APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GRAVITY-ASSISTED SPINAL STRETCHING

• US 20110218086A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John P. Boren
• Original Assignee: John P. Boren
• Inventors: BOREN, JOHN P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/142
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0229 by reducing gravity forces normally applied to the body, e.g. by lifting or hanging the body or part of it
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/00 Exercising apparatus not covered by groups A63B1/00 - A63B25/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for stretching and/or exercising a user'"'"'s body through incremental, controlled inversion and lower body stretching, preferably performed in combination. The user lies atop an exercise table and restrains her lower body to a restraint movably coupled to the exercise table. The user preferably controls the actuation of a first actuator to incrementally pivot the exercise table about a support structure thereby inverting the user'"'"'s body. Before or after actuation of the first actuator, but preferably concurrently therewith, the user controls the actuation of a second actuator to incrementally extend the restraint axially away from the exercise table thereby pulling the user'"'"'s lower body away from the user'"'"'s upper body. This combination of gravity and mechanical decompression produces greater results than either action by itself.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for exercising a user'"'"'s body comprising,

a table (20) having a tabletop (22) and a support structure (40) elevating said tabletop above ground level (12), said tabletop having an upper section (24) to receive an upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and a lower section (26) to receive a lower portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon, said tabletop movably coupled to said support structure;

a first actuator (60) coupled to said lower section of said tabletop, said first actuator arranged and designed to raise said lower section of said tabletop relative to ground level, thereby pivoting said tabletop relative to said support structure and lowering said upper section of said tabletop relative to ground level;

a restraint (80) movably coupled to said lower section of said tabletop, said restraint arranged and designed to restrain said user'"'"'s body to said restraint; and

a second actuator (70) coupled to said restraint, said second actuator arranged and designed to axially move said restraint relative to said lower section of said tabletop and to operate concurrently with said first actuator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising,

a cushion (21) positioned on said upper section of said tabletop, said cushion arranged and designed to receive said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and to elevate said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body above said upper section of said tabletop.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising,

an arm rest (30) coupled to said tabletop.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein,

said tabletop has an aperture (28) therein arranged and designed to receive a user'"'"'s face while a user lies in a prone position atop said tabletop.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein,

said restraint has a vertical member (82) with a lower horizontal member (94) and an upper horizontal member (92) coupled thereto, said upper and lower horizontal members arranged and designed to restrain another lower portion of said user'"'"'s body therebetween.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising,

a coupling (93) linked between said restraint and a harness (95) disposed about said user'"'"'s body, whereby when said second actuator moves said restraint away from said tabletop, said coupling is drawn taut between said restraint and said harness.

7. An apparatus (10) for stretching a user'"'"'s body comprising,

a table (20) having a tabletop (22) and a support structure (40), said tabletop having an upper section (24) to receive an upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and a lower section (26) to receive a lower portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon, said support structure arranged and designed to elevate said tabletop above ground level (12), said tabletop movably coupled to said support structure such that said tabletop pivots about said support structure;

a first actuator (60) coupled to said tabletop, said first actuator arranged and designed to raise said lower section of said tabletop relative to ground level, thereby pivoting said table top relative to said support structure and lowering said upper section of said tabletop relative to ground level;

a rigid restraint (80) movably coupled to said lower section of said tabletop, said rigid restraint arranged and designed to restrain said lower portion of said user'"'"'s body to said rigid restraint; and

a second actuator (70) coupled to said rigid restraint, said second actuator arranged and designed to axially move said rigid restraint relative to said lower section of said tabletop,

whereby, when said user'"'"'s body is disposed on said tabletop and restrained by said rigid restraint, said second actuator is actuated after said first actuator is actuated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising,

a cushion (21) positioned on said upper section of said tabletop, said cushion arranged and designed to receive said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and to elevate said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body above said upper section of said tabletop.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising,

an arm rest (30) coupled to said tabletop.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein,

said tabletop has an aperture (28) therein arranged and designed to receive a user'"'"'s face while a user lies in a prone position atop said tabletop.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein,

said rigid restraint has a vertical member (82) with a lower horizontal member (94) and an upper horizontal member (92) coupled thereto, said upper and lower horizontal members arranged and designed to restrain another lower portion of said user'"'"'s body therebetween.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising,

a coupling (93) linked between said rigid restraint and a harness (95) disposed about said user'"'"'s body, whereby when said second actuator moves said restraint away from said tabletop, said coupling is drawn taut between said rigid restraint and said harness.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein,

said first actuator and said second actuator are arranged and designed to be actuated concurrently.

14. A method for exercising a user'"'"'s body comprising the steps of

positioning said user'"'"'s body on top of an exercise table (20), said exercise table having a tabletop (22) and a support structure (40) elevating said tabletop above ground level (12), said tabletop having an upper section (24) receiving an upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and a lower section (26) receiving a lower portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon, said tabletop movably coupled to said support structure;

restraining said user'"'"'s body to a restraint (80) movably coupled to said lower section of said tabletop;

actuating a first actuator (60), coupled to said lower section of said tabletop, to raise said lower section of said tabletop relative to ground level, thereby pivoting said table top relative to said support structure and lowering said upper section of said tabletop relative to ground level; and

actuating a second actuator (70) coupled to said restraint, said second actuator moving said restraint relative to said lower section of said tabletop.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein,

said first actuator and said second actuator are concurrently actuated.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein,

said second actuator is actuated after said first actuator is actuated.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein,

said first actuator is actuated after said second actuator is actuated.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein,

said restraint is a foot restraint having an upper horizontal member (92) which is vertically adjustable relative to a lower horizontal member (94) such that, in said step of restraining said user'"'"'s body, another lower portion of said user'"'"'s body is restrained therebetween.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of,

positioning a cushion (21) on said upper section of said tabletop, said cushion arranged and designed to receive said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body thereon and to elevate said upper portion of said user'"'"'s body above said upper section of said tabletop.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein,

said step of restraining said user'"'"'s body to said restraint is accomplished by linking a coupling (93) between said restraint and a harness (95) disposed about said user'"'"'s body.