Method and system for generating an exercise program

• US 7,591,760 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marilyn M. Pink
• Original Assignee: Fitness-Health Incorporating Technology Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Potash, Warren J., Filer, Bob, Pink, Marilyn M., Gordon, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman; Glenn
• Application Number:
  US10/851,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,947 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247, 600/300, 600/587
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/00 Measuring physiological parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

A method and system provides a customized exercise (conditioning) program for the user using a computer. A plurality of different measurements (parameters) are input using the computer, and based on these measurements, a computer program generates a customized exercise program for the user. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the customized exercise program may be specific to conditioning the body or a particular body part of the user, or conditioning the user for a particular sport where both exercise program embodiments may include an optional nutrition plan, or alternatively the nutrition plan may generated independently. Advantageously, the computer program provides an efficient, customized conditioning (exercise) program for the user that enables a great amount of flexibility and convenience for the user.

Claims

1. A method for creating a computer-generated exercise program for an individual, comprising the steps of:

accessing a computer program by means of a computer which is not in electronic communication with an exercise or therapy device associated with the individual;

selecting an activity or one or more body parts to be exercised from a computer-generated menu of options;

the computer generating a request for musculoskeletal strength measurements, musculoskeletal range of motion measurements or cardiovascular measurements of the individual relating to the activity or body part menu options selected;

inputting into the computer a response to the request for measurements relating to the individual;

the computer generating a request for objective parameters of the individual;

inputting into the computer a response to the request for the individual'"'"'s objective parameters relating to the selected activity or body part;

the computer analyzing the individual'"'"'s objective parameters and measurements input into the computer in relation to the selected activity or one or more body parts to be exercised by means of criteria stored on the computer;

the computer assigning a rank to the individual'"'"'s measurements or objective parameters; and

the computer automatically generating an exercise program for the individual specifically optimized for the selected activity or one or more body parts in relation to the ranking of the individual'"'"'s measurements or parameters input into the computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an update to the exercise program from an updated plurality of individual measurements or parameters being received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein both the range of motion measurements and strength measurements include either of spinal cervical, spinal lumbar flexion, spinal extension, spinal rotation, spinal lateral flexion, hip flexion, hip extension, hip adduction, hip abduction, hip rotation, knee flexion, knee extension, ankle plantarilexion, ankle dorsiflexion, foot inversion, foot eversion, shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, shoulder rotation, shoulder abduction, shoulder adduction, elbow flexion, elbow extension, forearm pronation, forearm supination, wrist flexion, or wrist extension measurements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual'"'"'s measurements are received, a computer program is executed, and the exercise program is generated using a server, interconnected to the internet, and administered by an application service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the exercise program includes a nutrition portion.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering the exercise program to an agent for the individual at an agent communications device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering the exercise program to the individual at an individual'"'"'s communications device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the exercise program is delivered to the individual'"'"'s communications device in response to the individual not being available to receive the exercise program from an agent for the individual using an agent communications device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the body part is either of the spine, pelvis, hip, knee, ankle, foot, shoulder girdle, shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand, leg, or arm of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a request step includes the step of requesting individual health history parameters.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step includes the step of selecting a specific sport activity listed by the computer generated menu.

12. The method of claim 1, including the step of the individual performing at least one exercise of the exercise program without any electronic interface between the device used to perform the at least one exercise and the computer-generated exercise program.

13. The method of claim 12, including the steps of the individual or an agent of the individual inputting performance data of the individual relating to the exercise program or revised objective parameter data into the computer, and the computer generating a new exercise program in response to the input data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the performance data includes musculoskeletal strength measurements, musculoskeletal range of motion measurements or cardiovascular measurements of the individual.

15. A method for creating a computer-generated exercise program for an individual, comprising the steps of:

through a network, an individual or an individual'"'"'s agent accessing a web-site interfacing with a computer program which is not in electronic communication with an exercise or therapy device associated with the individual;

the computer program generating a series of questions to be answered by the individual, including health history questions;

the individual inputting answers to the generated series of questions;

selecting an activity or one or more body parts to be exercised from a computer-generated menu of options of the computer program;

the computer program generating a request for measurements or parameters relating to the individual based on the menu options selected, including at least one of individual objective parameters, musculoskeletal strength measurements of the individual, musculoskeletal range of motion measurements of the individual or cardiovascular measurements of the individual and relating to the selected activity or body part;

inputting into the computer a response to the request for measurements or parameters relating to the individual;

the computer generating a request for individual objective parameters;

the individual inputting the individual'"'"'s objective parameters relating to the selected activity or body part;

the computer program analyzing the individual'"'"'s measurements or parameters input into the computer in relation to the selected activity or one or more body parts to be exercised by means of criteria stored on the computer;

the computer assigning a rank to the individual'"'"'s measurements or parameters;

the computer program automatically generating an exercise program for the individual specifically optimized for the selected activity or one or more body parts in relation to the individual'"'"'s measurements or parameters input into the computer;

the individual performing at least one exercise of the exercise program without any electronic interface between the device used to perform the at least one exercise and the computer-generated exercise program; and

the individual or an agent of the individual inputting performance data of the individual relating to the exercise program or revised objective parameter data into the computer, and the computer generating a new exercise program in response to the input data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein both the range of motion measurements and strength measurements include either of spinal cervical, spinal lumbar flexion, spinal extension, spinal rotation, spinal lateral flexion, hip flexion, hip extension, hip adduction, hip abduction, hip rotation, knee flexion, knee extension, ankle plantarflexion, ankle dorsiflexion, foot inversion, foot eversion, shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, shoulder rotation, shoulder abduction, shoulder adduction, elbow flexion, elbow extension, forearm pronation, forearm supination, wrist flexion, or wrist extension measurements.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the exercise program includes a nutrition program automatically generated by the computer program.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the selecting step includes the step of selecting a specific sports activity listed by the computer generated menu.