Exercise machine for back rehabilitation

The present invention relates to therapeutic exercise equipment. The exercise equipment has particular utility in connection with rehabilitating the muscles of the back.

When recovering from an injury or training to prevent future injuries, it is often desirable to perform exercises that work those parts of the body that are affected. When recovering from a back injury, however, most standard exercises cannot be performed without added pain to the patient, because they often require one to exert pressure on an already injured spinal cord. This is very problematic for older persons, whose muscular integrity is not that of a younger person. Over time muscles weaken and are not able to effectively assist the spine in the healing process. Stronger back muscles help in alleviating and managing spinal cord stress. Most therapies for back rehabilitation require the patient to place pressure in some measure on the spinal cord and this is where new machines would be very beneficial. It is therefore desirable to develop exercises that work the muscles of the back but are capable of being performed by persons suffering from back injuries.

An embodiment of the exercise machine of the present invention comprises a pair of tracks, each track engaging a pair of limb supports, which are configured to traverse the tracks. In a preferred embodiment, the tracks are parallel and allow reciprocating motion by the limb supports. A chest support may be included to support the weight of a user\'s upper body while the user exercises by moving the limb supports.

According to principles of a specific embodiment of the present invention, the motion of each of the limb supports along the tracks is mechanically independent of each of the other limb supports.

Providing limb supports capable of mechanically independent motion also allows the user to perform a variety of exercises. One method of exercising using the present invention is to perform cross-pattern crawling. Numerous other methods of exercising are also possible, however, including parallel-pattern crawling and isolation exercises.

According to further principles of an embodiment of the present invention, the resistance of each limb support is adjustable independently of any other limb support. Resistance may be adjusted, in a particular embodiment, by adding a weight onto the limb support.

According to further principles of a specific embodiment of the present invention, the exercise machine is collapsible for storage. In one embodiment, the frame is two cross-support bars intersecting at a pivot connection. The ends of the support bars ride along a sliding track in the side of the track beam member that bears the track for the limb supports.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the connection between the frame and the tracks.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pivot point connection of the collapsible frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an upper-limb support.

FIG. 5A is a side view of the interface between the wheels of a limb support and the track.

FIG. 5B is an end view of the interface between the wheels of a limb support and the track.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of an upper-limb support.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of a lower-limb support.

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