Patent ID: 8298126

Claim:
A supporting device for performing a stretching exercise of the muscles of the chest of a person, said supporting device comprising: a horizontally elongate, rigid and board-shaped element configured for supporting the head and body of a person, said element having a substantially flat shape so as to be disposed entirely within a single plane, said element defining a longitudinal and centrally located axis and comprising: a first support section defining a surface thereon configured for supporting a head of a person, said surface of said first support section having a width dimension defined transversely relative to the axis; a second support section spaced longitudinally from said first support section and defining a surface thereon configured for supporting at least lower back and hip regions of the person, said surface of said second support section having a width dimension defined transversely relative to the axis; and a third bridging section extending longitudinally between and interconnecting said first support section and said second support section, said third bridging section having a central area disposed immediately adjacent and extending longitudinally along the axis, said central area defining a surface having a width dimension defined transversely relative to the axis, said width dimension of said central area being substantially less than said width dimensions of both said first support section and said second support section such that said third bridging section defines a pair of open areas on respective opposite sides of said central area configured for receiving respective shoulder blade areas of the person, said open areas being disposed longitudinally between said first support section and said second support section and being configured to open outwardly in opposite directions from one another in directions away from the axis, said width dimension of said central area being of a size for supporting substantially only a spinal column region of the person, each said open area having a width dimension extending transversely towards the axis from a point in longitudinal alignment with an adjacent outer longitudinal edge of said second support section to an adjacent outer longitudinal edge of said central area, said width dimension of each said open area being greater than said width dimension of said central area, each said open area being unobstructed outwardly in a direction substantially parallel to said plane of said element and unobstructed in a direction transverse to said plane to permit the respective shoulder blade areas and arms of the person, when lying on the back on said element, in respective outwardly extended positions generally parallel to said plane to move downwardly below said plane without meeting any substantial resistance from said element.