The invention relates to a walking stick which enables a parallel unilateral or bilateral rhythmic movement of the arm and / or a support function and / or accompanying movement in sports such as skiing, characterized by an ergonomic geometry and elasticity.

Abstract

The invention relates to a walking stick which enables a parallel unilateral or bilateral rhythmic movement of the arm(s) and / or a support function and / or an accompanying movement in sports such as skiing, characterized by an ergonomic geometry and elasticity.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a walking stick or a sports and training device such as a Nordic walking stick or ski pole. Such items are known to support balance or to supplement the forces during forward movement and are generally straight and rigid, having a handle at one end and a rubber stopper or a spike at the other for driving into loose, soft ground.

[0002] Such sticks are guided by the hand in rhythm with running, lie in the hand facing backwards against the direction of running and are brought into contact with the ground at the level of the forward-positioned foot, from there pressed downwards with the arm and possibly stuck into the ground and the attached arm pulls the body forward within the range of the natural arm swing.

[0003] The disadvantage is that the swing / support phase begins next to the body and is therefore quite short. The support for the arm swing achieved in this way is thus rather limited.

[0004] In contrast, the walking stick according to the invention has a forward-directed curvature along its entire length and a bend at the upper end such that the foremost contact point of the tip lies far in front of the body and the ground contact phase is extended.

[0005] According to the invention, the distance between the arm / hand and the point of contact with the ground is longer in the forward position than with normal conventional sticks, so that when pulling the stick backwards in the arm movement, the swinging arm and thus the shoulder would be raised.

[0006] To avoid this and also to make the force distribution acting on the user as even as possible, the inventive walking stick is designed to be flexible and elastic, allowing it to initially be more strongly curved during movement and thus pre-tensioned, and then relaxed after passing the body, thus supporting forward movement. Ideally matched to the user with the appropriate size and stiffness, this exerts a uniform and shock-free force on the arm, supporting the walking movement both in terms of force distribution and in the harmony of movement as well as in balance.

[0007] In order to optimise the force distribution during use, the walking stick according to the invention has an optimal stiffness distribution, which can be freely designed and adapted to the respective user by the course of curvature, diameter of the stick profile and material distribution.

[0008] In a special variant, the walking stick according to the invention is made of fiber composite materials such as carbon, glass or aramid fibers and in this embodiment the fiber orientation is used to optimize the stiffness curve.

[0009] In the variant of the pole according to the invention for walking as a ski pole, the impact on landing is cushioned on downhill skis and the load peak is distributed more evenly on cross-country skis during single or double pole pushing and is thus more joint-friendly and efficient.

[0010] To prevent the walking stick according to the invention from rotating in the hand under the load, an ergonomic handle is attached to the upper end, which manually prevents rotation without the need for great force.

[0011] In another variant, the walking stick according to the invention additionally has a bend / curve at the lower end, whereby the rotation around the point of entry on the ground is supported by a rolling motion.

[0012] In another variant, a further part is mounted at the lower end of the walking stick according to the invention, such as a leaf spring made of metal or composite material, whose mechanical properties represent a free parameter with which the force / displacement curve during use can be optimized.

[0013] The spring can also run along the entire length of the walking stick and be made of fiberglass or other plastic. Alternatively, the spring can be applied only to the end via an adjustable plastic runner – thus allowing the stick length to be changed.

[0014] The forward-facing bend allows the pole to swing smoothly and almost effortlessly forward through its center of gravity during walking. The grip and wrist position allows for a comfortably extended ground contact time of a full step during the backswing, so the pole rolls under the forearm for walking. This significantly improves coordination and sensorimotor skills.

[0015] Possible areas of application include hiking, walking, neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation, etc. Description of the sketches: Fig. Figure 1 shows a person walking in the stride phase using conventional straight walking sticks. The reduced stance on the ground is clearly visible compared to... Fig. 2. Fig. Figure 2 shows a person walking with the curved walking stick according to the invention and the significantly extended support range that can be achieved as a result.

Claims

[1] Walking stick that enables a parallel one- or two-sided rhythmic movement of the arm(s) and / or a supporting function and / or an accompanying movement in sports such as skiing characterized by ergonomic geometry and elasticity [2] Walking stick according to claim 1 characterized by that the walking stick is overall longer than rigid and straight sticks for the same person size [3] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized by that the stick is curved to the front for walking [4] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized by that the walking stick is elastic [5] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized bythat the walking stick has an attached part made of a particularly suitable material and an optimized design at the lower end, such as a leaf spring made of glass fiber reinforced plastic or similar, so that the spring characteristic can be further optimized for the described use. [6] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized by that the walking stick has a bend at the top end or that the handle is angled [7] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized by that the elasticity and elasticity distribution on the walking stick is ergonomically optimized and adapted to the user [8] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized bythat a handle is attached to the upper end with an increased diameter and / or an ergonomic shape so that rotation during use is avoided with little force [9] Walking stick according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized by that the walking stick has a curved or bent shape at the lower end so that a rolling movement is created when used

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