Isometric vaginal exercise device and method

• US 4,241,912 A
• Filed: 01/29/1979
• Issued: 12/30/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jean H.R. Mercer, Lloyd F. Mercer
• Original Assignee: Jean H.R. Mercer, Lloyd F. Mercer
• Inventors: Mercer, Lloyd F., Mercer, Jean H. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US06/007,045
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 128/341, 128/727, 128/260, 128/151, 128/152, 128/79, 128/341, 128/778, 128/25, 272/125
• US Class Current: 482/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/20 for vaginal muscles or other sphincter-type muscles

Abstract

An isometric vaginal exercise device includes a rounded shaft having a flange attached to one end thereof. The shaft has a concave portion adjacent the flange, wherein the diameter of the concave portion decreases to a minimum value and then increases to a maximum value with increasing distance from the flange along the shaft, whereby the concave portion allows more effective gripping of the isometric vaginal exercise device by perivaginal muscles of the user. The flange is substantially oval to permit convenient accommodation between the legs of the user. A handle is attached to the flange end of the isometric vaginal exercise device. A method of using the isometric device to improve muscle tone of the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm is disclosed.

Claims

1. An isometric vaginal exercise device comprising:

a. a shaft having first and second ends, said shaft being substantially round;

b. flange means connected to the first end of said shaft for limiting insertion of said isometric vaginal exercise device into the vagina of a user, wherein said flange means is substantially oval, said flange means having a major axis and a minor axis, said isometric vaginal exercise device being insertable into a vagina so that the major axis is approximately parallel to the vaginal slit, the length of the minor axis being such that the flange fits conveniently between the legs of the user;

c. handle means attached to the first end of said shaft for enabling a user to conveniently insert and remove said isometric vaginal exercise device into and from her vagina,

said shaft being rounded at its second end to ease insertion of said isometric vaginal exercise device,

said shaft having a longitudinal axis and a substantially concave portion adjacent said flange, a portion of said shaft immediately adjacent to said flange having a first diameter, the diameter of said shaft gradually decreasing to a second diameter at a first point on said axis, said first point being located approximately centrally of said concave portion, the diameter of said shaft gradually increasing to a third diameter at a second point on said axis, said second point being located at an end of said concave portion, a first portion of said isometric vaginal device being located between first and second planes perpendicular to said axis and passing through said first and second points, respectively, the distance between said first and second points and said second and third diameters being selected to allow sufficient gripping of said first portion to effect substantial lifting of the pelvic diaphragm of the user when she tightens her vaginal muscles on said isometric vaginal exercise device, enabling the user to achieve isometric exercising of the vaginal muscles and muscles of the pelvic diaphragm while the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm are in a shortened configuration resulting from said lifting,

said isometric vaginal exercise device being of sufficiently solid construction to substantially resist all muscular contractions of the user without substantial deforming of said isometric vaginal device.

2. The isometric vaginal exercise device of claim 1, wherein said isometric vaginal exercise device is composed of latex rubber.

3. The isometric vaginal exercise device of claim 2 wherein said shaft, said flange, and said handle means are constructed as a unit.

4. The isometric vaginal exercise device of claim 1 wherein the diameter along said minor axis is approximately one and one-half inches and the diameter along said major axis is approximately two and one-half inches.

5. A method of utilizing a vaginal exercise device to exercise vaginal muscles, said method comprising the steps of:

a. inserting a vaginal exercise device of substantially solid construction into the vagina of a woman, the vaginal exercise device including a shaft of rounded configuration and a flange attached to one end of the shaft, the shaft having a longitudinal axis and a substantially concave portion adjacent said flange, a portion of said shaft immediately adjacent to said flange having a first diameter, the diameter of said shaft gradually decreasing to a second diameter at a first point on said axis, said first point being located approximately centrally of said concave portion, the diameter of said shaft gradually increasing to a third diameter at a second point on said axis, said second point being located at an end of said concave portion, a first portion of said isometric vaginal device being located between first and second planes perpendicular to said axis and passing through said first and second points, respectively, the distance between said first and second points and said second and third diameters being selected to allow sufficient gripping of said first portion to effect substantial lifting of the pelvic diaphragm of the user when she tightens her vaginal muscles on said isometric vaginal exercise device, enabling the user to achieve isometric exercising of the vaginal muscles and muscles of the pelvic diaphragm while the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm are in a shortened configuration resulting from said lifting,

said isometric vaginal exercise device being of sufficiently solid construction to substantially resist all muscular contractions of the user without substantial deforming of said isometric vaginal device;

b. tightening the perivaginal muscles for a first predetermined length of time such that the perivaginal muscles grip the concave portion of the shaft, said tightening tending to pull the vaginal exercise device further into the vagina, said tightening being performed with sufficient intensity to effect substantial lifting of the woman'"'"'s pelvic diaphragm;

c. relaxing the perivaginal muscles for a second predetermined period of time;

d. repeating steps (b) and (c) for a third predetermined number of times; and

(e) removing the vaginal exercise device from the vagina.

6. The method of claim 5 further including learning voluntary control of the perivaginal muscles by attempting to tighten the perivaginal muscles upon a finger inserted into the opening of the vagina, said tightening being performed as if to voluntarily stop flow of a urine stream, said attempting being repeated until voluntary control of the perivaginal muscles is learned prior to performing step (a).

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said first predetermined period of time is approximately ten seconds and said second interval of time is approximately ten seconds, steps (b) and (c) being repeated from fifty to one hundred times during a single exercise session.

8. The method of claim 5 performed without substantial contracting of any accessory muscles, such as stomach, thigh, or buttocks muscles.

9. An isometric vaginal exercise device comprising:

a. a shaft having first and second ends, said shaft being substantially round;

b. flange means connected to the first end of said shaft for limiting insertion of said isometric vaginal exercise device into the vagina of a user; and

c. handle means attached to the first end of said shaft for enabling a user to conveniently insert and remove said isometric vaginal exercise device into and from her vagina,

said shaft being rounded at its second end to ease insertion of said isometric vaginal exercise device,

said shaft having a longitudinal axis and a substantially concave portion adjacent said flange, a portion of said shaft immediately adjacent to said flange having a first diameter, the diameter of said shaft gradually decreasing to a second diameter at a first point on said axis, said first point being located approximately centrally of said concave portion, the diameter of said shaft gradually increasing to a third diameter at a second point on said axis, said second point being located at an end of said concave portion, a first portion of said isometric vaginal device being located between first and second planes perpendicular to said axis and passing through said first and second points, respectively, the distance between said first and second points and said second and third diameters being selected to allow sufficient gripping of said first portion to effect substantial lifting of the pelvic diaphragm of the user when she tightens her vaginal muscles on said isometric vaginal exercise device, enabling the user to achieve isometric exercising of the vaginal muscles and muscles of the pelvic diaphragm while the muscles of the pelvic diaphragm are in a shortened configuration resulting from said lifting,

said isometric vaginal exercise device being of sufficiently solid construction to substantially resist all muscular contractions of the user without substantial deforming of said isometric vaginal device, wherein the length of said shaft is approximately three and one-half inches, said first diameter is approximately one and one-fourth inches, said second diameter is approximately seven-eighths of an inch, said third diameter is approximately one and one-fourth inches, and the distance between said first and third diameters is approximately one and five-eighths inches.