Rehabilitative apparatus for treating reflex sympathetic dystrophy

A rehabilitative apparatus for treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy comprising;

• a) a frame that has an upper, generally flat surface;
• b) a plurality of support brackets attached to and extending above the frame upper surface;
• c) a pair of shafts supported by the brackets in a position spaced above the upper surface, the shafts forming an acute angle;
• d) each of the shafts having a proximal end portion that provides a grip handle to be gripped by a user;
• f) each of the shafts having a distal end portion;
• h) a transmission for reciprocal rotary motion that joins the distal end portions of the respective shafts so that when one of the shafts rotates axially, the other shaft is rotated axially;
• and
• i) one of the shafts carrying a flywheel for storing non-motorized energy transmitted to one of the shafts by the user, the other shaft and attached handle being driven with only energy transmitted to it from the flywheel via the transmission.

A method of treating reflex sympathetic dystrophy in a patient comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an exercise machine that includes a gear system and a pair of shafts with a respective pair of attached handles that can be gripped by the patient;
• (b) gripping the handles;
• (c) rotating the shafts with the handles so that both of the shafts rotate simultaneously;
• (d) using the gear system to couple said shafts for synchronous rotary movement;
• (e) wherein the patient's stronger hand may control the rotation of the shafts and their angular degree of rotation.

A rehabilitative apparatus for rehabilitating a human joint and associated limbs comprising:

• a) an non-motorized inertial device for providing reciprocating resistance to energy input from a user's limb;
• b) a shaft having a shaft axis and a distal end operatively connected to said inertial device for manually inputting reciprocating motion into said inertial device;
• c) a coupling member connected to the proximal end of said shaft, said coupling member adapted to be connected to a user's limb;
• d) a limb support positioned next to the shaft and coupling member, said limb support including a support surface that is generally perpendicular to the axis of said shaft;
• e) whereby the coupling member enables the user's limb to input energy through said coupling member and said shaft into said inertial device to thereby initiate motion in said inertial device in a first direction;
• and
• f) wherein the coupling member enables the user thereby to reverse the direction of shaft travel and input energy being input into said inertial device to cause reciprocal motion in a second direction in said inertial device by only overcoming said input energy.

A rehabilitative apparatus for rehabilitating a human joint and associated limbs comprising:

• a) an inertial device for providing reciprocating resistance to energy input from a human limb;
• b) a shaft having a distal end operatively connected to said inertial device for manually inputting reciprocating motion into said inertial device;
• c) a coupling member connected to the proximal end of said shaft, said coupling member adapted to be connected to a limb;
• d) whereby the human limb may input energy through said coupling member and said shaft into said inertial device to initiate motion in said inertial device;
• and reverse the input energy being input into said inertial device to cause reciprocal motion in said inertial device wherein said inertial device is a reciprocating flywheel.