12 and 14 achieves the stretching and
strengthening of the gluteal and hamstring muscles by
resisting the movement while maintaining the hinge line of
his hip joints generally coincident with the pivot axis 28
by keeping his feet 16b engaged with the foot stop 62. No
lower or upper body support legs 50 or 56 are utilized to
hold the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 in an
elevated position.
A second alternative embodiment of an exercise
apparatus 10" embodying the present invention is shown in
Figures 14 and 15. In this embodiment the lower and upper
body supports 12 and 14 are not only pivotally coupled
together by the pivot coupler assembly 26, but are
supported above the floor 80 by their pivotal coupling in
coaxial alignment with the pivot axis 28 to left and right
side, floor engaging support plates 82. One or the other
or both of the lower and upper body supports 12 and 14 can
be raised from the rest position shown in Figure 14 using
a mechanical mechanism or an assistant (not shown), with
the upward force applied indicated by arrows F1 and F2 in
Figures 14 and lS to angularly move the lower and upper
body supports relative to each other about the pivot axis
28 of the pivot coupler assembly 26 toward the flexed
position shown in Figure 15. The user 16 achieves the
desired stretching and strengthening exercise by resisting
the movement while maintaining the hinge line of his hip
joints generally coincident with the pivot axis 28 by
keeping his feet 16b engaged with the foot stop 62.
Again, no lower or upper body support legs 50 or 56 are
utilized.
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It will be appreciated that, although a specific
embodiment of the invention has been described herein for
purposes of illustration, various modifications may be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited
except as by the appended claims.
