DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TRAINING

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for training the muscles of the upper torso and/or for relaxing the spinal column of a person, with a movable carriage for receiving the person, and with a guide path along which the movable carriage with the person is guided and moved in such a way that kinetic energy is applied at least intermittently to the person for distraction of the torso or of the spinal column of the person. According to the invention, provision is made that the person on the movable carriage is received on the support lying in a substantially horizontal position, that the hips, legs and/or feet of the person on the support are fixed with a fixing arrangement, and that the movable carriage, with the person lying on it, is moved substantially horizontally along the guide path.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A device for training the muscles of the upper torso and/or for relaxing the spinal column of a person, with a displacement carriage for receiving the person and with a horizontal guide track, along which the displacement carriage is guided and movable such that kinetic energy is exerted at least temporarily onto the person for distraction of the torso or spinal column of the person, wherein the displacement carriage is designed with a pad for receiving the person reclining in a substantially horizontal position, and the pad is provided with a fixing means for fixing the hips, legs and/or feet of the person, wherein the displacement carriage is designed for receiving the reclining person as a whole, and in that in the linear guide track a drive for reversing displacement of the displacement carriage with a defined speed progression is provided, wherein in the linear guide track, on a forward path the displacement carriage with the person reclining in the displacement direction is initially accelerated gently and then braked strongly, wherein a distraction of the torso and/or the spinal column takes place, and wherein subsequently, on the return path the displacement carriage with the reclining person is accelerated strongly and then braked gently, wherein during the acceleration a distraction of the torso and/or the spinal column takes place.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the guide track is of linear or ring-shaped design.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the pad has a reclining surface for the torso of the person, wherein the reclining surface is designed to enable a relative movement of the torso with respect to the fixing means.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein to receive the person the pad can be pivoted at least partially into an upright receiving position.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein on the pad a support is provided which preferably has a prismatic shape and is designed for supporting the legs in an upward-bent position.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein hand grips are preferably attached in the region of the support.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein on at least one of the hand grips a regulating and/or switching means is arranged.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein in the case of a linear guide track a drive for reversing displacement of the displacement carriage with a defined speed progression is provided.

19. A method for training the muscles of the upper torso and/or for relaxing the spinal column of a person, with a displacement carriage for receiving the person and with a guide track, along which the displacement carriage with the person is guided and moved preferably by means of the device according to claim 11, wherein the person is received as a whole on the displacement carriage by reclining on a pad in a substantially horizontal position, in that hips, legs and/or feet of the person are fixed on the pad with a fixing means, in that the displacement carriage with the reclining person is displaced along a guide track in a substantially horizontal manner, in that in the case of a linear guide track, on a forward path the displacement carriage with the person reclining in the displacement direction is initially accelerated gently and then braked strongly, wherein a distraction of the torso and/or the spinal column takes place, and in that subsequently, on the return path the displacement carriage with the reclining person is accelerated strongly and then braked gently, wherein during the acceleration a distraction of the torso and/or the spinal column takes place.

Description

[0024] The invention is described further hereinafter by way of preferred embodiments illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings, wherein show:

[0025] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 a schematic scaled-down side view of the device of FIG. 1 in a receiving position and

[0027] FIG. 3 a highly schematic top view of a second embodiment of the invention.

[0028] A device 10 for training the muscles of the upper torso and/or for relaxing the spinal column is illustrated in FIG. 1. On a rack-like base frame 12 a linear guide track 14 is arranged which has a length of several meters. Along the upper side of the guide track 14 a displacement carriage 20 is supported in a linearly displaceable manner.

[0029] The displacement carriage 20 has a plate-shaped pad 22 which is designed as a cushioned reclining surface 24 to receive a person in a reclining, i.e. horizontal manner. By way of example, the displacement carriage 20 has a length of approximately 1.5 m and a width of approximately 80 cm. Other dimensions are possible without difficulty. The reclining surface 24 is provided with transversely running deflectable cushioned ribs 26 which allow a certain shift in the axial displacement direction of the torso of the reclining person.

[0030] In its lower foot region the displacement carriage 20 has a prismatic support 30 which is designed to receive the legs of the reclining person in a bent or crouched manner. In this arrangement the support 30 causes the knees of the reclining person to be directed upwards away from the displacement carriage 20. By way of a fixing means 32 illustrated in FIG. 2 the legs of the reclining person can be fixed in the region of the thighs on the support 30. In this way, the lower body region of the reclining person is fixed on the displacement carriage 20 while the torso region of the person lying on the reclining surface 24 is, to a certain extent not exceeding a few centimeters, supported in a shiftable manner in the displacement direction due to the deflectable cushioned ribs 26. Through a drive 16 the displacement carriage 20 can be driven and displaced in a reversing manner along the guide track 14 with defined acceleration speeds. The carriage 20 can be displaced via a non-depicted traction rope, chain, toothed belt or spindle gearing by means of the laterally attached drive 16. The drive 16 can be operated electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically or magnetically.

[0031] Control of the drive 16 can be effected by a separate operating panel, not illustrated. Moreover, on the support 30 on the displacement carriage 20 two laterally protruding hand grips 36 are arranged. The hand grips 36 can be gripped by the reclining person, wherein on the hand grips 36 a non-depicted regulating and/or switching means, in particular also an emergency stop switch, is arranged to control the drive 16.

[0032] As can be taken from FIG. 2, the displacement carriage 20 can be displaced into a lateral end or receiving position. In this receiving position the pad 22 of the displacement carriage 20 can be pivoted at least partially via a folding joint 23 into an approximately vertical position, while a base element 21 of the displacement carriage 20 remains in the guide track 14. Pad 22 and base element 21 can be releasably connected to each other by a locking means 27. In the illustrated receiving position it is particularly easy for the person to be treated to get on or get off the displacement carriage 20 in a seat position. Once the person is fixed with the fixing means 32 in the region of the legs on the displacement carriage 20, the pad 22 is pivoted back into the horizontal operating position.

[0033] On a forward path, the displacement carriage 20 with the person reclining thereon is initially accelerated gently to a speed which can amount to 4 m/s for example. Other speed values are possible depending on the dimensioning of the device. After approximately or of the displacement path the displacement carriage 20 with the person is braked strongly, whereby due to mass inertia the torso region of the person lying on the reclining surface 24 is shifted relative to the displacement carriage 20 in the direction of displacement while the leg region of the person remains firmly attached to the support 30. The shifting of the torso region of the person is assisted by the transversely running deflectable cushioned ribs 26 of the reclining surface 24. In this way, the torso region with the torso muscles and the spinal column experiences a distraction, i.e. an extension in the direction of displacement. This relieves the muscles as well as the intervertebral disks which is perceived as particularly relaxing and restorative.

[0034] Before or on reaching an upper end point the displacement carriage 20 is braked completely. This is followed by a return path with a strong acceleration on approximately the first third of the return path. In this process, a distraction effect on the torso of the reclining person is achieved, too. Afterwards, a gentle, careful braking of the displacement carriage 20 takes place until the starting or initial position at the other end of the guide track 14 is reached again. Subsequently, a new displacement cycle can begin.

[0035] During this reversing displacement of the displacement carriage 20 an increasing and decreasing distraction is exerted onto the torso muscles of the reclining person. This relaxes and relieves the torso muscles as well as the spinal column with the intervertebral disks. Furthermore, due to a certain pumping effect the increasing and decreasing relief leads to a very good fluid supply of the intervertebral disks.

[0036] The device 10 according to the invention can be used both as a training means for training and relaxing the torso muscles, especially the back muscles, and for the relief and treatment of the spinal column and the intervertebral disks. Application in gyms or fitness centers, with physiotherapists, remedial physical therapists or usage in sports medicine or general medicine are possible.

[0037] According to FIG. 3 a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated schematically, in which the guide track 14 is of circular design. The displacement carriage 20, illustrated schematically only, is designed such that the reclining person lies with the head directed radially outwards. The leg region is fixed on the radial inner end of the displacement carriage 20. With this circular device 10 a uniform and long-lasting stretching of the torso muscles and/or the spinal column can be achieved.