LEG EXERCISING APPARATUS

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus for exercising the calf muscles of a patient. It comprises a frame (10) which can be fitted to a wheelchair (12) and a lever arrangement (52) mounted on the frame and coupled to foot/lower leg supports (54) so that the patient can exercise the calf muscles by acting on the lever arrangement to raise and lower the lower legs.

Description: LEG EXERCISING APPARATUS This invention is concerned with leg exercising apparatus and is concerned with apparatus lower leg muscles with particular but not exclusive application to the provision of therapy fore handicapped persons. Neurological patients, suffering from total or partial limb paralysis, which may be cause by, for example, strokes, head injuries or multiple sclerosis, must take care to avoid muscle deterioration, which can worsen their physical condition. Currently a patient who has suffered such limb paralysis must receive physiotherapy treatment to exercise the leg muscles, but such treatment must be given three to four times per day which is very demanding on the time of specialist staff and the result is that often patients do not receive this treatment as regularly or as frequently as they should to improve their condition. In the case of partial limb paralysis, the upper limbs often can be moved voluntarily whereas the lower limbs will not. The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem by providing means whereby a patient can participate in the therapy required by self exercise. The present invention provides leg exercising apparatus comprising manually-operable means; means for supporting at least part of the or each lower leg of a person whose leg or legs is/are to be exercised; and means coupling the manually-operable means to the supporting means whereby actuation of the manually- operable means moves the supporting means so that a stretching force is applied to the calf muscles of the leg or legs. In an apparatus as set forth in the last preceding paragraph, it is preferred that the supporting means comprises means for supporting the lower part of the or each leg. In an apparatus as set forth in either one of the last two preceding paragraphs, it is preferred that the supporting means may comprises a foot rest for the or each foot. In an apparatus as set forth in either one of the last two preceding paragraphs, the or each foot rest may be pivotally connected to the or each of the means for supporting at least part of the lower part of the or each leg. In an apparatus as set forth in either the last preceding paragraph but one or but two, the actuation of the manually-operable means may cause the or each foot rest to push against the ball of the or each foot. In an apparatus as set forth in any one of the last five immediately preceding paragraphs, it is preferred that actuation of the manually-operable means causes a passive stretching force to be applied to the major flexor muscles of the knee and to the plantor flexor muscles of the ankle. In an apparatus as set forth in any one of the last six immediately preceding paragraphs, means may be provided for attaching the apparatus to a wheelchair or the like. Leg exercising apparatus as-set forth in any one of the last seven immediately preceding paragraphs may further comprise a frame and the coupling means may comprise a rigid member pivotally mounted on the frame and extending between and coupled to the manually- operable means and to the supporting means whereby movement of the member causes motion of the supporting means to apply the stretching force to the calf muscles as aforesaid. The frame may conveniently be constructed to be readily collapsible for transportation and/or storage. Preferably the frame and the member are formed from rigid tube-form material, either of chrome plated steel or of carbon fibre reinforced plastics material. As an alternative to the construction in which the coupling means is provided by a rigid member pivotally- mounted on the frame, it is envisaged by the present invention that the raising and lowering of the lower leg could be achieved by a pulley arrangement mounted on the frame of the apparatus with the coupling means provided by a rope or cable extending over the pulley arrangement between a guided handle and the supporting means provide that the supporting means was itself guided for controlled raising and lowering movement. There now follows a detailed description which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings of an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be clearly understood that this embodiment has been selected for description to illustrate the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. In the accompanying drawings:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the selected embodiment of the invention attached to a wheelchair; Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a modified version of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a first schematic end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a second schematic end view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figure 6 is a side view of two mating components of an adjustable clamp for use in the apparatus shown in Figure 1 or in the modified version shown in Figures 2 to 5; Figure 7 is a plan view of the adjustable clamp shown in Figure 6; Figures 8A and 8B are plan and side views respectively of a clamp for use in attaching the apparatus of Figure 1, or the modified version shown in Figures 2 to 5, to a wheelchair; Figures 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D are various views of a three-way elbow-shaped coupling for use in the apparatus of Figure 1, or in the modified version shown in Figures 2 to 5; Figures 10A, 10B and IOC are various views of a further clamp for use in the apparatus of Figure 1 or in the modified version shown in Figures 2 to 5; and Figures 11A, 11B and 11C are various views of a still further clamp for use in the apparatus of Figure 1. Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings there is shown therein an apparatus for exercising the lower legs attached to a wheelchair. The apparatus comprises a frame generally indicated at 10 and the wheelchair is generally indicated at 12. The frame 10 is formed from elongate tubular frame members provided by chrome-plated tubular steel all of the same external diameter. The frame comprises two vertically upright leg members 14 which are spaced apart and are rigidly fastened by clamps 16 to a ground- engaging base member 18, the clamps 16 being as shown in Figures 8A and 8B. Each clamp 16 comprises two parts 20 and 22, both formed from chrome-plated steel and one 20 of which is formed to receive a respective one of the two leg members 14 and each part being formed with a semi¬ circular recess so that the two parts can be clamped together by a bolt 24 to clamp the ground-engaging base member 18 therebetween. The two upright members are of the same length and are connected at their upper ends by two three-way elbow- shaped coupling brackets 26 to a cross-member 28 and to two rails 30 which extend in parallel horizontal spaced relationship and terminate in clamp members 32 which are as shown in Figures 8A and 8B, the clamp members being provided for attaching the rails to the forward upright bars 34 of the frame of the wheelchair 12 shown in ghosted outline only. Each of the coupling brackets 26 is as shown in Figures 9A to 9B and comprises a steel two-part casting which when assembled provides two tubular recesses 38 and 40 to receive a leg member 14 and adjacent rail 28 at right angles to one another and the cross member 26 therebetween with the cross member extending at right angles to the leg member and the rail. The two parts of the casting are clamped together by two bolts 44. Mounted substantially midway along the length of each rail 30 is a crossbar 46 which extends parallel to the cross-member 28 and is clamped to the two rails by two clamps 48, each of which is of the type shown schematically in Figures 10A to IOC. Each clamp 48 is provided by a three-part casting which receives and clamps the rail and the cross-bar in right-angled relationship using four bolts 50. Pivotally mounted on the cross-bar 46 is a coupling means generally indicated at 52. This coupling means couples supporting means generally indicated at 54 to manually-operable means generally indicated at 56, as will be hereinafter described. The coupling means comprises a rigid member provided by an elongate rod 58 which is pivotally connected to the cross-bar 46 by a clamp 59 such as is shown in Figures 10A to IOC and has been described previously. At an upper end of the rod 58 is fastened an adjustable clamp 60, shown in more detail in Figures 6 and 7 and which comprises a two part casting, each of which parts 62 comprises a tubular portion for receiving a tubular element, one of which is the rod 58 and the other of which is a stem 64 of the manually-operable means 56, Each of the two parts of the clamp 60 also comprises a portion formed with a circular array of teeth 65 arranged to mate with the teeth of the other part and to be clamped thereto by a spring-loaded bolt 67 which has a moulded handling knob 69 provided thereon. The stem 64 has a handle 66 mounted thereon by a clamp 68 of the type shown in Figure 8A and 8B. The other end of the rod 58 is secured in a clamp 70 of the type shown in Figures 10A to IOC. Also mounted in the clamp 70 is a downwardly-extending -bar 72 which extends at right angles to the rod 58. This bar 72 has a further clamp 74 mounted thereon at its lower end portion and this clamp 74 carries a mounting bar 76 on which are rigidly mounted two further clamps 78, of the type shown in Figure 11A to 11C. Each of the two clamps 78 is welded to a respective foot rest provided by a foot plate 80 of the supporting means 54. The supporting means comprises two leg supports 82 for supporting the legs of a patient who is to use the apparatus. Each leg support 82 comprises a semi-circularly sectioned channel-shaped lower leg support 84 arranged to support the lower legs of the patient and each foot rest 80 is welded to the end of the respective support 84 so that the foot rest is positioned at right angles to the general extent of the support 84. Each support 84 is provided with straps 86 which can be adjusted to ensure that the legs of the patient are retained in the supports. In use, the apparatus is attached to the patient's wheelchair and the legs of the patient are placed in the supports 84 and the straps 86 placed over the legs. The position of the rod 50 and of the handle bar 66 are adjusted so that the handle bar can be conveniently held by the patient and so that the patient's legs are supported with the base, and particularly the ball, of each of the feet positioned against the respective foot rests, both of which are padded, as shown at 85. The patient then presses down on the handle bar and this causes the coupling means to raise the leg supporting means and the raising action causes the calf muscles of the patient to be stretched. Lowering of the leg supporting means then allows the muscles to relax. The patient continues this action for as long as is recommended by a physiotherapist. In the modified version of the apparatus, shown in Figures 2 to 5, and which is a free-standing form of the apparatus of Figure 1, but which can be attached to a wheelchair, the frame also comprises at the end which will be adjacent the patient, a pair of leg members 86 which are- connected to a second base member 88 in the same manner as the two leg members 14 are connected to the base member 18 and to the rails 30 by respective clamps 16. In a further modified version (not shown) of the apparatus, each foot plate may be hingedly coupled to the associated lower leg support so that, as the supporting means is raised, the pressure on the base of the or each foot, particularly the ball of the foot, can be increased to stretch the patient's calf muscles.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Leg exercising apparatus comprising: manually-operable means; means for supporting at least part of the or each lower leg of a person whose leg or legs is/are to be exercised; and means coupling the manually-operable means to the supporting means whereby actuation of the manually- operable means moves the supporting means so that a stretching force is applied to the calf muscles of the leg or legs. 2. Leg exercising apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the supporting means comprises means for supporting at least part of the lower part of the or each leg. 3. Leg exercising apparatus according to either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein the supporting means comprises a foot rest for the or each foot. 4. Leg exercising apparatus according to claim 3 as appended to claim 2 wherein the or each foot rest is pivotally connected to the or each of the means for supporting the lower part of the or each leg. 5. Leg exercising apparatus according to either one of claims 2 and 3 wherein the actuation of the manually- operable means causes the or each foot rest to push against the ball of the or each foot. 6. Leg exercising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein actuation of the manually- operable means causes a passive stretching force to be applied to the major flexor muscles of the knee and to the plantor flexor muscles of the ankle. 7. Leg exercising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means is provided for attaching the apparatus to a wheelchair or the like. 8. Leg exercising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and further comprising a frame and the coupling means comprises a rigid member pivotally mounted on the frame and extending between and coupled to the manually-operable means and to the supporting means whereby movement of the member causes motion of the supporting means to apply the stretching force to the calf muscles as aforesaid. 9. Leg exercising apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the frame is constructed to be readily collapsible for transportation and/or storage. 10. Leg exercising apparatus according to either one of claims 8 and 9 wherein the frame and the member are formed from rigid tube-form material.

Inventors: PREST CRAIG, PREST, CRAIG
Applicants: PREST CRAIG, PREST, CRAIG
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A61H1
IPC codes: A61H1, A63B71