Method and Devices for Enhancing Speed, Stride, and Balance While Walking and/or Running

• US 20180250555A1
• Filed: 03/02/2018
• Published: 09/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stride Sticks, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stride Sticks, LLC
• Inventors: Dean, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 10,668,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0092 for training agility or co-ordination of movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00061 Replaceable resistance units of different strengths, e.g. for swapping
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4021 to the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/00 Exercising apparatus specially adapted for conditioning the cardio-vascular system, for training agility or co-ordination of movements force-resisting aspects A63B21/00; for particular parts of the body, e.g. to strengthen particular limbs or muscles A63B23/00; electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16

Abstract

The method for engaging a person'"'"'s sensorimotor complex includes providing a pair of lightweight sticks of equal length and weight; measuring a shoulder width from a first shoulder blade acromion of the person to a second shoulder blade acromion of the person; selecting from the plurality of devices a first lightweight stick and a second lightweight stick each having a length approximately equal to the width from the first shoulder blade acromion of the person to the second shoulder blade acromion of the person; grasping the first and second lightweight sticks with a respective first and second hands at a grasping position along the stick that is one shoulder width from a distal end of the stick; swinging the first and second hands back and forth between a first position and a second position; and walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth.

Claims

1. A method for engaging a person'"'"'s sensorimotor complex so as to enhance speed, stride, and balance while walking or running, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of devices, each of the devices including a pair of lightweight sticks of equal length and weight;

measuring a shoulder width from a first shoulder blade acromion of the person to a second shoulder blade acromion of the person;

selecting from the plurality of devices a first lightweight stick and a second lightweight stick each having a length approximately equal to the width from the first shoulder blade acromion of the person to the second shoulder blade acromion of the person;

grasping the first lightweight stick with a first hand at a grasping position along the stick that is one shoulder width from a distal end of the stick;

grasping the second lightweight stick with a second hand at a grasping position along the stick that is one shoulder width from a distal end of the stick;

swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position, while swinging the second hand back and forth opposite to the swinging of the first hand; and

walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, and while the first and second hands grasp the first and second lightweight sticks, respectively.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of lightweight sticks comprises:

a pair of lightweight hollow cylinders;

two pairs of end caps, each end cap covering an end of one of the lightweight hollow cylinders; and

two wrist straps, one wrist strap being attached near an end of each lightweight hollow cylinder of the pair of light-weight hollow cylinders.

3. A method for engaging a person'"'"'s sensorimotor complex so as to enhance speed, stride, and balance while walking or running, the method comprising:

measuring a shoulder width from a first shoulder blade acromion of the person to a second shoulder blade acromion of the person;

grasping a first lightweight stick with a first hand at a grasping position along the stick that is one shoulder width from a distal end of the stick;

grasping a second lightweight stick with a second hand at a grasping position along the stick that is one shoulder width from a distal end of the stick;

swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position, while swinging the second hand back and forth opposite to the swinging of the first hand; and

walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, and while the first and second hands grasp the first and second lightweight sticks, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, includes:

moving forward the foot on the side opposite the first hand while the first hand swings forward; and

moving forward the foot on the side opposite the second hand while the second hand swings forward.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein when the person has a neurological disorder, moving the grasping position of the first hand along the stick to half the shoulder width from the distal end of the stick, and moving the grasping position of the second hand along the stick to half the shoulder width from the distal end of the stick.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the grasping position for each stick is gradually increased in distance as the neurological disorder improves, from one half the shoulder width from the distal end of the stick, to one full shoulder width from the distal end of the stick.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth includes:

moving forward two shoulder widths the foot on the side opposite the first hand while the first hand swings forward; and

moving forward two shoulder widths the foot on the side opposite the second hand while the second hand swings forward.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein if the person is unable to move the foot forward two shoulder widths on the side opposite the first hand, then start moving the foot forward one shoulder width, and gradually increase to two shoulder widths.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if the person is unable to move the foot forward one shoulder width on the side opposite the first hand, then start moving the foot forward one half shoulder width, and gradually increase to one shoulder width.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position, while swinging the second hand back and forth opposite to the swinging of the first hand, and walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, while the first and second hands grasp the first and second lightweight sticks, respectively, is performed 14 or 15 times in each direction for a total of 28 to 30 times.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position includes raising the first lightweight stick high above the person'"'"'s head while pointing the first lightweight stick generally upward, and then lowering the first lightweight stick fully downward while pointing the first lightweight stick generally downward, and

wherein swinging the second hand back and forth between a first position and a second position includes lowering the second lightweight stick and pointing generally downward while the first lightweight stick is raised, and raising the second lightweight stick and pointing it generally upward while the first lightweight stick is lowered.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

raising an opposite knee while raising the first lightweight stick, and raising an opposite knee when raising the second lightweight stick.

13. The method of claim 11, further including:

extending an opposite leg backwards while raising the first lightweight stick, and extending an opposite leg backwards when raising the second lightweight stick.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, and while the first and second hands grasp the first and second lightweight sticks, respectively, is modified such that:

instead of the second hand swinging back and forth while grasping the second lightweight stick, the second hand slidingly grasps along a rail, grasps a chair, or grabs a corner of a kitchen counter to help with balance and stability.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position involves:

swinging the first hand back and forth between a downward position and an upstretched position.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position involves:

swinging the first hand back and forth outward between a downward position and an outstretched position.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth is modified such that:

the person assumes a sitting position, and the person exaggerates swinging the first hand and the second hand, and raises each foot upward instead of moving it forward.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth is modified such that:

the person assumes a sitting position, and the person swings the first hand outward while stepping outward with the foot on the same side as the first hand, and then swings the second hand outward while stepping outward with the foot on the same side as the second hand.

19. The method of claim 3, wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position involves swinging the first hand back and forth between a downward position and an outstretched position, while also stepping out sideways with the foot on the same side as the first hand, as the first hand swings out to the outstretched position, and

after swinging the first hand back and forth between the first position and the second position, swinging the second hand back and forth between a downward position and an outstretched position, while also stepping out sideways with the foot on the same side as the second hand, as the second hand swings out to the outstretched position,

wherein stepping out sideways with the first hand, and then stepping out sideways with the second hand, replaces walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth.

20. The method of claim 3, wherein walking while swinging the first and second hands back and forth, and while the first and second hands grasp the first and second lightweight sticks, respectively, is modified such that:

instead of the second hand swinging back and forth while grasping the second lightweight stick, the second hand slidingly grasps along a rail, grasps a chair, or grabs a corner of a kitchen counter to help with balance and stability,

and wherein swinging the first hand back and forth between a first position and a second position involves;

swinging the first hand back and forth between a downward position and an upstretched position, while raising an opposite knee each time the first hand swings into the upstretched position.