US 9,956,131 B2Granted

Method for gait training using walker device

OwnerKatherine Haik, Charles A. Haikinventors

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Abstract

A walker device is described herein including two side frames, each side frame including a front vertical support, a rear vertical support and at least one connecting member extending between the front and rear vertical supports. The walker device further includes a cross bar extending between the two side frames and pivotally connecting to the front vertical supports of the two side frames. The walker device also includes a tension device which applies a resistive force to the pivoting motion between the first cross bar and the two side frames. The walker device is therefore capable of a pivoting configuration which enables the user to learn or re-learn a more natural gait pattern including rotation of the upper and lower body. Some embodiments of the walker device include a second, auxiliary cross bar that is parallel to the first cross bar and horizontally offset from the first cross bar.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of improving the natural gait pattern of a person, comprising:

using a walker comprising handgrips, at least one wheel in contact with a left side frame, at least one wheel in contact with a right side frame, a crossbar pivotally connecting the left side frame to the right side frame, and at least one tensioning device;
walking in a series of steps, wherein hands reside on said handgrips, each step comprising a reciprocating pivoting motion by transferring the weight from one foot to the other, the series of said steps comprising the person's left leg moving in motion counter to that of the person's left arm and the person's right leg, the person's right leg moving in a motion counter to that of the right arm and the left leg, the person's pelvis rotating, the left side frame moving in the direction counter to the right side frame while the at least one wheel of the left side frame and the at least one wheel of the right side frame make contact with the ground, and said tensioning device adding resistance to the motion of the left side frame and the right side frame.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/074,231Filed 18 Mar 2016 · division
Priority: 18 Nov 2009
Published: US 2016/0262970 A115 Sep 2016
Granted: 1 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

A61H 3/04
Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about: wheeled walking aids for patients or disabled persons
A63B 21/0004
Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without…:…
A63B 21/00069
Mechanical means for varying the resistance: setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing…
A63B 21/045
Using resilient force-resisters: having torsion or bending or flexion element

Family

Application61/281,465Us provisional application · filed 18 Nov 2009
Application12/948,320Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Nov 2010
Application13/557,943Parent of this division · filed 25 Jul 2012
US 8,251,079 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Aug 2012
US 2016/0262970 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Sep 2016
Application13/557,943Parent of this continuation
US 9,956,131 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.