Abstract:
The device disclosed herein and its method of use offers an accessible, portable device and method for treating carpal tunnel and repetitive stress syndrome sufferers by providing repeated deep tissue massage for a human forearm, wrist and hand. The device comprises at least a pair of massage members, urged together within a frame that may be stabilized on a table top by one hand of a user, between or through which the user&#39;s treatment hand, wrist and forearm are inserted and withdrawn for the duration desired. The intensity of the massage may be altered by a compression member which, after being set by the user, does not require the user&#39;s continued effort to maintain during massage.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
       [0001]     This disclosure incorporates the U.S. provisional patent application number 60/749,272 filed 9 Dec. 2005 by Paul L. Kleiman, applicant herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     The present device and method of the disclosure is in the field of therapeutic arm, wrist and hand massage devices and methods, and more particularly directed to a readily obtainable device and easy to use method for treating both Repetitive Stress Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Both ailments are the caused by unrelieved muscle tension causing nerve compression and pain. Massaging muscles induces them to relax, and therefore Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may be effectively treated by knowledgeably targeting, massaging and relaxing the pain-causing appropriate muscle groups.  
         [0003]     “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” takes its name from the “tunnel” in the wrist shared by tendon and nerves. This opening accommodates the tendons running from the forearm and elbow to the finger flexing muscles, flexor digitorum, as well accommodating the median nerve of the arm. Overworking the finger muscles causes the them to knot or stay in a contracted state, thereby causing the attached tendon running through the carpal tunnel to impinge upon the median nerve. A patient with this condition typically first experiences pain or numbness on the first and second fingers and occasionally the thumb. “Repetitive Stress Syndrome,” occurs when over-contracted muscles of the forearm and wrist compress the median, ulnar and radial branches of the brachial nerve, and a patient&#39;s symptoms typically include numbness or tingling in the fingers, and cramping or pain in the hand and wrist. There can be a decrease in fine motor dexterity when the hands and wrists become tired. Repetitive Stress Syndrome may be commonly diagnosed in secretaries, word processors, massage therapists, artists (especially painters), writers, surgeons, and musicians (notably guitar and bass players and pianists). People who spend extended time using a computer keyboard and/or mouse, such as patent attorneys, are often so diagnosed.  
         [0004]     The Repetitive Stress symptoms result from these flexor and extensor muscles tightening, thereby effectively shortening the connected tendons in the forearms, wrists and hands. The shortened tendons compress the median, ulnar and radial nerves that travel from their origin in the spinal chord at the brachial plexus to their ends in the fingers. A single nerve fiber may extend the entire distance from origin to end, and be painfully compressed at several sites. The resultant forearm nerve compression is experienced by the patient as finger or hand pain.  
         [0005]     Several peer reviewed journal articles, including but not limited to those listed hereinbelow, have reported increased mobility and decreased pain in patients suffering from compressed nerve induced hand pain when such patients received non-invasive treatment including massage, yoga, carpal bone manipulation and median nerve manipulation. See Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A daily self-massage for stretching tendons alleviated pain following one month.; Field, T. et al, (in review); Yoga-based intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized trial., Garfinkel Miss., et al. PMID 9820263 [PubMed—indexed for MEDLINE]; An investigation to compare the effectiveness of carpal bone mobilization and neurodynamic mobilization as methods for treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome., Tal-Akabi, A, Rushton A., PMID 11052900 [PubMed—indexed for MEDLINE].  
         [0006]     Therefore, a device or method that relaxes the tightened muscles that cause nerve compression relieves both the cause and the pain of carpal tunnel and repetitive stress syndrome sufferers. Deep muscle massage relaxes tightened muscles, and permits them to return to their “at rest” position, relieving nerve compression.  
         [0007]     Practical roadblocks to obtaining effective deep tissue massage treatment are time and money: Such massage therapy requires repeated sessions given by a specially trained, and therefore well compensated, massage therapist. Unfortunately, many patients are unwilling or unable to afford or even find a qualified therapist, or else they may be misdiagnosed and are subjected to unnecessary and unsuccessful surgery.  
         [0008]     Others have provided devices and methods for massage. In U.S. Patent Application No. US 2005/0159688 A1, by Sakamoto et al., entitled MASSAGER AND MASSAGING METHOD, a two roller leg massager is disclosed for increasing circulation in the lower leg by drawing a massage device upwards from the foot toward the knee, changing intensity of the massage pressure by changing the angle at which the user pulls Sakamoto&#39;s device up the leg. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,081 issued to Cross entitled LIMB MASSAGER discloses a device for massaging forearm and wrist affected by repetitive strain injury, but requires the user to strain the hand not being treated by maintaining or increasing the grip of the un-treated hand to increase massage pressure. Further, the Cross device is strapped to or held under one of the user&#39;s legs during treatment which may be awkward for a business setting or difficult to accomplish.  
         [0009]     However neither of these devices provides a stand alone device easily used on a desk or in an office environment. Further, neither device provides variable massage force that, once set, does not need to be maintained by the user.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0010]     The device disclosed herein and its method of use offers an accessible, portable device and method for treating carpal tunnel and repetitive stress syndrome sufferers by providing repeated deep tissue massage for a human forearm, wrist and hand. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front and right side perspective of the device of the disclosure.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation of the device of the disclosure showing the two massage members urged close together.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation of the device of the disclosure showing the two massage  
         [0014]     members forced apart.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation of the device of the disclosure.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front and right side exploded perspective of the device of the disclosure.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top, front and right side exploded perspective of the device of the disclosure.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a cut away front elevation of the device of the disclosure showing the two massage members urged close together.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation of the device of the disclosure showing the two massage members forced apart. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     The reader is referred now to the Figures disclosed above for reference.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  discloses the device  10  comprising a first massage member  100 , a second massage member  200  and a frame  300 . A portion of a compression member  400  is also disclosed. The frame  300  has a first side  310 , a second side  320 , a top  330  and a base  340 . Additionally, each device  10  comprises two faces A, B. Each massage member  100 ,  200  rotates freely about an axle  150 ,  250 . Each of these axles  150 ,  250  has a first end  155 ,  155  and a second end  156 ,  256 . The first  100  and second  200  massage members are disposed relative to the frame&#39;s sides  310 ,  320  so that the first ends of their respective axles  155 ,  255  are disposed within the first side of the frame  310 , and the second ends  156 ,  256  are disposed within the second side of the frame  320 . The massage members  100 ,  200  may be moved relative to one another within the frame  300 . In one embodiment, the position of the first massage member  100  is fixed relative to the frame  300  close to the frame&#39;s base  340  but, like the second massage member  200 , is always freely rotatable about its axle  150 . In this embodiment, the second massage member  200  is slideably fixed in the frame  300  as the first and second ends of its axle  255 ,  256  are slideably disposed within the first and second sides of the frame  310 ,  320 , respectively.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  discloses the device with the first and second  100 ,  200  massage members urged close together by the compression member  400 . In  FIG. 3 , the first and second  100 ,  200  massage members are forced apart as when a human forearm (not shown) is inserted between the members  100 ,  200  against the force exerted by the compression member  400  during use of the disclosed device  10 .  FIG. 4  is a side elevation disclosing the frame base  340  adapted to support the device  10  in a standing position. The base  340  may be further adapted to comprise non-skid “feet”  342 .  
         [0023]     The space S defined by the separation between the massage members  100 ,  200  is adapted to accept a human forearm. The shapes of the massage members  100 ,  200  may vary so long as they define a space S that is adapted to accept a human forearm. One method of using the disclosed device is described. A user having a stabilizing arm, wrist and hand and a treatment hand, wrist and forearm positions the device  10  where the user can comfortably practice the method of the disclosure, for example, on the top of a desk at which the user sits. One face A is positioned to admit insertion of the treatment hand between the massage members  100 ,  200 . So positioned, the user stabilizes the device  10  using the stabilizing arm, wrist and forearm by holding the frame  300 , preferably by holding the top of the frame  330 . While so stabilizing the device  10 , the user inserts the treatment hand between the massage members  100 ,  200 , forcing them apart by thereby to form a space S. The user continues to insert the treatment hand into and beyond space S to permit as much of the user&#39;s treatment wrist and treatment forearm to travel between the massage members  100 ,  200  as desired. The user then withdraws the treatment arm back out through space S.  
         [0024]     The user&#39;s treatment arm moving through S exerts a frictional force on the massage members  100 ,  200 . This force causes the members&#39;  100 ,  200  rotation about their respective axles  150 ,  250 . The massage members  100 ,  200  are concurrently urged toward one another by the compression member  400  during this rotation. The user&#39;s treatment arm is thereby massaged by moving between the at least two freely rotatable massage members  100 ,  200  urged together by the compression member  400  while the device  10  is stabilized by the user&#39;s stabilizing hand. When the user has finished massaging the treatment arm, the position, function and relative movement of the stabilizing and treatment arms may be reversed.  
         [0025]     The shape of the massage members  100 ,  200  is not limited to rollers or spheres. Each of the massage members  100 ,  200  may comprise at least one solid of revolution or surface of revolution having its axis of revolution substantially identical to its axle  150 ,  250 . The surface of the massage member, regardless of its overall shape, may comprise a smooth surface, a surface of a regular pattern, a surface of a random pattern, or any combination of surfaces that effect massage when the massage member rolls over a human forearm during use of the disclosed device  10 .  
         [0026]     Additionally, a massage member may comprise any matter capable of substantially retaining the shape of a solid or revolution or surface of revolution. By way of example only and not limitation, such matter may comprise wood, air, gaseous matter, liquid matter, solid matter, gel, steel, rubber, glass, plastic, ceramic or any synthetic matter. The common characteristic it that matter&#39;s adaptability to inclusion in a member that freely rotates about its axle.  
         [0027]     It is also a desired characteristic that the surface of the massage member is not significantly eroded or broken down by massage lotions or oils that a user may use while practicing the disclosed method, or by cleaning the massage members after such use.  FIGS. 5 and 6  are exploded perspective views of the disclosed device revealing the entire compression member  400 , illustrated in part in  FIGS. 1-4 . The compression member  400  comprises at least one compressor  410  adapted to urge the second massage member  200  toward the first massage member  100 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the compressor  410  comprises a handle  412  fixedly bearing a downwardly disposed member  413  attached to a cross piece  414  having two ends  415 ,  416 . Two springs  417 ,  418 , adapted to urge the first  210  and second  220  axle ends of the second massage member  200 , respectively, toward the two axle ends of the first massage member  110 ,  120 , respectively, are disposed within the sides of the frame  310 ,  320 . By pressing the compression member handle  412  toward the frame base  440 , a user may more forcefully urge the second massage member  200  toward the first massage member  100  and thereby exert a stronger massaging force upon a user&#39;s arm as that arm is moved in an out of space S.  
         [0028]     In one embodiment, the downwardly disposed member  413  is a bolt, rotateably fixed in the crosspiece  414 , and extending through and adapted to mate with a bolt hole  413   a  (not shown) defined by the frame top  330 . The user effects increased compression by tightening said bolt  413 . In another embodiment, not shown, the downwardly disposed member  413  is a notched rod adapted to catch and be held within an opening defined by the frame top  330 . In another embodiment, not shown, the downwardly disposed member is adapted to mate with a ratchet. A person skilled in the art will recognized that many devices designed to transmit increased force and to be temporarily fixed in a position transmitting this increased force may be substituted for the downwardly disposed member  413 .  
         [0029]     The method disclosed comprises using the disclosed device as described above, namely by positioning one face A of the device  10  and inserting the treatment hand between the massage members  100 ,  200  while stabilizing the device  10  using the stabilizing arm, wrist and forearm by holding the frame  300 , preferably by holding the top of the frame  330 ; while so stabilizing the device  10 , inserting the treatment hand between the massage members  100 ,  200 , thereby forcing them apart by thereby to form a space S, continuing to insert the treatment hand into and beyond space S to permit as much of the user&#39;s treatment wrist and treatment forearm to travel between the massage members  100 ,  200  as desired; and then withdrawing the treatment arm back out through space S. The user may increase the amount of force with which the first  100  and second  200  compression members are urged together by adjusting the compression member  400 . The method disclosed herein is effective regardless of the shape or surface treatment of the massage members used.