The human foot, ankle, and lower leg play an important role in physical activity. For example, when walking, the foot is the first point of contact with the ground and must both absorb the momentous forces upon the body and efficiently transfer those forces up the body's kinetic chain. Athletic trainers and other professionals, however, largely ignore the training needs that the foot, ankle, and lower leg require, and instead focus on treating symptoms. Current treatments include anti-inflammatory treatments, medication, and ultrasound therapies. Strengthening the foot, ankle, and lower leg may reduce the risk of injury. Common foot, lower leg, and ankle training exercises, however, provide little resistance and are not convenient for the user. A need exists for a convenient, resolution-based training approach which decreases incidence of injury while enhancing performance.
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical components or features. Furthermore, the drawings may be considered as providing an approximate depiction of the relative sizes of the individual components within individual figures. However, the drawings are not to scale, and the relative sizes of the individual components, both within individual figures and between the different figures, may vary from what is depicted. In particular, some of the figures may depict components as a certain size or shape, while other figures may depict the same components on a larger scale or differently shaped for the sake of clarity.
The human foot and lower leg play a vital role in many physical activities. Each human foot contains a complex web of joints, ligaments, and muscles; both feet combined make up about 25% of the bones in the human body. The muscles of the lower leg are of great importance to the body—the feet are the first point of contact when walking, and therefore must deal with the most momentous forces. Further, when performing propulsive movements or accommodating high-force absorption, the foot needs to be strong enough not only to withstand the imposed forces, but to efficiently transfer those forces up the body's kinetic chain.
Despite their complex nature, the human foot and lower leg, as discussed above, are frequently disregarded in exercise. Rather, physical therapists and other trainers tend to focus on providing treatments of symptoms, such as anti-inflammatory treatments/medication, ultrasound or microcurrent modalities, compression, ice and heat, and/or support devices such as ankle braces or orthotic inserts, which force new movement patterns upon the user. Further, when physical therapists and other trainers address the strengthening of the foot and lower leg, they commonly prescribe exercises such as calf raises, picking up marbles, gripping towels, and using resistance bands to increase stability and range of motion. These exercises, however, provide little resistance, are not convenient, and are not effective. Resistance bands, for example, generally need to be attached to an external apparatus, such as a table.
Further, current methods of foot and lower leg strengthening largely disregard neural patterning. The muscles of the lower leg and foot work in conjunction to respond appropriately to their movement demands. As such, training in isolation can decrease the efficaciousness in neural recruitment and patterning. For example, it is not natural to dorsiflex the foot via lower leg firing without also activating the extensors of the foot as well. Similarly, for plantar flexion, when the flexors of the lower leg fire, the intrinsic muscles of the foot flex as well. Furthermore, humans are anatomically designed to allow more range of motion through inversion than eversion. Humans naturally invert the foot when flexing and pushing and evert the foot when dorsiflexing. When decelerating, humans naturally heel-strike, forcing the extenders of the lower leg and foot to work together. As such, there is a need for a portable, practical, and convenient way to strengthen the lower leg and foot, while protecting the ankle joint.
In light of the above deficiencies, this application relates to an ankle strengthening device and methods for resistance training which strengthen the musculature of the foot and lower leg. More specifically, the methods described with respect to the ankle strengthening device discussed hereinafter may provide flexion, extension, inversion, and eversion capabilities via stretchable bands. In an embodiment, the ankle strengthening device may implement stretchable bands to provide pronation and/or supination resistance as a resisted plantar flexor and/or a resisted dorsiflexor. Such resistance not only provides the user with a method of strengthening but may also enhance functional range of motion and flexibility via joint allowance.
The ankle strengthening device, in an embodiment, may include a stretchable band portion, a tubular portion, and a fastener portion. In an embodiment, the stretchable band may have a first portion and/or a second portion. The tubular portion, in an embodiment, may have a proximal end and/or distal end, and the tubular portion may be fixed between the first portion of the stretchable band and the second portion of the stretchable band. The proximal end of the tubular portion may, in an embodiment, have at least one opening configured to receive at least one phalange (toe) of a user in a tunnel-like fashion. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the ankle strengthening device may have a fastener portion, which may be configured to be fixed on the lower leg of a user, such as the mid-calf, for example. The fastener portion may have a first attachment point and/or second attachment point, which may include, but is not limited to, Velcro, snap buttons, and/or hooks. In an embodiment, the first attachment point may be configured to receive the first portion of the stretchable band. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the second attachment point may be configured to receive the second portion of the stretchable band. Thus, in an embodiment, resistance may be created by the user wearing the ankle strengthening device plantar flexing, dorsiflexing, inverting, or everting the foot.
In an embodiment, the fastener portion of the ankle strengthening device may be positioned such that the first attachment point is located on the lateral position of the user's leg, and/or the second attachment point is located on the medial position of the lower leg. In an embodiment, the first portion of the stretchable band may stretch across the top of the user's foot along the fibula to the first attachment point. In this position, the first portion of the stretchable band may be used to pull the user's phalanges upwards and inverted into extension (dorsiflexion) and/or pull the ankle joint into pronation, strengthening the plantar flexors of the lower leg and foot. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the ankle strengthening device may be used to strength the dorsiflexors of the lower leg and foot. For example, the second portion of the stretchable band may wrap under the foot along the distal surface of the tibia to the second attachment point. In this position, the second portion of the stretchable band may pull the lower leg and phalanges into flexion, lengthening the dorsiflexors of the foot and pulling the ankle joint into supination. The fastener portion of the ankle strengthening device may be positioned such that the first attachment point is located on the lateral position of the user's leg, and/or the second attachment point is located on the medial position of the lower leg. This may allow the ankle joint to be strengthened though anatomically designed ranges of motion during kinetic sequences of movement.
In an embodiment, the fastener portion of the ankle strengthening device may be positioned such that the first attachment point is located on the medial position of the user's leg, and/or the second attachment point is located on the lateral position of the lower leg. In an embodiment, the first portion of the stretchable band may stretch across the top of the user's foot along the tibia to first attachment point. In this position, the first portion of the stretchable band may be used to pull the user's phalanges upwards and everted into extension (dorsiflexion) and/or pull the ankle joint into pronation, strengthening the plantar flexors of the lower leg and foot. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the ankle strengthening device may be used to strength the dorsiflexors of the lower leg and foot. For example, the second portion of the stretchable band may wrap under the foot along the distal surface of the tibia to the second attachment point. In this position, the second portion of the stretchable band may pull the lower leg and phalanges into flexion, lengthening the dorsiflexors of the foot and pulling the ankle joint into supination. The fastener portion of the ankle strengthening device may be positioned such that the first attachment point is located on the medial position of the user's leg, and/or the second attachment point is located on the lateral position of the lower leg.
Resistance levels may, in an embodiment, be adjusted. For example, the first portion and/or the second portion of the stretchable band may have varying levels of resistance. In an embodiment, the first portion of the stretchable band and/or second portion of the stretchable band may have small, medium, large, and extra-large resistance levels, where small indicates the least amount of resistance and extra-large indicates the most. Extra-large resistance may, in an embodiment, be located on the stretchable band closest to the tubular portion, whereas small resistance may be located farthest away. Thus, the user may vary the amount of resistance used when wearing the ankle-strengthening device.
Further, the user may decide to omit the use of the tubular portion completely. For example, the use may hold the first portion and/or second portion of the stretchable band. This may allow the user complete control as to the level and direction of resistance by the ankle-strengthening device.
In an embodiment, the at least one tubular portion 102 has a proximal end 110 and a distal end 112 and the at least one tubular portion 102 may be fixed to the stretchable band 106. For example, the tubular portion 102 may be fixed between the first portion 108a of the stretchable band 106 and the second portion 108b of the stretchable band 106. The proximal end 110 of the tubular portion 102 an opening configured to receive at least one toe of a user's foot in a tunnel-like fashion. Additionally, though depicted with an opening at the distal end 112 of the at least one tubular portion 102, it is contemplated that the distal end 112 may be closed to surround an end of the user's toe therein.
In an embodiment as depicted in
As stated above, the ankle strengthening device 100 may include a fastener portion 104, which may be configured to be fixed on the lower leg of a user, such as the mid-calf, for example. It is contemplated, however, that a user may choose to secure or simply hold the stretchable band manually. Nevertheless, in an embodiment including a fastener portion 104, the fastener portion 104 may be hollow and configured to circumscribe the lower leg of the user, and may include a material suitable to prevent the fastener portion 104 from changing positions on the user's leg. Moreover, the material selected may incorporate characteristics to provide a comfortable and simultaneously constricting quality to be secured to the leg. In an embodiment, the fastener portion 104 may be annular in shape (see
In an embodiment, the fastener portion 104 may be adjusted to tighten, loosen, and/or or remove the fastener portion 104. The fastener portion 104 may include a first attachment point 114 and/or a second attachment point 116 (not visible in
In an embodiment, the resistance levels occurring when using the device 100 may be adjusted. For example, the first portion 108a of the stretchable band 106 and/or the second portion 108b of the stretchable band 106 may have varying levels of resistance 118, which levels may be the same or different from each other. Moreover, the amount of resistance within the same stretchable band may vary without a change in material, for example, by merely adjusting the amount of stretch being applied to the first portion 108a of the stretchable band 106 and/or the second portion 108b. In an embodiment, the first portion 108a of the stretchable band 106 and/or second portion 108b of the stretchable band 106 may have small (S), medium (M), large (L), and extra-large (XL) levels of resistance, where small indicates a lesser amount of resistance and extra-large indicates a greater amount of resistance, as expected by the naming convention used. For example, a user wishing to implement an extra-large resistance may stretch the first portion 108a (and/or the second portion 108b) to such an extent that the area of the first portion 108a labeled “XL” is in contact with the first attachment point 114 of the fastener portion 104. That is, the “XL” is pulled farther away from the tubular portion 102 than when left at rest or when the area labeled “S” is in contact with the first attachment point 114 of the fastener portion 104. As such, a user desiring small resistance “S” may limit the amount of stretching done to the first portion 108a (and/or the second portion 108b) by merely attaching the area labeled “S” to the first attachment point 114. Similarly, the resistance may be varied for the second portion 108b with respect to attaching the second portion 108b to the second attachment point 116 (see FIG.3). Thus, the user may vary the amount of resistance used when wearing the ankle-strengthening device.
It is noted that although four levels of resistance 118 are depicted in embodiment of the device 100 in
Additionally, and/or alternatively, it is contemplated that each component of the ankle strengthening device 100 may be separable for cleaning, repair, replacement, exchange, etc., independent of each other. For example, in an embodiment, the ankle strengthening device 100 may allow for interchangeable stretchable bands, wherein the interchangeable bands may provide varying levels of resistance.
Further, the user may decide to omit the use of the tubular portion completely. For example, the user may hold the first portion and/or second portion of the stretchable bands. This may allow the user additional self-regulated control as to the level and direction of resistance by the ankle-strengthening device.
Furthermore, the stretchable band 200 may be attached to a fastener portion 104, as described above with respect to the stretchable band 106.
It is noted that a method of strengthening a user's ankle and/or other leg or foot structures may include the use of the ankle strengthening device 100, as described above in each of structure, function, and biological application and movement of the body aspects.
The architectures, systems, and individual elements described herein may include many other logical and physical components, of which those shown in the accompanying figures are merely examples that are related to the discussion herein.
While one or more embodiments of the device and techniques described herein have been described, various alterations, additions, permutations and equivalents thereof are included within the scope of the techniques described herein.
In the description of embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, which show by way of illustration specific examples of the claimed subject matter. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be used and that changes or alterations, such as structural changes, may be made. Such embodiments, changes or alterations are not necessarily departures from the scope with respect to the intended claimed subject matter. While the steps herein may be presented in a certain order, in some cases the ordering may be changed so that certain inputs are provided at different times or in a different order without changing the function of the systems and methods described. The disclosed procedures may also be executed in different orders.
Note, throughout the specification and claims, the term “configured” may be interpreted to mean—in addition to the plain meaning where appropriate—sized, and/or shaped, and/or have structural features to accommodate, engage, or otherwise perform the intended function.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/861,087, filed Jun. 13, 2019, and entitled, “Apparatus and Method for Strengthening the Foot, Ankle, and Lower Leg,” the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
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1373211 | Tanner | Mar 1921 | A |
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5039093 | Collier | Aug 1991 | A |
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20190201731 | Nguyen | Jul 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20200391075 A1 | Dec 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62861087 | Jun 2019 | US |