Stride stretcher   

I hereby claim the priority of my earlier filed provisional application No. 60/906,045 filed on Mar. 8, 2007.

The invention relates to device-assisted stretching to access the muscle groups found in the low back, upper thigh, lower legs, and feet, for the purpose of enhancing the gait pattern of the user.

The concept for this design came about during my participation in an exercise class that focused on biomechanical function of the lower body. During that class, the instructor was trying to get foot motion using a strap, but without the ability to stabilize the foot, the stretch wasn't effective. The canvas material of the yoga strap also prevented ease of motion about the wrist and elbows, creating excessive tension in the upper body while trying to do a relaxing stretch. This design maximizes the range of motion of the ankle in all three planes (sagittal, frontal, and transverse), while also allowing the user to keep the shoulders relaxed and the forearms from gripping excessively.

The Stride Stretcher™ is disclosed that better facilitates passive stretching for functional movements of the hips and legs while walking. The end user of this product has the ability to increase range of motion of the ankle, knee, hips, and low back. The Stride Stretcher™ can be used in the home of an individual, in a physical therapy/rehabilitation clinic, or in a fitness-class format.

The Stride Stretcher™ is a unique foot support for holding the foot in extended fashion with straps to facilitate manipulation of movement of the foot.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Stride Stretcher™ showing the sole of the unit, front securing strap, front securing hand strap, sole traction pads, sole insert, unit hand strap and the rear ankle strap.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the removable pivoting handles.

FIG. 3 is a top-side view of the small ankle strap and sole insert.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the Stride Stretcher™ without the straps attached.

FIG. 5 is a top-side view of the Stride Stretcher™ without the straps attached.

FIG. 6 is a view of the unit strap ring.

#11 Sole of Unit—The sole of the unit is comprised of a three-sixteenth inch thick plastic, molded material. The length is ten inches. The front width is four and five-eighths inch with the rear heal insert being three inches. The raised sides are one inch in height tapering to two inches at the heal insert.

#12 Unit Hand Strap—The unit hand strap is comprised of a soft, pliable woven material six feet in length, one and one-half inches in width and one-sixteenth inch thickness. The first opening of the hand insert is eighteen inches from the unit to the point of attachment on both sides. The hand insert is five inches long with a two inch spacing between loops for a total of four inserts for the use of hands to articulate unit.

#13 Removable Pivoting Handles—There are two interchangeable handles and are made from a hollow-plastic sleeve that is five inches wide with a three-quarter inch diameter. The hook on the handles attaches to the hand openings of the unit hand strap. The strap of the removable pivoting handles feeds through the plastic sleeves that attach to the housing unit and is one inch thick by fifteen inches in length. The pivoting handles attach to the unit strap using a metal hook that is three inches long and is three-sixteenths in diameter. The mouth of the hook has a one inch opening that feeds the hand opening of the unit straps.

#14 Front Securing Strap—Strap used to secure the foot in the unit and is two inches in width by twelve inches in length.

#15 Front Securing Hold Down—The front securing hold down is a plastic, reticular ring with radius edges that allows the front securing strap to feed through and return over the foot to secure the foot in the unit and is two and three-eights by three quarter inches.

#16 Rear Ankle Strap—A two inch wide by thirteen inch long by three-eights inches thick soft, pliable material used to strap the ankle in place within the unit.

#17 Small Ankle Strap—A six inch long by one inch wide soft, pliable material that seats the heal in the unit.

#18 Sole Insert—The sole insert measures ten inches in length and is one-half inch thick memory foam lining the inside of the hard plastic molded unit.

#19 Sole Traction Pads—The sole traction pads measure eight and three-quarters inches in length and are three and one-quarter wide at the front and two and one-half inches at the rear radius corners for conforming heels.

#20 Unit Strap Ring—The unit strap ring is a metal ring measuring one and three-eighth inches in diameter and is one-eighth inch in thickness and is used to feed the strap through for storing purposes.

#11 Sole of Unit #12 Unit Hand Strap #13 Removable Pivoting Handles #14 Front Securing Strap #15 Front Securing Hand Strap #16 Rear Ankle Straps #17 Small Ankle Strap #18 Sole Insert #19 Sole Traction Pads #20 Unit Strap Ring