Step exercise and physical therapy device

Abstract

An improved step exercise platform is presented, that can be used to address specific muscle groups in the legs. The muscle groups can be exercised with a proper angle taken by the foot, which is held at said angle by means of angled steps on the front, back, and sides of the invention.

Certain muscle conditions such as Piriformis Syndrome can be treated in physical therapy by means of this invention, and certain training goals can be reached as well.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61 / 054,843, filed on May 21, 2008.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to the fields of personal exercise equipment and physical therapy devices.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention addresses the need for a tool to exercise specific muscle groups in a manner to increase the true strength of the muscle.[0004]True strength of the muscle happens at the tendons usually during the eccentric phase of contraction. Muscle is strengthened by overloading it with an increased stimulus of weight or volume. The tendon of that muscle is strengthened in the same way; each muscle has tendons that are connected from skeletal muscle to bone.[0005]The more applied tension away from the bone over time, the stronger the attachment to the bone. There are end points to each specific muscle; the one closest to the body the proximal attachment is known as the origin of attachme...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0035]The invention can also be used to strengthen the hamstrings and their connective tendons, by hyper extending them to a maximum degree. Many sports injuries happen when an athlete pulls a hamstring, this normally occurs when the athlete is decelerating. Using the invention and its design to elicit the hyperextension of the hamstring at its origin or on the pelvis strengthens those tendons and ultimately the muscles to withhold more tensile or applied force in both modes of contraction.

[0036]Taking a muscle through its full range of motion is the most effective way to train all of the muscle fibers in that muscle. The inventors have seen great results in the development of the glutes, hamstrings and quads using this system.

[0037]The theory is that the ROM (range of motion) executed using the “hyper squat system” is so full that it stresses the adductors and the flexors of the knee to such a degree that the movement strengthens the muscle's origin more than with conventional squats. It is well-known that many athletes strain the hamstring muscles during intense exercise. Increasing the ROM will prevent this by strengthening the origin of insertion.

Problems solved by technology

Because of this it is often said to be a flexor of the hip joint but in fact it has poor mechanical advantage over the joint, making it of minor importance in flexion under normal circumstances.

This is in fact a common problem; a spontaneous lateral dislocation of the patella is quite often seen in females, because of the greater angulation at the joint.

In the longer term degenerative and other problems of the knee can be put down to poor quadriceps control of the joint.

This imbalance usually occurs where the hip flexors have been trained to be too short and tight, such as when someone sits with hips flexed, as in sitting all day at work.

The resulting compensatory changes in gait would then result in shearing of one of the origins of the Piriformis, and possibly some of the gluteal muscles as well, resulting not only in Piriformis malfunction but in other lower back pain syndromes as well.

This causes the Piriformis to become over used and therefore tight, eventually leading to Piriformis syndrome.

Another theory is that a quick change of the hamstring muscle from the role of knee stabilization to that of extending the hip when running could be a major cause of the strain.

Possible reasons include muscle fatigue, faulty posture, leg-length discrepancy, tight hamstrings, improper form, adverse neural tension, or an imbalance of strength between hamstring muscle groups.

Hamstring muscles function as decelerators of leg swing and commonly become injured when an athlete suddenly changes direction or starts to decelerate.

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