Apparatus and methods for exercising a limb of a user
OwnerGregory Barelinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
At least one elastic link may be simultaneously coupled to two different portions of a limb of a user in order to provide resistance to the limb when the limb attempts to change the distance between the two different portions of the limb.
Claims14
Apparatus for use on a user's leg with respect to a stationary surface, wherein the user's leg comprises a cnemis, a foot, and an ankle joint that couples the cnemis to the foot, the apparatus comprising:
- an anchor component operative to be coupled to the cnemis at a first cnemis location along a length of the cnemis;
- a base component comprising a base body extending between a first base end and a second base end, the base body operative to be positioned between the foot and the stationary surface;
- an extender component comprising an extender body extending between a first extender portion that is coupled to the anchor component and a second extender portion that is coupled to the base component;
- and
- an elastic band comprising:
- a first portion of the elastic band that is operative to be coupled to the anchor component;
- and
- a second portion of the elastic band that is operative to be coupled to the base component, wherein:
- when the anchor component is coupled to the cnemis at the first cnemis location and the base body is positioned between the foot and the stationary surface and the first portion of the elastic band is coupled to the anchor component and the second portion of the elastic band is coupled to the base component, an elastic portion of the elastic band is operative to provide resistance when the foot attempts to push the second base end towards the stationary surface;
- the elastic band is a closed loop;
- the first portion of the elastic band is coupled to the anchor component by passing through a closed ring of the anchor component;
- and
- the second portion of the elastic band is operative to be removably coupled to the base component by looping under a portion of the base body such that the second portion of the elastic band is positioned between the base body and the stationary surface.
A method for exercising a user's limb using an exercise apparatus that comprises an anchor component and a plurality of bands, wherein each band of the plurality of bands comprises a band body that extends between a first band portion that is coupled to the anchor component and a second band portion, wherein the user's limb comprises a first limb portion, a second limb portion, and a joint limb portion between the first limb portion and the second limb portion, wherein the first limb portion is a cnemis, wherein the second limb portion is a foot, wherein the joint limb portion is an ankle joint, and wherein the method comprises:
- coupling the anchor component to the first limb portion at a first limb position along the first limb portion;
- coupling the second band portion of each band of a subset of bands of the plurality of bands to the second limb portion by looping the second band portion of each band of the subset of bands about the second limb portion, such that the second band portion of every band of the subset of bands of the plurality of bands is the only portion of the plurality of bands coupled to the the second limb portion;
- and
- after both of the couplings, providing a resistance with the band body of each band of the subset of bands of the plurality of bands to the user's limb when the user's limb increases the distance between the first limb position and a portion of the second limb portion using the joint limb portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.