Method and apparatus for torso muscle lengthening
OwnerCynthia Kochinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Posture improvement by conducting a set of stretch protocols with an inelastic strap which lengthen front torso muscles in order to reduce forward head position, and to decrease rounded shoulders. Posture improvement is monitored by periodically taking hip to rib, sternum to shoulder, and shoulder to shoulder measurements. The protocols may be performed at home, or in groups such as company sponsored activity. The strap may include markings to permit a participant to readily determine desired hand positions on the strap for a stretch protocol.
Claims14
A method of improving the posture of a human by lengthening the muscles of the torso, the human having a head, left arm, left hand, right arm, right hand, and rib area, the method comprising
- performing a left Archer stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the head,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the left arm,
- bending the right arm, such that the upper portion of the right arm contacts
- the rib area, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly;
- performing a right Archer stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the head,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the right arm,
- bending the left arm, such that the upper portion of the left arm contacts
- the rib area, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly;
- performing a left Liberty stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the head,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the left arm above the head with the left elbow bent,
- extending the right arm at a downward angle, such that the right arm and
- the left elbow lie approximately along the same line, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly;
- performing a right Liberty stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the head,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the right arm above the head with the right elbow bent,
- extending the left arm at a downward angle, such that the left arm and the
- right elbow lie approximately along the same line, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly;
- performing a Victory stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the head,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the left arm at an upward angle above the head,
- extending the right arm at an upward angle above the head, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly;
- and
- performing a Balance stretch protocol comprising
- grasping a strap with the right hand and the left hand,
- positioning the strap behind the waist,
- bending the left arm, such that the upper portion of the left arm contacts the rib area,
- bending the right arm, such that the upper portion of the right arm contacts the rib area,
- inhaling a breath,
- extending the left hand approximately horizontally from the left elbow,
- extending the right hand approximately horizontally from the right elbow, and
- applying tension to the strap while exhaling slowly.
A method for monitoring posture improvement, the method comprising
- measuring a first hip to rib distance at a first time;
- performing, for a plurality of days, a set of lengthening stretches comprising
- a left Archer stretch protocol,
- a right Archer stretch protocol,
- a left Liberty stretch protocol,
- a right Liberty stretch protocol,
- a Victory stretch protocol, and
- a Balance stretch protocol.
- measuring a second hip to rib distance at a second time;
- and
- determining improvement by calculating the difference between the first and second hip to rib distances.
The method of claim 14 further comprising
- measuring a first sternum to shoulder distance at the first time;
- measuring a second sternum to shoulder distance at the second time;
- and
- determining improvement by calculating the difference between the first and second sternum to shoulder distances.
The method of claim 14 further comprising
- measuring a first shoulder to shoulder distance at the first time;
- measuring a second shoulder to shoulder distance at the second time;
- and
- determining improvement by calculating the difference between the first and second shoulder to shoulder distances.
An exercise strap for use in torso lengthening exercises, the strap comprising
- a non-elastic fabric strip having
- a length,
- a width, such that the length is much greater than the width, and
- a top surface;
- and
- a plurality of reference markings on the top surface, such that
- a first desired hand position may be determined from the reference markings;
- and ’a second desired hand position may be determined from the reference markings, such that the second hand position is spaced apart from the first hand position.
A system for executing stretching protocols over a plurality of days, from a start day to an end day, and for monitoring the results of the stretching protocols, the system comprising
- an instruction for performing a set of lengthening stretches comprising
- a left Archer stretch protocol,
- a right Archer stretch protocol,
- a left Liberty stretch protocol,
- a right Liberty stretch protocol,
- a Victory stretch protocol, and
- a Balance stretch protocol;
- a log for recording
- measurements of posture at the start day and the end day, the measurement selected from the group consisting of
- a hip to rib measurement,
- a sternum to shoulder measurement, and
- a shoulder to shoulder measurement,
- the performance times, for each of the plurality of days, of the set of lengthening stretches;
- and
- an inelastic strap for performing the stretch protocols.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.