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  Apparatus and methods for physical therapy and athletic conditioningRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, Having Specific Electrical Feature, Monitors Exercise ParameterThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060189438. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/431,909, filed May 8, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/378,878, filed May 21, 2002. application Ser. No. 10/431,909 and Provisional Application No. 60/378,878 are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for conditioning the human body, and, more particularly to physical therapy for human subjects, as well as for training and athletic conditioning of human subjects. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] A number of organizations, groups, and/or individuals have devoted significant time and resources to studying spinal positioning and movement in the human body. These individuals come from a variety of different fields and backgrounds, which include, for example, doctors, physical fitness trainers, physical therapists, chiropractors, and the like. A general consensus from these endeavors is that the spine and the muscular structure stabilizing the spine are considered to have a significant impact on the physical well being of humans. [0006] A variety of exercises, movements, and conditioning regimes have been proposed for conditioning the human body. Unfortunately, these conventional techniques use non-ideal spine positioning, and thus, do not adequately address proper spine positioning, movement, and/or targeting of the muscular structure stabilizing the spine. [0007] In 1927, U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,477, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, issued to Joe Pilates for an exercise bench. This bench was used by Mr. Pilates in connection with the exercises he developed. Pilate's exercises have been popular for many years and have been used by many people over the years. [0008] Since Mr. Pilates' time, a number of exercises have been developed to try to condition and strengthen the abdominal muscles and the muscles surrounding the spine. Some conventional exercises utilize a prone (i.e., face down) position to at least a limited degree, such as conventional exercises known to those skilled in the art as "Ball-Training," "Pilates," and some movements used in yoga. For example, exercises known to those skilled in the art as "Pilates Evolved" (developed by Elizabeth Larkham and Polestar Pilates) contain several specific movements utilizing the prone position. These movements also involve the use of a conventional Pilates reformer machine, which is well known to those skilled in the art. [0009] In one of the Pilates exercises known as the "All Fours Core Control," the subject is positioned with the subject's knees on an unstable surface (such as the carriage of the Pilates reformer machine), with the hands located on a stable surface (in this case, the foot plate of the Pilates reformer machine). From this position, the subject disassociates at the hips, while sliding the knees out from under the body. Another variation of this conventional exercise is to have the subject disassociate from the hips and shoulder (i.e., sliding out in a suspended prone position from hands and knees into shoulder flexion--as if raising the arms above the head--and hip extension. These exercises can also be performed conventionally in a diagonal orientation of the subject's body. (In a diagonal orientation, one portion of the body is positioned at an angle from an imaginary centerline running from the head to the toes.) [0010] Still another set of conventional movements of the Pilates approach is known as the "Mermaid." In this exercise, the subject positions the feet at the shoulder pads on the carriage of a Pilates machine, with the subject's hands on the foot bar. The subject then disassociates at the shoulder, sliding out into a shoulder flexion position with the arms extending beyond the head. Another variation on this movement includes disassociating at the shoulders, rising into hip flexion, returning to neutral hip position, and returning to shoulder girdle located over the foot bar of the machine. Yet another variation known as the "Jack Rabbif" has the subject disassociate at the shoulder, bend the knees to 90 degrees, return the knees to a straight position (i.e., parallel with an imaginary centerline of the body from head to toes), and return the body to shoulder girdle over the foot bar. [0011] Another of the Pilates exercises is known as the "Snake and Twist." In this exercise, the subject places the feet on the foot bar of the machine with the hands on the carriage. The subject then slides the hands outwardly, pushing the carriage away from the foot bar and straightening the body. The subject then returns the hands and carriage to the starting position. The subject can also slide out to straighten the body in a prone position, then rotate the pelvis so that the subject's front faces upwardly, then contracts the abdominal muscles in a crunch to round the lumbar portion of the spine (such as in a conventional abdominal crunch of the type well known in the art). The subject then returns through the same path to the beginning position. [0012] Other conventional exercises often involve stable surfaces, such as a mat on a floor. Such movements include positioning the subject's body in a prone quadraped position (i.e., face down on hands and knees). In this position, the subject then alternately raises the right and left arms, returning to the quadraped position between movements. Another variation is to have the subject alternately raise the left and right legs, while returning to the quadraped position between lifting movements. Still another variation is for the subject to raise the right arm, then the left leg, then the left arm, and then the right leg, each time returning to the quadraped position between each lifting movement. [0013] Still other conventional exercise movements use balls. One example of "Ball-Training` involves the subject positioned in a prone position with the hands on the floor and the thighs, knees or feet elevated on a ball. One such exercise is for the subject to raise the hips into hip flexion (such as in a pike position) with straight legs, then returning to the beginning position through the same path of the body's movement. Another variation is for the subject to bend the knees into flexion and bring the knees to the chest, rolling the legs along the ball. Still another variation is to have the subject perform push-ups while prone with the thighs, knees or feet elevated on the ball. [0014] Conventional yoga movements have also been proposed. One example of a conventional yoga exercise is performed in a prone position with the subject maintaining a "flat" back position. The subject then holds this position for various intervals of time. [0015] Unfortunately, conventional exercises do not assist a subject in conditioning and strengthening the "core" muscles as effectively as possible. The core muscles (deep and surface) may include, for example, the thoracic spine musculature, the cervical spine muscular, the lumbar spine musculature, abdominals, hip musculature, and/or, the pelvic floor. Moreover, it is believed that conventional exercises do not adequately utilize certain muscles of the human body, including the rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques, transversus abdominis, multifidi, and the deep spinal musculature. Conventional exercises do not adequately focus on proper neuro muscular firing of spine movement, hip movement, and other body movements. Proper body movements and spine positioning are important components to effective strengthening, conditioning, and/or rehabilitation of the body. [0016] Exercise videos are commonly known and available. Such conventional videos are available in a variety of formats and stored on a variety of storage media, including videotapes, DVDs, and can also be in digital form, such as mpeg, wmv, avi and other digital formats, which can be stored on CDROMs, computer diskettes, DVDs, hard disk drives, and on other computer storage media, for use and display by a personal computer. Such conventional videos are available for a wide variety of instructional and conditioning exercise, such as yoga, exercises, dances and the like. However, none of the conventional videos provide examples of exercises which effectively and adequately strengthen and condition the core muscles. [0017] The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0018] The present invention provides methods of exercising utilizing the alignment and/or coordination of body parts. In one aspect of the invention, a method of exercising is provided. The method includes positioning a human body, having a spine and a pelvis, in a neutral spine suspended prone position. When the spine is placed in the neutral spine position, a natural curvature of the spine is aligned along an imaginary baseline extending lengthwise down the human body with an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion of the spine positioned proximate the baseline. A first curvature portion and a second curvature portion of the spine naturally curves away from the baseline. The neutral spine position is held by contracting at least the transversus abdominus. [0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, a media storage device for storing video images that when displayed include a human subject performing exercises is provided. The exercises include positioning a human body, having a spine and a pelvis, in a neutral spine suspended prone position. When the spine is placed in the neutral spine position, a natural curvature of the spine is aligned along an imaginary baseline extending lengthwise down the human body with an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion of the spine positioned proximate the baseline. A first curvature portion and a second curvature portion of the spine naturally curves away from the baseline. The neutral spine position is held by contracting at least the transversus abdominus. [0020] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exercising is provided. The method includes positioning a human body, having a spine, in a neutral spine suspended prone position. When the spine is placed in the neutral spine position, a natural curvature of the spine is aligned along an imaginary baseline extending lengthwise down the human body with an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion of the spine positioned proximate the baseline. A first curvature portion and a second curvature portion of the spine naturally curves away from the baseline. At least a portion of the spine is moved from the neural spine position so that the spine is laterally flexed in a direction away from the baseline. [0021] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exercising is provided. The method includes positioning a human body, having a spine, a pelvis, at least one knee, at least one foot, and a neck, in a neutral spine suspended prone position. When the spine is placed in the neutral spine position, a natural curvature of the spine is aligned along an imaginary baseline extending lengthwise down the human body with an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion of the spine positioned proximate the baseline. A first curvature portion and a second curvature portion of the spine naturally curves away from the baseline. The neutral spine suspended prone position includes positioning the at least one elbow on a first surface, wherein the at least one elbow is flexed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. The at least one foot is positioned on a second surface that is unstable. The second surface is movably operable along a substantially straight line to be brought into and out of proximity with the first surface. From the neutral spine suspended prone position, the human body is moved to a ball up position, wherein in the ball up position the spine is flexed by drawing the at least one knee up toward the neck and underneath the body. [0022] In yet another embodiment of the invention, methods of physical therapy comprising exercise methods according to the invention are described, as are methods of athletic conditioning comprising methods of exercising in accordance with methods of the present invention. Continue reading... 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