Apparatus and method of gravity-assisted spinal stretching

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.

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.