Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD FOR EXERCISE AND SIMULTANEOUS
MOVEMENT OF BLOOD BY EXTERNAL PRESSURE
Background Of The Invention
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and an
apparatus for an exercise program involving temporarily
increasing the amount of blood in a person's trunk portion
while simultaneously physically exercising and protecting the
person's venous valves.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that beneficial effects and feeling of
health are provided by massaging parts of the human body.
Such massaging may be performed by a mechanical apparatus,
for example, as shown in United States Patent No. 3,908,642
for "Means for Aerating And Applying Air Pulsations Within
Casts". That patent describes an arrangement of diaphragms
(bladders) installed within a cast.
It is also known that persons with "varicose veins" may
be helped by compressing the leg veins by means of elastic
support stockings. Varicose veins are veins in the leg which
become enlarged (engorged) causing aches and may be
unsightly. Venous blood must be pushed against gravity, when
. the person is standing, and against the column of blood in
the veins. The blood is pushed by the leg muscles and passes
through a series of one-way valves. If an individual with
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varicose veins should be on a lower body exercise program,
for example, a jogging, treadmill or stair-master type of
exercise program, the person may injure or harm his/her
veins. For this reason other types of exercise, such as
swimming, are often advised for people with varicose veins,
although such alternative exercise may be less beneficial.
In addition it is known that it may be useful,
especially following surgical operation or for chronic
angina, to move blood by external means, such as tubular
bladders placed on a limb. Patents showing such blood moving
bladders include: U.S. Patent 4,338,923 entitled
"Inflatable-Cell Type Body Treading Apparatus", to Gelfer et
al; U.S. Patent 3,811,431 entitled "Programmed Venous Assist
Pump", to Apstein; U.S. Patent 4,311,135 entitled "Apparatus
To Assist Leg Venous and Skin Circulation", to Brueckner et
al; and U.S. Patent 4,013,069 entitled "Sequential
Intermittent Compression Device" to Hasty and the applicant
Horace Bullard's prior U.S. Patents 4,865,020 and 5,027,797
and his PCT Application 91911528.7, the Bullard U.S. patents
being incorporated by reference herein. In those patents
there is no disclosure of obtaining a rise in heart rate to
at least 20x above the person's normal rate, or the use of
pure oxygen along with the vascular and physical exercise.
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Other patents showing the use of air inflated bags on
the human body include: U.S. patent 1,680,239 to Rosett
entitled "Therapeutic Device"; U.S. Patent 3,880,149 to
Kawaguchi entitled "Blood Circulation Stimulating Apparatus";
U.S. Patent 3,659,593 to Vail, entitled "Cardiovascular
Assist Device"; U.S. Patent 3,886,604 to Curless et al,
entitled "External Cardiac Assistance"; U.S. Patent 3,179,106
to Meredith, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Preventing
Venous Blood Clotting" and U.S. Patent 4,624,244 to Taheri
entitled "Device For Aiding Cardiocepital Venous Flow From
The Foot and Leg Of A Patient."
The use of Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) as
a therapy for selected patients with chronic angina is
reviewed in the article "Efficacy of Enhanced External
Counterpulsation in the Treatment of Angina Pectoris", Lawson
et al, Am.J. Cardiol., 1992, 70:859-862. In that study the
patients lie down with three sets of balloons wrapped about
their calves and thighs with the timing of the sequential
compression being controlled by the patient's
electrocardiogram.
It has been reported that a new Harvard study which
followed 17,300 middle-aged men for 20 years found that only
vigorous exercise had a beneficial effect on longevity (New
York Times, pg. 1, April 19, 1995).
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The present invention provides an apparatus and method
which combines vigorous physical exercise and vascular
exercise. It is believed that there is a strong beneficial
effect, in terms especially of cardiovascular fitness, from
vigorous and prolonged exercise such as jogging, cross-
country skiing or using exercise equipment. However, such
vigorous exercise may not be performed by infirm or elderly
persons. The applicant believes that increasing the amount
of blood in the trunk of the body, holding the blood under
pressure in the trunk and simultaneously performing physical
exercise can yield beneficial results. He believes the
beneficial results from such a physical exercise program and
vascular exercise program would be more beneficial than the
results from vigorous exercise. The benefits are believed to
include improved capillary circulation, which provides better
skin tone and better functioning of the liver and lymph
systems. The system and method of the present invention may
also be useful for persons with inadequate blood circulation,
such as blood capillary circulatory problems, and collapsed
or narrowed veins and varicose veins and angina pectoris. It
permits persons with varicose veins to perform lower body
exercise such as jogging, treadmill, etc.
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Summary Of The Invention
In accordance with the apparatus of the invention
pressure applying cuffs (bladders) are applied around all
four limbs of a person and at the buttock area.
In one embodiment the person performing the exercise may
sit down in the apparatus, adjust the exercise program and
the cuff sizes to his/her needs, and commence the blood
exercise program. The apparatus, similar in some respects to
the apparatus of Bullard U.S. Patent 5,027,797, includes a
base member, in which the person sits, and a top member which
he swings down on the base member. The timing and the
pressure of the air injected into the cuffs is controlled by
a microprocessor based control means coupled to the four limb
pressure cuffs. The microprocessor is connected to a device,
such as a simple heart rate earlobe monitor, which detects
the user's diastolic beat. In one embodiment the cuffs may
be almost fully inflated during the user's systolic pressure
period and then fully inflated, to apply a pressure triggered
by the user's diastolic beat.
Each of the four limb pressure cuffs consists of a
series of individual cuffs, i.e., differently actuatable
sections, arranged around each limb in an array extending
along the limb. The control means has sequencing means for
activating the cuffs on the limbs to apply pressure in a
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sequence to obtain a peristaltic-like movement. The cuffs
are inflated in sequence from the cuff nearest the limb
extremity (hand or foot) to the cuff nearest the trunk in
order to force the blood toward the heart. In various
embodiments the arm members are slidable, or free to move, so
that the user pumps the arm members back and forth, or up and
down against a selected force, for physical exercise. The
objective of the physical exercise, which preferably is a
vigorous physical exercise, is to obtain a heart rate of at
least 25% above the normal resting heart rate, i.e., for a
normal resting heart rate of 80 to obtain a heart rate of
100-120 beats per minute simultaneously with movement of the
blood into the trunk. The heart rate should be above 70% of
the user s maximum and would be about the same as that
obtained by jogging or brisk walking. Simultaneously and
preferably, the person inhales pure oxygen through a nose
clip leading to a metered oxygen tank. The oxygen will
oxygenate the "old" or "stale" blood from the limbs to
provide renewed circulation of that blood.
The following procedure is followed by a person with
varicose veins preferably at least 4-6 weeks and preferably
on a daily schedule for about one hour each day. The user
walks rapidly on a conventional motor driven treadmill as his
physical exercise program until the user's heart rate is at
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least 25% above his/her normal rate. Preferably, at that
time, first each of the legs is placed under pressure, in
sequence, and then each of the arms is placed under pressure,
in sequence, and the pressure is held on all four limbs for
at least 20 seconds, and less than 120 seconds. The buttock
muscle exerciser bladder is pulsed with air pressure,
preferably in another separate procedure as part of each
cycle, while the pressure is held on all the limbs. Then the
pressure is released. After 30 seconds to 60 seconds, the
pressure is reapplied in the same sequence. This is repeated
for 5-30 cycles, and preferably 20 cycles for a one-hour
session. The pressure is applied so that blood is placed
under pressure in the trunk for 5 to 30 times each session.
The person keeps walking on the treadmill and maintains his
heart rate at least 25% above normal for the entire exercise
period, of 20 to 90 minutes, preferably about one hour.
In other embodiments an apparatus has back and forth arm
motions or sideways arm motions or the arm members may be
free to be moved vertically. The user pumps the arm members
against a selected force either back and forth or up and down
or sideways for vigorous physical exercise. Simultaneously
the blood is pumped toward the trunk, as in the prior
embodiment, and preferably the person simultaneously breathes
pure oxygen from an oxygen tank.
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In still another embodiment, the user sits in an
exercise machine, for example, a stationary bicycle exercise
machine, and performs a physical exercise to obtain a heart
beat rate of at least 25% above normal and continues to
exercise simultaneously with the application of pressure to
the four limbs, using air bladders and a peristaltic-like
sequence of the bladders on each limb.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
The invention will be better understood after reading
the following detailed description of the presently preferred
embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an illustration of the present invention
applied to the legs and arms and back of a human;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the
present invention with its back in the upright position;
Figure 3 is a side plan view of the apparatus of Figure
2 with its back in the prone (down) position;
Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing an
arrangement of the cuffs causing welts;
Figure 5 is a side plan view of a vertical arm exercise
device; and
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Figure 6 is a perspective view of the device of Figure
5.
Detailed Description
As shown in Figure lA, four groups of pressure cuffs
(air bags, balloons or air bladders) l0a-lOd are applied to
all four limbs of a person. The group of cuffs 10a, lOb are
applied to the left and right legs, respectively, and the
group of cuffs lOc, lOd are applied to the left and right
arms, respectively. In addition, air bags l0e (lE,2E,3E) are
applied to the person s back, preferably up to the level of
the shoulders, and air bags 8A,8B about the feet and air bags
9A,9B about the ankles.
In addition, a large inflatable cuff (buttock exerciser)
8 is positioned at the area of the buttocks. The leg and arm
cuffs are inflated, in sequence, starting from the feet or
hands, to squeeze the blood toward the heart. The expansion
of the cuffs causes a flow of blood toward the trunk and head
of the body. Their pressure is maintained for at least 20
seconds and preferably less than 60 seconds. The function of
the apparatus of Figure 1 is to squeeze the blood from both
legs and both arms into the trunk. This process is like the
squeezing of a flexible tube of toothpaste with the cap on.
At that time, while the pressure is maintained in the arm and
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leg cuffs, the buttock cuff 8 is inflated and pulsed with
preferably 1-3 seconds on and off in repeated cycles, to
provide cycles of pressure at the buttock area. Each of the
cuffs, identified by the numbers lA to 7A, 1B to 7B, 1C to
7C, 1D to 7D and lE to 3E is an air bag or air bladder and is
similar to a sphygmomanometric cuff having an expandable
bladder confined within a fabric binder. Each cuff can be
wrapped around the limb and held in place by a hook and loop
fastener or the like. Each cuff, such as cuff lA in set 10a,
has connecting tubes 14 and 14, one for introducing
pressurized air and the other for exhausting (venting) the
cuff. The limb cuffs may all be of the same basic size and
rely upon the adjustment afforded by the fastener, or they
may be sized to locate each in a specific position in the
array.
The air pressure is preferably in the range of 1-12
lbs./sq.in, and most preferably 4-8 lbs./sq.in.
The process of squeezing starts at the bottom of the
left leg by inflating cuff lA thereby squeezing the leg.
With cuff lA staying inflated, cuff 2A is inflated. This
process continues until all seven cuffs lA-7A have been
inflated in sequence lA, 1B, iC, etc. Then the cuffs iB-7B
of the right leg are inflated. Then the cuffs on each of the
arms, in turn, are inflated in the same sequence. All the
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, cuffs must remain closed and inflated at the same time so
that no blood can return to the legs or arms. That keeps
maximum pressure in the balance of the body, i.e., the trunk
and head, until the cycle is over. Preferably complete
inflation of all cuffs is maintained for at least 2d seconds
and less than one minute.
The Benefits Of Using Oxygen During The Exercise Cycle
The sequential air bag inflation squeezes the limbs and
moves pooled blood (old blood) from the veins to the limbs to
the heart. The heart pumps that blood into the lungs where
it picks up oxygen. This blood, however, is deoxygenated
(poor blood) because the blood in the limbs has difficulty in
being pumped into the main circulation, especially where the
individual has defective venous valves. Defective venous
valves cause blood pooling and blood stagnation in the limbs.
As a result, when this blood is squeezed by the sequential
air bags out of the limbs to the heart and then to the lungs,
this blood is old and very poor and requires high volumes of
concentrated oxygen to become fully oxygenated. There is no
other circumstance under which such an opportunity to
oxygenate the blood from the limbs may be achieved.
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Under no other circumstances will the human body have
the opportunity to saturate all the blood of the body with
oxygen, as when one is breathing pure oxygen during the
vascular exercise. As shown in Figure 1, the system
provides a nose tube 30 to be placed in the user's nose which
supplies oxygen from the oxygen tank 51 through the metering
valve 52 to the user while the user exercises and the
inflation air bags are operating. Alternatively, oxygen may
be provided to the user by having him perform exercise within
a closed room which is enriched with oxygen; or by the user
wearing a transparent bubble or facial mask having a tube
leading to a supply of oxygen. As a result, the large amount
of blood being pumped and passing through the lungs allows
for the maximum amount of blood to be oxygenated. That
oxygenated blood is pumped into the arterial sector of the
vascular system, thus giving the maximum supply of oxygen
from the lungs to the cells of the body.
The Importance Of Lowering The Back To A Prone Position
Combining physical exercise and sequential (air bag
inflation) squeezing of the limbs, together with the lowering
of the back rest to a prone position and the raising of the
legs above the heart provides the maximum amount of blood
being squeezed out of the veins of the limbs to the heart.
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The raising of the legs and the prone position are efficient
for all subjects; however, it is a must for those subjects
having ineffective venous valves. Defective venous valves
defeat the benefits of the sequential squeezing air bags on
the legs, because the ineffective leg valves allows the
venous blood to flow back toward the legs and feet during the
venting of the air bag inflation cycles. Elevation of the
subject's legs prevents such backflow of blood.
Preferably additional cuffs (air bags) are used to
squeeze the subject's entire leg starting at the toes.
Sequentially squeezing the cuffs starting at the toes and
moving forward to the feet and then the ankle provides the
greatest amount of stimulation of the vast number of nerves
in the foot, together with the benefit of blood being
squeezed out of the veins in the foot. The air bags may form
a continuous series of air bags on each leg starting with the
toes and terminating at the trunk.
The Importance Of Accelerating The Heart Rate
Prior To The Squeezing Of The Limbs
The delayed timing of the inflation of the air bags
until the heart rate has reached at least 25% above normal,
~ 120 beats per minute (for a person with a normal heart beat
rate of 80) produces the least resistance to the blood when
the veins are being squeezed. The accelerated heart rate
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moves blood out of the veins at an accelerated rate, which
causes the venous blood pressure to drop, making room for the
newly squeezed blood. The delayed timing (starting the
squeeze after the heart beat rate rises) also minimizes the
chance that the heart becomes overloaded with too much blood
at any one time.
To further protect against overloading the heart with
too much blood at one time, there is provided a series of 7-9
air bags on each leg (preferably 8) and 4-8 on each arm
(preferably 4). The progressive inflation of the bags moves
small amounts of venous blood at a time toward the heart.
This progressive inflation gives the heart time to pump the
increased blood without overloading the heart.
After the first ten minutes of the cycles of exercise
and air bag inflation, it is necessary to recline the
subject s upper torso to a prone position and to elevate the
legs for a complete milking of the blood in the veins of the
legs to the heart.
This process is, in order, first increasing heart rate
(causing the heart to beat at least 25% over normal);
sequential (air bag inflation) squeezing of the limbs;
lowering the back to a prone position; and elevating the
legs. This process squeezes veins and yet prevents too much
blood from entering the heart at any one time.
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As shown in Figure 4, if the cuffs (bags) do not overlap
they may cause welts, i.e., squeezing the skin between the
cuffs. Such trapping and squeezing of skin tissue between
the cuffs may damage the trapped tissue and produce welts.
Such welts are prevented by overlapping of the cuffs so that
the skin is not squeezed between the cuffs.
Preferably, in order to obtain a vigorous physical
exercise program, the user exerts is muscle force against a
selected exercise machine force. As shown in Figures 5 and
6, the user 60 lies in the exercise machine 20A, of the type
shown in Figures 1 and 2, except the arm tubes are not
arranged for generally horizontal sliding motion. Instead,
as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the arm tubes 61,62 are not
restrained in their movement but rather are separate devices.
The arm tubes 61,62 are stored, when not being used, in the
wireform holders 63. Air hoses 64,65 lead from the machine
20A to the left and right arm tubes 61,62. Each air hose
64,65 contains a bundle of air lines, with two lines leading
to each cuff, one for inflation (air pressure) and one for
deflation (partial vacuum). Each arm tube 61,62 is flexible
and is openable and closable and contains a series of
inflatable cuffs.
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A tubular metal arm 70 extends above the back 71 of the
machine 20A and contains two cables 72,73. The cables 72,73
extend beyond the arm 70 and are connected to pull grips
74,75 respectively. The cables at their opposite ends (not
shown), inside of machine 20A, are connected to weights or to
a spring mechanism. The weights or spring mechanism may be
adjusted to provide a selected resistive force to the user's
pulling down of the pull grips 74,75.
In operation, the user 60 sits in the machine 20A and
places his legs in the left and right leg compartments 21 (as
in machine 20 of Figure 2); places the arm tubes 61,62 on his
arms and places a wire clip 15 on his earlobe to monitor his
heart rate. He then grasps the pull grips 74,75 with his
left and right hands and begins his physical exercise program
by pulling the pull grips 74,75 downwardly against the
selected resistive force.
Five examples of suitable programs are as follows:
EXAMPLES
To start the exercise programs of Programs 1-5 set forth
below an individual sits in the vascular exerciser machine 20
or 20a (Figures 2 or 5) in a "sit-up" position with the legs
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in a 90° position relative to the trunk. A lid 21 is then
closed down on the legs, thereby encapsulating the legs with
a series of two semicircle air bags, circling the legs.
The individual then proceeds to start the machine by
turning on a switch. A screen panel 113 will light-up,
identifying several optional programs.
PR~RAM ~1
Before beginning the exercise program the user places a
wire clip 15 (which is attached to the machine) onto the
right earlobe to monitor his heart rate. His arms are placed
in the left and right sleeves of the machine (either machine
20 or 20A). He then grasps the operating handles and
proceeds to do lift and stretch exercises. When his heart
rate reaches 120 (the "heart plus rate") the machine 10 will
start the air bag inflation cycles. In this example, as in
the other examples, it is assumed that the person has a
normal heart rate of about 80. If his normal rate is higher,
then the exercise heart plus rate will be adjusted. If at
any time during the cycle the heart plus rate drops below 120
the machine sounds an alarm to indicate that the individual
should resume his lifting exercises.
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After 10 minutes of this program the individual is
allowed to rest for 10 minutes while the air bag inflation
cycles continue. After 10 minutes of test the program starts
again, requiring the individual to again perform physical
exercise.
PROGRAM #2
The individual sits in the machine 20 or 20a as in
Example 1 and begins this exercise program by placing a wire
clip 15 (which is attached to the machine 20) onto his right
earlobe to monitor his heart rate. He then places his arms
in the left and right sleeves of the machine. He then grasps
the operating handles and proceeds to do lift and stretch
exercises. When his heart plus rate reaches 120 the machine
will start the air bag inflation cycles. If at any time
during the cycle his heart plus rate drops below 120 the
machine sounds an alarm to indicate that the individual
should resume his lifting exercises.
After 10 minutes of this program, the individual is
allowed to rest for 10 minutes. At that time the back rest
of the seat reclines to a prone position while the air bag
inflation cycles continue. After the 10-minute rest period
expires the program starts again, requiring the individual to
again exercise; but in the prone position.
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PROGRAM ~3
The individual sits in the machine 20 or 20A, as in
Example 1 and begins the exercise program by placing a wire
clip 15, which is attached to the machine 20, onto his right
earlobe to monitor his heart rate. He then places his arms
in the left and right arm sleeves of the machine. He then
grasps the operating handles and proceeds to do lift and
stretch exercises. When his heart plus rate reaches 120, the
machine will start the air bag inflation cycles. If at any
time during the air bag inflation cycle the heart plus rate
drops below 120 the machine sounds an alarm to indicate that
the individual should resume his lifting exercises.
After 10 minutes of this program the individual is
allowed to rest for 10 minutes. At that time the back rest
of the seat reclines to a prone position and the legs are
elevated above the heart level. The air bag inflation cycles
continue. After the 10-minute rest period expires the
individual exercises again, by lift and stretch exercises, in
the prone position and with the legs in the elevated
position.
PROGRAM ~4
The individual sits in the machine 20 or 20a as in
Example 1 and begins the exercise program by placing the wire
clip 15 (which is attached to the machine 20) onto the right
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earlobe to monitor his heart rate. He then places his arms
in the left and right arm sleeves on the machine. He then
grasps the operating handles and proceeds to do lift and
stretch exercises. When his heart plus rate reaches 120 the
machine will start the air bag inflation with random massage
cycles, i.e., it does not inflate the air bags in sequence,
but inflates and deflates each bag at random. If at any time
during this random massage cycle the user s heart plus rate
drops below 120, the machine sounds an alarm to indicate that
the individual should resume his lifting exercises.
After to minutes of this program the individual is
allowed to rest for 10 minutes while the random air bag
inflation cycles continue. After the 10 minutes of rest
expires, the program requires the individual to exercise
again.
PROGRAM ~5
The individual sits in the machine 20 or 20a, as in
Example 1 and begins this exercise program by placing a wire
clip 15 (which is attached to the machine 20) onto his right
earlobe to monitor his heart rate. He then places his arms
in the left and right arm sleeves of the machine. He then
grasps the operating handles and proceeds to do lift and
stretch exercises. When his heart plus rate reaches 120 the
machine will start the air bag inflation with random massage
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cycles. If at any time during the random massage cycle his
plus rate drops below 120, the machine sounds an alarm to
indicate that the individual should resume the lifting
exercises.
After 10 minutes of this program, the individual is then
allowed to rest for 10 minutes. At that time the back rest
of the seat reclines to a prone position and his legs are
elevated above the heart level, while the air bag inflation
random massage cycles continue. After the 10-minute rest
period expires the program continues, requiring the
individual to again exercise in the prone position and with
his legs in the elevated position.
In all programs the machine also will sound an alarm if
the user s plus rate exceeds 180 at any time.
