Devices and methods for exercising an ankle, foot, and/or leg
AssigneeTs Medical LLC
InventorsMary Anne Tarkington, Peter-Christoph Tarkington Schmidt, David G. Matsuura, Jacob A. Moebius
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exercise device includes a foot support portion pivotably connected to a leg support portion and having a neutral position relative to a pivot axis. The support portion is configured to rotate about the neutral pivot axis in a first direction away from the neutral position and in a second direction away from the neutral position. The second direction is opposite the first direction. The exercise device also includes a resistance mechanism configured to exert a force on the foot support portion about the pivot axis opposite to the respective first and second directions of rotation of the foot support portion about the pivot axis.
Claims27
An exercise device comprising:
- a foot support portion comprising a foot support surface configured to support and stimulate a user's foot positioned in the foot support portion, the foot support portion being pivotably connected to a leg support portion via a heel cup and having a neutral position relative to a pivot axis, the foot support portion being configured to rotate about the pivot axis in a first direction away from the neutral position and in a second direction away from the neutral position, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction, and wherein the foot support portion is configured to rotate about the pivot axis throughout a full range of ankle flexion and extension of the user's foot, the full range of ankle flexion and extension comprising about 75 degrees of plantar flexion motion in the first direction and about 60 degrees of dorsiflexion motion in the second direction;
- and
- a resistance mechanism configured to exert a force on the foot support portion about the pivot axis opposite to the respective first and second directions of rotation of the foot support portion about the pivot axis,
- wherein each of the foot support portion and the leg support portion comprises a sleeve made of a soft material, each sleeve being configured to respectively receive and enclose the user's foot and a user's leg, and
- wherein the heel cup is positioned between the foot and leg support portions and is configured to slide relative to each of the respective foot and leg support portions during rotation of the foot support portion about the pivot axis.
A method for exercising muscles in an ankle, foot, and/or leg of a user, comprising:
- with a foot of the user positioned within a foot support portion of an exercise device and a leg of the user positioned within a leg support portion of the exercise device:
- rotating the foot support portion relative to the leg support portion in a first direction of rotation about a pivot axis of the exercise device and against a force exerted by a resistance mechanism of the exercise device in a second direction of rotation, opposite to the first direction of rotation;
- rotating the foot support portion relative to the leg support portion in the second direction of rotation about the pivot axis and against a force exerted by the resistance mechanism in the first direction of rotation;
- and
- sliding each of the foot and leg support portions relative to a heel cup positioned between the foot and leg support portions during rotation of the foot support portion relative to the leg support portion in the first and second directions of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.