Portable, ergonomic, upper limb and shoulder rotator exercise apparatus with patient assist, muscular energy measurement method

Abstract

An exercise board with a novel ergonomic fit with the patient's abdominal area provides for maximum lateral range extension of the shoulder rotator and limb musculoskeletal system. The unique use of a ferrous loaded exercise disk on a flat, angularly adjustable, surface sheet, the disk having magnetic coupling to permanent magnets residing in a laterally free space below the surface sheet, provides a magnetically induced frictional resistance against the patient's force in moving the disk anywhere in the plane of the surface sheet. A rope/pulley patient good-limb-assist mode and path obstacles provide major efficiency improvement and options in rehabilitating the acutely impaired limb, as from stroke, shoulder rotator damage, or surgery. Indicia lines provide paths for the disks which aid in the determination of the patient's range performance and facilitate a novel method of measuring the amount of energy expended by the patient.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the rehabilitation of acutely impaired upper limbs and shoulders of patients recovering from stroke, accident, and post surgical trauma. More particularly, the invention relates to an ergonometric system of exercise which maximizes the range of motion of the treatment and also provides a method for the measurement of energy of performance of the upper limb and shoulder musculosketal system. The invention opens new options in the field of patient challenged treatment for prescription by the therapist, which are a) variable resistive lateral restraint and b) patient assisted therapy whereby the good brain/good limb is utilized to help reconnect the communication network of the recovering brain/recovering limb in rope/pulley assisted climbing over obstacles.

B. Description of the Background Art

Acute rehabilitation facilities are in need of apparatus which more effectively provide for patient recovery by the exercise of upper limb and shoulder muscles and joints. Physical therapists modalities are presently limited to the utilization of dead weight lifts, spring and pulley resistive devices and simple table top slide equipment for patient exercise routines. The practitioner may manually assist the patient to extend muscles to the desired mobility range not allowed by presently available exercise equipment. Ergometers which measure the amount of work done by muscles over a mobility range are limited to linear or straight line practice. The present invention overcomes these limitations and allows exercise with work/energy measurements over a complex and circuitous range of motion. Further, the present invention maximizes the use of patient challenged and patient assisted therapy.

In view of the foregoing considerations, the present inventors conceived of the presently disclosed exercise apparatus and energy measuring method and system with ergonometric interface with the patient, thereby providing a more universal range of exercise for upper limb muscles and joints.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board apparatus which includes a generally polygonal shape but with one edge recessed inward providing an ergonomic interface with the human body's abdomen, belly, for maximizing the physical range of motion for rehabilitation of these musculoskeletal areas.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board which includes a slide disk, with included ferrous slug, with magnetically induced, variable, frictional drag over the board's full range of motion for rehabilitation purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exercise board which includes a generally polygonal shape and is composed of a thin transparent top sheet covering a hollowed out free lateral slide space for permanent magnets which are confined within the boundary ring on the lateral sides and by a bottom close out sheet. Magnets are free to be attracted to and move with said slide disk residing on the top on the board, thereby causing magnetically induced frictional resistance force against slide disk motion anywhere on the board; thereby providing for a versatile resistance exercise program for the musculoskeletal system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board which includes a companion stand for securing the board at increased and selectable frontal elevation angular ranges of motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board with a method of both measuring and varying the amount of energy expended by the patient in moving the slide disk along prescribed indicia tracks, or paths, during exercise and also yielding knowledge of day to day performance improvements by the patient. The apparatus' associated frictional resistance force relationships are analytically established and may be calibrated for measurement of energy of motion as Force×Distance traveled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a challenge course of movement by placing bumps along a prescribed path on the board's face. These raised bumps are utilized as either challenge obstacles or rest stops along an incline plane. The bumps may be humorous or challenging in design, as smiley faces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rope, pulley and pull ring system which allows the patient's good brain and good limb to physically assist the affected limb (and affected brain) in the traversing of the path of therapy in the plain of the exercise board.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention, and its most novel features, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by perusing the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.

It is understood that although the invention disclosed herein is fully capable of achieving the objects and providing the advantages describe, the characteristics of the invention described herein are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, we do not intend that the scope of our exclusive rights and privileges in the invention be limited to details of the invention described. We do intend that equivalents, adaptations and modifications of the invention reasonably inferable from the description contained herein be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates a portable exercise apparatus with ergonomic abdominal fitting features and an energy measurement method; which exercise apparatus has a flat surface on which an exercise disk, loaded with ferrous material, is slidably forced laterally against a variable frictional resistance which is induced by a downward magnetic coupling of the disk with vertically polarized permanent magnets on the underside of the board's thin, transparent top sheet; said magnets are identically pulled upward by the same magnetic coupling but, with different, but co-directional, frictional resistance and with freedom to slide laterally, with resistance, within a free air space bounded by an outer peripheral ring and a bottom close out sheet. Movement of the disk by the patient therefore facilitates a method, or means, of providing measurable limb and shoulder physical exercise with disk motion along indicia paths as prescribed by the practitioner. This allows monitoring of energy and a daily measurement of relative improvement performance of the patient. Magnetic strength may be varied by the substitution or addition or subtraction of magnets with different strengths as the patient's strength changes. A high frictional resistance is desired, which is facilitated by the choice of plastic for both the disk and slide surfaces. By prior calibration of slide force, and by knowledge of the accumulative path length along indicia lines, total energy expended may be simply determined. The patent provides the relationship of Energy=Force×Distance where Force is a complex value of the disk weight and magnetically induced friction of both the top and bottom of the top sheet acting upon to oppose motion of both the disk and the magnet. A companion stand is shown which facilitates the choosing of variable positions of elevation angles of the board with respect to the patient; which further enhances the physical energy requirements and the musculoskeletal range of the exercise program. A rope and pulley system is shown whereby the rope is attached to the exercise disk; a pulley, through which the rope is passed, is attached to the upward extreme of the exercise board, and a pull ring is attached to the other end of the rope; thereby allowing for patient assisted therapy in “climbing” over obstacles along a prescribed path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise apparatus according to the present invention, showing a flat top surface upon which a disk with included ferrous slug may be moved by a patient to any position bounded by field points a, b, c, and d; the patient being ergonomically positioned with backbone generally at line e and with abdomen, belly, against the apparatus' semicircular cutout and touching at the line g. In this position, the patient's left shoulder rotator would be positioned generally above point a so that the patient's left hand may grasp the disk at one musculoskeletal extreme and move it to all points around the board including the opposite musculoskeletal extreme at point b. A cut away view shows disk, embedded ferrous slug, top sheet, and attractive magnet; direction vectors x and x′ are parallel indicating that the magnet follows the disk's motion.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the exercise board of FIG. 1, taken in the direction indicated by line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 thereby shows the ferrous slug imbedded into the bottom of the slide disk and also shows an attracted magnet in a free air space within the board assembly; an access hole in the bottom close out sheet allows exchanging of magnets. The magnetic attraction upon the disk thereby causes frictional drag on both the disk and magnet parallel to the board's top sheet. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 both reveal a three layer board; the top surface is transparent; the middle layer is a hollowed out entrapment, or ring, forming a free air space for magnet travel, the bottom layer is the lower close out; in practice the middle and bottom layers may be combined.

FIG. 3 reveals an assembly of the exercise board of FIGS. 1 & 2 and a mounting fixture; the fixture has multiple pegs for positioning the inserted board at desirable elevation angles with respect to the base of the fixture. Stops are provided which secure the lower edge of the board.

FIG. 4 shows with greater clarity the mounting fixture.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the disk.

FIG. 6 shows a transverse sectional view of the disk of FIG. 5 and reveals an embedded ferrous slug.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the disk of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the board's entrapped magnet showing the polar magnetization direction of flux to be normal to the cylinder's ends.

FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 8 also showing the field flux lines for Q.

FIG. 10 is a schematic vector diagram showing, resolution of frictional, magnetic, and gravitational forces reacting against the patient's hand input force, F, as the disk is moved parallel to and along the board's upper surface. Energy, E is the product of force, F, and distance of movement, D. The complex function of E is derived later in the detailed description of the invention.

FIG. 11 shows the basic exercise board of FIGS. 1 and 3 with the additional features of a rope and pulley system and “climbing” obstacles which facilitate patient assisted therapy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1 & 2, a basic embodiment of an ergonomically shaped, portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board 20 according to the present invention may be seen to include a flat surface top slide sheet 3 upon which a patient may slide a magnetically restricted slide disk 1 thereby performing an exercise. The magnetic restriction is induced because of clamping friction on both the top and lower sides of the slide sheet 3 acting upon the slide disk's ferrous insert 2 and also upon the magnet 4 as they are forced along the sheet 3 by the patient in a common vector x and x′. Magnet 4 follows slide disk 1 anywhere within free air space 5 as bounded by a hollowed out middle layer, or ring, 6 and bottom close out sheet 7. Bottom close out sheet 7 also contains an access hole 8 used for the purpose of exchanging magnets of different strengths, as may be prescribed, to vary the patient's required force to move the disk 1. The present invention ergonomically facilitates maximum stretch range of a patient by the incorporation of a semicircular cutout 9 whereby the patient's belly is positioned to touch line g and the shoulder rotator is positioned generally above point a so that the exercise disk 1 may be moved from extreme reach point a to extreme reach point b, a critical exercise for both stroke and shoulder rotator recovery. Exercise is also accomplished by movement of disk 1 (and magnet 4) around on the full surface of sheet 3, bounded by peripheral points a, b, c, and d. A calibrated drag force/energy method, shown later, facilitates determination of the energy expended in dragging the disk a known distance around the periphery.

Referring to FIGS. 3 & 4, a portable upper limb and shoulder exercise board 20, in combination with stand 21 comprise a wider range of exercise angles while maintaining the ergonomic feature 9 of the single horizontal board also shown in stand 21. Stand 21 is comprised of a bottom board and two vertical side boards, each containing a multiplicity of holding pegs 11 for the purpose of elevating and securing the exercise board 20. Board stops 12 secure the lower end of the board 20. Exercise angle, Ø, is selectable in desired increments, typically at 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, the top and bottom views of slide disk 1 reveal embedded ferrous slug 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, a transverse sectional view of the slide disk 1 further details the inserted ferrous slug 2.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9; the top and side views, respectively, of permanent magnet 4, show the lines of flux, Q, with their poles normal to the ends of the cylindrical body.

Referring to FIG. 10, the patient inputs force F to move slide disk 1, with included ferrous insert 2, across the face of the board 20 in the vector direction x; the magnet 4 follows in vector direction x′; both disk and magnet move from position y toward y′ at an elevation angle Ø. The energy required to perform this function is E, or force F times distance D. The schematic and resulting force F reveal the equation for F is comprised of weight W, sinØ & cosØ terms, slide disk & board coefficient of friction f, and magnet & board (underside) coefficient f′, elevation angle Ø, and magnetic clamping force, Q. An example would be: F=0.75 pounds, distance D=93.3 inches around the peripheral indicia path; therefore energy expended is 0.75×93.3=70 inch pounds, or 1.9 calories, per trip around the board's periphery, a-b-c-d of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 11, the said exercise board 20 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is shown with obstacles, or bumps, 13 affixed to top sheet 3.

Referring to FIG. 11, the said exercise board of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 and slide disk I are shown fitted with rope and pulley and pull ring system 14 affixed to exercise board 20 at attachment point 15. The system 14 may be reversed right to left, or back, as allowed by swivel integral with the pulley at attach point 15. The patient grasps the rope and pulley's pull ring with the hand of the good limb to assist the recovering limb's movement.

Claims

1. An upper limb and shoulder exercise board having an ergonomic fit with the patient's abdomen and upon which board an exercise disk may be slidably moved laterally by force of hand along a flat surface; which force is against a prescribed, but variable, magnetically induced, frictional resistance force offered in universal lateral directions or along prescribed lateral paths; the board having unique layout features facilitating both said ergonomic fit and frictional resistance force.

2. The exercise board of claim 1, a polygonal shaped flat board assembly, wherein said ergonomic fit is provided by design with one inwardly receding edge allowing wrap around fit with the patients lower abdomen, belly.

3. The exercise board of claim 1 wherein said exercise disk contains a ferrous metal, or slug, which functions to attract permanent magnets entrapped within a free lateral slide space below a thin, transparent top sheet.

4. The exercise board of claim 1, wherein said flat surface is provided by a generally thin, transparent, top surface sheet upon which exercise disks may be slidably forced in a lateral direction.

5. The exercise board of claim 1 wherein said lateral paths may be along indicia paths as prescribed by a practitioner, either with markings along the upper surface or upon the top surface of the bottom close out sheet; the latter being visible through the transparent top sheet; one special indicia marking a peripheral path identified as a path through the extreme points shown in the detailed description as a-b-c-d.

6. The exercise board of claim 1 wherein said unique layout features are composed of a sandwich structure of said thin, transparent, top surface sheet, a peripheral middle ring, and a bottom close out sheet; the assembly thereby providing a free lateral inner air space surrounded on the sides by the peripheral ring; the free air space thereby providing a free lateral slide space for magnets entrapped within the confines of said sandwich structure.

7. The exercise board of claim 2 wherein said one inwardly receding edge provides for at least a 180 degree ergonomic wrap around a patient's lower frontal abdomen which therefore allows for positioning of the patient's shoulder rotator generally above the left/right side pockets of the board's design so that a shoulder rotator is stretched rearward to an extreme position when the corresponding hand grasps the disk at that extreme position; movement of the hand therefore from left extreme to right extreme board positions correspondingly exercises that limb and rotator as ideally desired for initial acute rehabilitation of both stroke or rotator patients; the board layout shown in the detailed description of the invention provides for universal lateral resistive force against a patient's motion of the hand over the entire board's surface for general rehabilitation of limb and shoulder.

8. The exercise board of claim 3 wherein said magnets are flat cylindrical permanent magnets which are polarized with lines of flux normal to their ends as shown in the detailed design.

9. The exercise board of claim 3 wherein said transparent top surface sheet is clear plastic with a generally high coefficient of slide friction (normally 0.24 or greater) with the disk and with the magnets.

10. The exercise board of claim 5 wherein said bottom close out sheet has an access hole provided for the purpose of interchanging magnets of various strengths.

11. A method of measuring the expended energy of a workout by the patient, in inch pounds or calories; the energy is determined as the total distance a disk is moved around the said peripheral path length multiplied by the magnetically induced frictional resistive force imposed upon the disk, known by prior calibration; the energy of performance, E, is defined as set forth in this invention as F×D.

12. An upper limb and shoulder exercise board as claimed in combination with a companion stand provides for varying the board's elevation angle, Ø, as shown in the detailed description, while maintaining the preferred ergonomic fit advantages for exercise of the patient's arm, wrist, and shoulder rotator.

13. An upper limb and shoulder exercise board in combination with a companion stand of claim 12 further having variable angles of elevation, Ø, including preferred angles of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees while maintaining both the full available lateral capability of the board and the magnetically induced frictional resistance of the disk.

14. An upper limb and exercise board of claim 12 further having a rope, pulley and pull ring system for patient assisted therapy in moving the affected limb which hand is supported by the slide disk.

15. An upper limb and exercise board of claim 12 further having a series of obstacles, or bumps, affixed to the top slide sheet wherein the patient is provided a set of challenges, or rest stops, as may be the case. The obstacles may be humorous in design, as smiley faces, to encourage and challenge the patient to complete the course.