Patent Application
20250135259
This invention relates to an exercise system that can be implemented using an exercise over for a table that will allow persons with physical challenges to participate in various exercises for better physical conditioning. In particular, this invention relates to an exercise cover that creates an improved therapy or training table or an improved chair-like structure that enable persons to participate in multiple movements, maneuvers, or drills using the table. This invention allows a person, especially those of advanced age, to engage in these various exercises while in a sitting position.
Physical exercise has benefits for persons of all ages. One cannot overstate the importance of regular physical activities for children. An obvious benefit is a child's physical development and health. For example, regular exercise helps a child maintain an appropriate weight and can prevent childhood obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Regular exercise also helps children develop their muscular and bone structure. Children are more active in participating in activities such as sports and other extracurricular activities, including band, drama, and agricultural programs. Regular participation in these events contributes to the overall physical and mental health of the child.
The need for physical fitness does not decrease as a person grows older. Exercise increases one's physical endurance and strength. Various benefits result from starting and maintaining a consistent physical exercise regimen. One benefit of exercise in mature people is an increase in bone density and a decrease in the chance of injury when participating in various events. Physical fitness helps one maintain one's balance and reduces the possibility of accidental falling. People who exercise have more energy and fewer adverse effects of stress on their body and mind. Exercise can help people who have difficulties sleeping and help them sleep more soundly. Physical fitness can help maintain and improve one's independence with daily activities.
Although exercise and physical fitness are beneficial to people of all ages, there can be challenges and barriers to people getting sufficient physical exercise. These exercise barriers are physical and mental in nature. These barriers can be personal barriers or environmental barriers. Some of these barriers include insufficient time to exercise, inconvenience of exercising, lack of motivation, and no one to give encouragement or support.
A past study was done aimed to identify external and internal barriers to physical activity and exercise participation among middle-aged and elderly individuals. The most common external barriers among the middle-aged and elderly respondents were ‘not enough time,’ ‘no one to exercise with,’ and ‘lack of facilities.’ The most common internal barriers for middle-aged respondents were ‘too tired,’ ‘already active enough,’ ‘do not know how to do it,’ and ‘too lazy.’ At the same time, the reasons for elderly respondents were ‘too tired,’ ‘lack of motivation,’ and ‘already active enough.’ One barrier to sufficient exercise people have, especially elderly persons, is a lack of mobility.
Many opportunities for physical fitness require people to leave their homes and travel to some location. An activity such as walking to a local park involves leaving home. As a result of leaving home, other factors come into play. These factors can include traffic and availability of public transportation. In many instances, elderly persons become a target of crime. As a result, many people choose to stay at home or in a location where they are comfortable and feel safe. However, that decision can mean a lack of physical exercise.
Another challenge that goes with exercise for middle age and elderly persons is the physical strain on joints during exercising. Option for persons to regularly exercise even with chronic joint issues is to participate in low-impact exercises. For seniors in particular, there are several reasons to remain physically active. Adequate exercise benefits the circulatory system and helps the heart remain in good condition. Exercise makes bones strong, keeps muscles flexible, and improves balance and helps avoid falls. Regular exercise helps release endorphins into the bloodstream which improves mood.
For seniors, low impact exercises can play a vital role in enabling them to preserve their fitness. For example, incur more impact during high-intensity workouts. For persons experiencing arthritis or other chronic illnesses, high-impact activities are not appropriate for them. To avoid pain, Low-impact exercises are desirable to avoid pain and discomfort. Low-impact exercises can also improve joint mobility and flexibility, cardiovascular health, better sleep and weight management.
Currently, to facilitate low-impact exercises, several options are available. Treadmill walking is a popular choice for seniors looking to maintain or improve their cardiovascular health through walking. For seniors, walking on a treadmill provides a controlled and safe environment where they can manage the intensity of their exercise activities. Simple walks provide form of cardiovascular exercise that helps strengthen the heart, lowers blood pressure, and improves circulation. Stationary bikes offer another practical option for low-impact cardio workouts. For some advanced persons, elliptical machines are popular because they can give you a full-body workout while minimizing stress on your joints.
These mentioned activities focus largely on building and maintaining cardiovascular health. However, there are other important benefits for exercising. It is also to maintain the muscular system. In addition, muscular exercises enable a person to maintain physical strength. This condition is important to, for example, reduce or prevent a person from failing.
In some cases, persons may spend extended periods in the hospital or laying down. During this time, they lose muscular strength and their muscles can atrophy. These patients can also lose control of bodily functions. These patients usually spent periods in rehabilitation centers before returning home.
In physical rehabilitation, a standard piece of equipment used is a therapy table. Therapy tables come in many designs, and many of them have varying features. Generally, these tables comprise a flat surface supported by vertical structures (legs). The flat surfaces are padded. The surface has two sections to enable one to reconfigure the table for various applications. For example, the multiple sections allow one to reconfigure the table surface for someone to partially or fully recline or set up in a chair-like manner. Some of these tables come with height-adjustable legs to vary the height of the table as desired. As mentioned, these tables have many applications in physical rehabilitation. However, as designed, these tables do not fully provide means for persons to adequately address a person's upper body.
Many therapeutic tables currently exist to assist persons in all types of physical therapy and exercise. One such product, U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,451 to Splane, describes a passive motion exercise and treatment apparatus, which includes a main support assembly for supporting at least part of the body of a user of the apparatus. The assembly consists of a first support member and a second support member disposed in a common plane. The second support member is pivotably connected to the main support member and is movable relative to it to provide passive movement of a part of a user's body supported by the second support member relative to a part of the body supported by the first support member. A separable leg support assembly is adapted to be connected, in use, to the main support assembly at either end so as to support the calves of the legs of the user in a plane parallel to and elevated with respect to the common plane. At the same time, the apparatus provides the passive body movement referred to above. A motorized drive arrangement is used to provide the aforementioned relative movement of the second support member. This table type has many uses but is challenging for an older person. Using this type of table by an elderly or physically limited person would be difficult. Home exercises do exist to enable elderly persons to engage in some form of physical fitness. Some of these exercises include chair yoga, resistance band workouts, sit-to-stand, and tandem stance.
Home exercises also exist as part of physical therapy. During these therapy sessions, one often uses a therapy table to assist in the activities. These tables, known as static treatment mats, mat tables, physical therapy tables, or mat platforms, are highly versatile pieces of equipment used in various settings. Therapists use these tables in laying and standing exercises to help people.
Although these tables are essential and valuable in the physical therapy of people, these tables have the potential for additional uses that can expand opportunities for in-home physical exercises of some individuals. There remains a need for a physical therapy-type table product one can use to perform various sitting exercises.
This present invention provides a system enabling a person to transform a table, such as a conventional table or therapeutic table, to a table that allows elderly or physically limited persons to perform low-impact exercises. An exercise cover with connections for various exercise devices fits over and secures to a table to enable a person to perform multiple exercise activities while standing or sitting. In addition to a table cover, the present invention comprises a plurality of rings or clips or other connectors secured to the table at various locations along the edge of the table. The user will attach elastic straps or bands to the connectors to perform various low-impact exercises. For example, once straps are connected to the rings which are secured to the table cover, the user can perform various upper-body exercises through this table system. Once an individual has completed their exercise activities, the cover can be removed from the table, transported and secured to a different device such as a chair where exercises can be performed while sitting or standing.
Low-impact exercises such as walking can benefit one's legs and lower body. However, unless one carries small weights or other forms of resistance, the upper body does not receive a similar level of benefit. Therefore, even though one's legs receive exercise, the same does not apply to the person's arms, legs, and chest areas. In addition, for some persons of various ages, putting weigh on their knees, legs and ankles can be painful or difficult. Because of severe health conditions, some persons do not have the physical strength to stand and exercise. Some of these individuals are categorized as “fall risk.” However, they still to exercise to maintain some form of muscular integrity. Physical therapy sessions enable persons to get some form of exercise, but these sessions often require them to travel to a facility or to have a person visit their home. In addition, these sessions can become costly if not covered by health insurance plans.
The present invention provides a system that will enable a person to perform low impact exercises that focus on the upper body (chest, arms, and shoulders). Exercises for the lower body are also possible. This invention allows people to sit or stand and exercise muscles in different parts of their body. This invention incorporates elastic bands to provide the resistance needed to achieve meaningful upper-body exercise.
In one embodiment of the invention, a convention table can be used for the exercises. In this invention, a table with a flat surface 102, legs 104, braces 106 and folding arms 108 is sufficient. A therapy table and other conventional table are also devices to use to implement this invention.
The present invention comprises a cover that fits over the table surface. As shown in
Another feature of the exercise system of the present invention is height adjustable legs 424. The height adjustable element 424 enables a user to vary the vertical length of the support legs 418 and thereby change the height of the table as desired. The capability to adjust the height of the table will allow persons to perform exercises while sitting or standing. Some standing activities and exercises can also impact a person's mid-section, such as the abdomen and back. Handles 416 on the sides of the padded surfaces are helpful to facilitate carrying of the table when not in use.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the invention to such details. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.
This patent application relates to and claims priority from provisional patent application No. 63/546,867 filed on Nov. 1, 2023. The contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63546867 | Nov 2023 | US |
