GB2133995A - Improvements in or relating to back exercising apparatuses - Google Patents

Abstract

A back-exercising apparatus comprises a non-rotable seat 4 which is inclined about a horizontal axis and a drive 9-13, 15, 17, 20, which rotates the axis of inclination of the seat about a vertical axis so that the seat performs a rotary tilting motion without the seat itself rotating about the vertical axis. This tends to overbalance a patient sitting on the seat and the patient has to use muscles in the lower back to maintain an upright posture. This in turn alleviates non-specific back pain. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to back exercising apparatuses The present invention relates to back-exercising apparatuses. Such apparatuses may be used in the treatment or relief of low back pain in humans and are particularly suitable for home use.

According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus for exercising the back, comprising a non-rotatable seat inclined about a horizontal axis and a drive for rotating the axis of inclination of the seat about a substantially vertical axes.

In use, a patient is to undergo treatment sits on the seat and the drive is switched on. The seat performs a rotary tilting motion which tends to over-balance the patient. in order to compensate for this and maintain an upright posture, the patient has to use muscles in the lower back which stimulates the mechano-receptor nerves, and alleviates the normal back pain. The apparatus may thus be used to alleviate non-specific back pain which has been diagnosed as not being caused by ailments which require other forms of treatment, such as slipped-discs. Home use of the apparatus relieves pressure, for instance, on general practitioners, physiotherapists, and hospital departments and is also more convenient for the patient.

It has been found that, contrary to previous beliefs, gentle exercising of the type described above is more successful in enduring or aileviating non-specific back pains. Although a more formal regime of exercise can also be efficient, the home use of an apparatus of the type described above is generally more convenient for a patient. For instance, a patient may perform other tasks about the home while undergoing treatment on the apparatus. In particular, any task which may be performed while sitting down can generally also be performed while sitting on the apparatus and undergoing treatment. Thus, the patient's time is fully utilised and he or she is free from having to perform a particular course of exercises intended to have the same result.

Preferably the seat is inclined at an angle of approximately 1 5 degrees about the horizontal axis. This degree of inclination has been found to produce good results, although angles of inclination may also be used.

Preferably a foot rest is attached to the seat.

Such a foot rest assists the patient in maintaining balance during treatment while preventing cheating which might occur if the patient were able to take body weight on to the feet so as to overcome the motion of the seat. The position or length of the foot rest may be adjustable with respect to the seat for comfort.

Preferably, the seat is attached to a support by a universal joint. The universal joint may comprise a yoke pivoted about a first axis to the support and pivoted about a second axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis to the seat. Such a form of universal joint has the advantage that the seat is allowed to perform the rotary tilting motion but is prevented from rotating. Preferably the drive includes an arm rotatable about the substantially vertical axis and inclined upwardly away therefrom, the end of the arm distant from the substantially vertical axis carrying a freely rotatable wheel which bears on the underside of the seat. The support may comprise an upright tube coaxially surrounded by a sleeve connected at its upper end to the arm and at its lower end to a drive motor.The lower end of the sleeve may be connected to the motor via a reduction transmission, preferably a toothed belt.

Preferably the height of the seat is adjustable.

This allows the apparatus to be adjusted according to the size of the patient, and permits patients of different sizes to use the apparatus with equal comfort.

Preferably the seat is of the type fitted to agricultural vehicles or tractors. Such a seat has relatively low sides and back and thus does not provide any additional support which might interfere with the treatment.

Preferably the drive is arranged to rotate the axis of inclination at approximately eight revolutions per second. This speed has been found to be convenient and effective in use.

Preferably the seat is arranged to be tilted forwardly with the drive switched off. A microswitch having normally closed contacts connected in parallel with an ON/OFF switch for the motor may be arranged so as to be actuated to open its contacts by an arm connected to the seat or drive when the seat is in its forwardly inclined position. This position of the seat is such as to permit easiest sitting on and standing up from the seat.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a general view of an apparatus constituting a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 illustrates a drive of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises a five point base 1 comprising five arms extending radially from a central upright support 2. The free end of each arm is provided with a spring loaded castor 3 of the type which permits the apparatus to be moved easily on a floor but prevents movement of the apparatus when a patient sits thereon.

A seat 4 of the type normally fitted to agricultural vehicles or tractors is mounted at the top of the upright support 2. The seat has a shallow back and sides which provide location of a patient but which do not provide any support to the back, so as not to interfere with treatment. A foot-rest 5 of adjustable height is fixed to the seat 4. The height of the seat 4 is adjustable with respect to the base 1 and a hand wheel 6 is provided for locking the seat in a desired position.

A housing generally indicated at 7 contains a drive for the seat and is provided with a connector 4 receiving a mains cable. A remote START/STOP control switch 8 is also connected to the housing 7 by a flexible cable.

Fig. 2 shows the drive which is contained in the housing 7. The drive comprises an electric motor 9 which carries on its output shaft a drive wheel 10 for a toothed belt 11. The toothed belt 11 drives a driven wheel 12 which is fixed to a sleeve 1 3. The sleeve 1 3 surrounds and is coaxial with a fixed tube 14 forming part of the upright support member 2. The upper end of the sleeve 1 3 is fixed to an arm 1 5 which is inclined upwardly away from the rotational axis 1 6 of the sleeve 1 3.A wheel 1 7 is freely rotatably mounted on the end of the arm 1 5 distant from the axis 16, with the axis 1 8 of rotation of the wheel 1 7 intersecting the axis 16 at an included angle of approximately 75 degrees so that the axis 18 is inclined upwardly by approximately 1 5 degrees from the horizontal.

The upper end of the fixed tube 14 is pivotally connected at 19 to a yoke 20. The yoke 20 is in turn pivotally connected at 21 to the seat 4 (not shown in Fig. 2). Thus, the seat 4, the yoke 20, and the tube 14 form a universal joint permitting rotary tilting of the seat 4 with respect to the upright member. The wheel 1 7 is provided with a rubber edge or tyre and bears on the underside of the seat.

The motor 9 is a standard A.C. mains-operated motor which drives the wheel 10 through an integral gear reduction unit so that the wheel 10 rotates at approximately 23 revolutions per minute. The transmission belt 11 together with the wheels 10 and 1 2 provides a further speed reduction of 3 :1, so that the sleeve 13 is rotated at approximately 8 revolutions per minute. The wheel 1 7 is thus moved in a circular orbit around the axis 1 6 at this rotary speed and engages the underside of the seat along a circular path.Since the seat is mounted on a universal joint, this causes the seat to be inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 1 5 degrees, with the horizontal axis about which this inclination takes place is rotated around the axis 1 6 at a speed of approximately 8 revolutions per minute. The weight of a patient sitting on the seat 4 is transmitted almost exclusively by the universal joint including the yoke 20, so that a relatively small load is carried by the wheel 1 7 and the arm 15.

In use, a patient sits on the seat 4 and, when comfortable, switches on the motor 9 by means of the remote switch 8. The seat performs a gentle rotary tilting motion of the type described above which tends to overbalance the user. In order to accommodate this motion and to maintain an upright posture, the patient has to use the muscles in the lower back which stimulates the mechano receptor nerves, thus alleviating non-specific low back pain. At the end of a treatment session, the user switches off the drive by means of the remote switch 8.

When the patient is sitting on the seat 4, the spring-loaded castors 3 are retracted so that the position of the apparatus on the floor is fixed. This is of particular advantage when the apparatus is used on a hard floor, such as a tiled floor. When the patient leaves the apparatus, the castors protrude from their mountings so that the apparatus may readily be wheeled on the floor.

Handles may also be provided to assist mounting and dismounting and to facilitate carrying of the apparatus for storage.

It has been found that mounting and dismounting are easier when the seat is "parked" in a forward-tilted position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Thus, a microswitch (not shown) having normally closed contacts is wired in parallel with the remote switch 8 and is arranged to be actuated so as to open its contacts by an arm (not shown) when the seat is in this position. Thus, when the remote switch 8 is switched off, the motor continues to rotate until the microswitch is actuated by the arm, so that the seat always comes to rest in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The seat 4 may be provided with a removable cushion in a washable material, or may be upholstered, so as to be more comfortable to a patient. Further, some additional support for the thighs and buttocks may be provided, for instance in the form of an adjustable U-shaped arm, so as to overcome any slight instability felt by a patient without interfering with the treatment.

Claims (11)

1. An apparatus for exercising the back, comprising a non-rotatable seat inclined about a horizontal axis and a drive for rotating the axis of inclination of the seat about a substantially vertical axis.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the seat is inclined at an angle of approximately 1 5 degrees about the horizontal axis.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which a foot rest is attached to the seat.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the seat is attached to a support by a universal joint.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the universal joint comprises a yoke pivoted about a first axis to the support and pivoted about a second axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis, to the seat.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the drive includes an arm rotatable about the substantially vertical axis and inclined upwardly away therefrom, the end of the arm distant from the substantially vertical axis carrying a freely rotatable wheel which bears on the underside of the seat.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the support comprises an upright tube coaxially surrounded by a sleeve and connected at its upper end to the arm and at its lower end to a drive motor.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the drive is arranged to rotate the axis of inclination at approximately eight revolutions per second.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the height of the seat is adjustable.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the seat is arranged to be fitted forwardly with the drive switched off.

11. An apparatus for exercising the back, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.