Bench assembly for stretching the quadriceps femoris and/or hip flexors muscles
OwnerBenjamin J. Herbertinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bench assembly that stretches and develops the quadriceps femoris and/or hip flexors muscle groups of a client with the help of a therapist or trainer. The bench assembly has a basal subassembly with a front member that faces the therapist. Extending rearwardly from the front member is a first side member. A rear member extends laterally from the first side member. Each of the front and rear members have an upwardly oriented column that extends from a bottom rail of the associated member. The columns underlie a client support pad on which the client may lie recumbent and face upwardly with his/her legs positioned towards the front member before a trainer applies a stretching regimen to the legs and/or hips.
Claims17
A bench assembly for stretching the quadriceps femoris and/or hip flexors muscle groups of a client by a therapist, the bench assembly comprising:
- a basal subassembly with
- a front member that is configured to face the therapist,
- a first side member that extends rearwardly from the front member;
- and
- a rear member that extends laterally from the first side member,
- each of the front and rear members having a bottom rail and a an upwardly oriented column extending coupled to and extending from the bottom rail, the upwardly oriented column having a bottom portion disposed at the bottom rail and a top portion at a distal end, further, the front and rear members each having a pair of braces extending above each bottom rail supporting the upwardly oriented column, each brace disposed on opposite sides of the upwardly oriented column, wherein each brace comprises an a upper shoulder member having a leverage surface extending from and normal to the upwardly oriented column and a vertical member extending from and normal to the leverage surface coupled to the bottom rail, and a diagonal member extending from an intersection of said vertical member and said bottom rail to an intersection of said upper shoulder and said upwardly oriented column;
- a client support pad on which the client may lie recumbent and facing upwardly with his/her legs positioned towards the front member, the client support pad being attached to the top portion of the associated upwardly oriented column,
- the client support pad having an edge that is adapted to receive a back of a client's knee;
- and
- wherein an area defined between the upper shoulder, upwardly oriented column, and rear surface of the client support pad is unobstructed and configured to accommodate an unobstructed motion of a client extremity or therapist body.
A method of using a bench assembly for stretching the quadriceps femoris and/or hip flexors muscle groups of a client under the direction of a therapist, the bench assembly comprising:
- a basal subassembly with
- a front member that is configured to face the therapist,
- a first side member that extends rearwardly from the front member;
- and
- a rear member that extends laterally from the first side member,
- each of the front and rear members having a bottom rail and a an upwardly oriented column extending coupled to and extending from the bottom rail, the upwardly oriented column having a bottom portion disposed at the bottom rail and a top portion at a distal end, further, the front and rear members each having a pair of braces extending above each bottom rail supporting the upwardly oriented column, each brace disposed on opposite sides of the upwardly oriented column, wherein each brace comprises an a upper shoulder member having a leverage surface extending from and normal to the upwardly oriented column and a vertical member extending from and normal to the leverage surface coupled to the bottom rail, and a diagonal member extending from an intersection of said vertical member and said bottom rail to an intersection of said upper shoulder and said upwardly oriented column;
- and
- a client support pad on which the client lies recumbent and facing upwardly with his/her legs positioned towards the front member, the client support pad being attached to the top portion of the upwardly oriented columns,
- the client support pad having an edge that is adapted to receive a back of a client's knee,
- the method of using comprising the steps of:
- positioning the client on the client support pad so that the client faces upwardly with his/her legs positioned towards the front member,
- moving a lower leg of the client rearwardly on one side of the upwardly oriented column of the front member according to a stretching regimen;
- positioning a therapist leg upon the leverage surface;
- engaging the lower leg of the client the client with the therapist leg, the therapist using the leverage surface to provide additional support for to transfer a force to from the therapist leg to the lower leg of the client, stretching the lower leg of the client;
- moving the other lower leg rearwardly on another side of the column according to the stretching regimen;
- positioning a therapist leg upon the leverage surface;
- and
- engaging the other lower leg of the client the client with the therapist leg, the therapist using the leverage surface to provide additional support for to transfer a force to from the therapist leg to the other lower leg of the client stretching the other lower leg of the client.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.