WO2009151343A1

WO2009151343A1 - Support for the human body

Info

Publication number: WO2009151343A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2009/000104
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander Ian James Wastney
Original assignee: Howard Wright Limited
Priority date: 2008-06-12
Filing date: 2009-06-12
Publication date: 2009-12-17

Abstract

A support, including a support structure, and at least one support component having a first face and a second face, wherein at least one face provides a support surface for contacting and supporting, partially or fully, a human body, the support characterised in that the support component is configured to be releasably attached to the support structure such that either face can be exposed for use, with the other face being secured by the support structure.

Description

SUPPORT FOR THE HUMAN BODY

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a support for a human body. In particular the invention relates to a support for a human body during massage or manipulation by a therapist but this use should not be seen to be limiting as the present invention may be used as a support for a human or any other animal or object or for other purposes.

BACKGROUND ART

Practitioners of massage or other fields of physical therapy often require a solid surface on which to support their client or patient while they perform various massage or manipulation techniques.

Typically, the practitioner will be standing while they work on the client, as this offers the practitioner greater freedom of movement. In order that the body of the client is readily accessible to a standing practitioner, the support for the client is usually in the form of a table which is raised above the ground.

The table must be capable of fully supporting a human body, which can have a range of sizes and weights.

Additionally, some of the massage or manipulation techniques used by the practitioner will significantly increase the forces acting on the table, and the table must be strong enough to remain stable during these times.

Often the practitioner will need to transport their massage table to the locality of their clients. This is particularly true of sports therapists who work with sports teams, and are continually travelling with them to various sporting events. As most massage tables have been designed for use in day spas or in the premises of massage practitioners, their functionality is designed primarily with the comfort of the client in mind, with consideration as to durability or ease of transportation being secondary.

There are existing portable massaging tables configured to fold in half, with collapsible or extendable legs on the inside of the folded table and the massaging surface on the opposing side.

The massaging surfaces usually have some form of padding to act as cushioning for the client. This padding may be foam, fabric material or the like, which is covered in vinyl or similar easily cleaned material.

The materials typically used as padding compress in only one direction when supporting the client. This may cause a build up of pressure on the specific points of contact between the client and the massage table, resulting in discomfort or pain to the client. Further, the material typically has a tendency to undergo plastic deformation over time, and form hollows where the client is typically supported the most.

In the sporting environment, massage tables are exposed to copious amounts of sweat as sports people receive treatment or preparation from the practitioner at various stages of the sporting event. In the interests of hygiene, the practitioner is required to use numerous towels to cover the surface, in addition to wiping the surface down after each use.

Typically, the padding material used in massage tables is porous in nature and absorbs any liquid that makes contact with it. Some covering materials, such as vinyl, are water resistant, but may allow some seepage through to the padding material. This is particularly true where the covering material has been damaged or perished. This can cause or accelerate deterioration of the padding, and create distasteful odours where the sweat is allowed to remain in the padding.

While these surfaces are used for the comfort of the client during massage, the cushioning is impractical for transportation. For example, the padding may be easily ripped or damaged by rough handling, storage, or inadvertently catching on other objects. This is especially true of situations where the handling of the table is out of the control of the practitioner, such as airport luggage handling.

The thickness of the padding also increases the overall dimensions of the table. This is particularly the case when the table is folded for transportation. However, it would not be feasible to merely remove the padding. Client comfort is an important factor with any service provider, particularly massage or physical therapy practitioners. Padding of some form is essential for the comfort of the client.

Separating the padding from the table for transportation does not address the issue. In this scenario, the practitioner is then left with two items for transport rather than a single item, which is just as, if not more, inconvenient.

In situations where the table is configured with the collapsible legs exposed to the outside of the folded table, the legs may catch on surrounding objects. This can cause the legs to be extended unintentionally, and cause damage to surrounding objects or the legs themselves. At the very least the table becomes more awkward to handle until the legs can be relocated back into their fully collapsed state.

In order to protect the table from damage during transportation it is common for the practitioner to use separate means of protection by wrapping the table in towels and carrying the table within a bag. This adds to the complexity of packing and transporting the table and may also further increase the dimensions of the table.

It would therefore be of advantage to have an apparatus which addressed any or all of the above problems. In particular, an apparatus is desired for comfortably supporting a human body during massage or manipulation, and which may also be converted to a portable form with a durable exterior.

It would also be advantageous if the supporting surface of such an apparatus might be easily cleaned after use, such as rinsing under a tap or shower.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or 'comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a support, including

a support structure, and

at least one support component having a first face and a second face, wherein at least one face provides a support surface for contacting and supporting, partially or fully, a human body,

the support characterised in that

the support component is configured to be releasably attached to the support structure such that either face can be exposed for use, with the other face being secured by the support structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a support surface for contacting and supporting, partially or fully, a human body, the support surface including at least two surface types having differing resilient properties,

characterised in that

the location of the more resilient surface type corresponds to the location of pressure points of a human body when supported on the support surface.

A support should be understood to mean any apparatus for supporting, partially or fully, a human body.

Preferably the support is a massage table.

Reference to a massage table should be understood to mean any apparatus on which a human body may be supported while a massage or physical therapist massages or manipulates the human body. Massage tables typically include a support structure such as a table with legs, and a cover or surface for the support structure - including padding of some form.

Reference shall now be made to the support as being a massage table throughout the specification, but this should not be seen as limiting as those skilled in the art would appreciate that that the support might take other forms such as chairs, benches, or various other forms of support for a human body.

Reference to a support structure should be understood to mean the load bearing portion of the support. For example, the support structure may be the structure and legs of a massage table.

A support surface should be understood to mean a surface for contacting and supporting, partially or fully, a human body. For example, the support surface may be the table top of a massage table - particularly the padding of a massage table.

A support component should be understood to mean a part of the support configured to provide the support with more than one exterior surface.

In one embodiment, the support component is in the form of a pad configured to be received by a recess in the support structure such that the exposed face is substantially even with the top of the support structure. However this is not intended to be limiting, as the support component may be releasably attached to a top surface of the support structure without being received by a recess.

In a preferred embodiment the support component is releasably attached to the support structure by a snap lock fitting. The snap lock fitting may be formed between the support structure and the support component itself, or alternatively be formed of separate components.

However, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that this is not intended to be limiting, as the support component may be releasably attached to the support structure by other attaching mechanisms such as latches, clips, magnets, Velcro, or barrel locks.

It is envisaged that the first face of the support component is exposed for the purpose of supporting a human body e.g. during massage or receiving physically therapy. Therefore, the first face will likely include some form of padding for the comfort of the patient.

In a preferred embodiment the surface type of the second face of the support component is made of a more durable material than the first face.

It is envisaged that the second face is exposed for the purpose of preventing the first face from being damaged.

It is envisaged that the second face of the support component will be capable of withstanding greater impact than the padding of the support surface on the first face. The greater strength properties may also assist in improving the structural strength of the support component.

The more durable material may be acrylonitrol butadiene styrene (ABS).

However, this is not intended to be limiting as those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials may be used. For example, other plastics (including, but not limited to, polyethylene), poly carbonate, Duroplast™, nylon, metals or metal alloys, or wood. Indeed, the second face may be configured to be take the form of the first face as substantially described above.

In practice, the support component will be attached to the support structure such that the durable second face is exposed while the massage table is transported or stored. This is intended to prevent the support surface from being damaged during these times. By having the two faces with differing functionality on the same support component, greater weight and size efficiency is achieved over having separate support components for the two functions, or providing a separate cover for the support surface.

However, the two faces may be configured to other purposes.

It is envisaged that the second face may be configured to incorporate or be used as a surface for outlining strategies for a sporting event. Coaches of sports teams often utilise whiteboards to draw up plays or outline key focuses before or during a game, and it would be advantageous for the massage table to provide such a surface that may be easily gathered around and viewed by a team.

It is envisaged that the support structure is made of twin sheet formed ABS plastic. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials or manufacturing techniques may be used, such as other plastics (rotationally or injection moulded), fibre glass, carbon fibre, Kevlar, metal or metal alloys, wood or the like.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure has legs.

Reference to legs should be understood to refer to supporting members of the support structure, which act to raise the support above ground level.

Preferably the legs are made of aluminium. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials or manufacturing techniques may be used, such as other metals or metal alloys, fibre glass, carbon fibre, Kevlar, plastics, wood or the like.

Preferably the support structure has four legs, such that each leg is positioned substantially towards a separate corner of support. Reference shall now be made to the legs as being paired. This should be understood to mean that two legs are located in the vicinity of each end of the support, the two legs acting together to support their particular end. However, obviously other arrangements are possible.

Preferably the legs are braced.

Preferably, the bracing includes a cross member between each pair of legs.

Preferably, the bracing includes a support member between each cross member and the support.

Obviously, the bracing may be connected in a variety of positions in order that the legs are assisted in supporting the table.

Reference shall now be made to the bracing for the legs as being integral to the legs throughout the specification. However, obviously the bracing might be capable of being disconnected or separated from the legs.

Preferably the legs are configured to be pivotally hinged to the support structure.

In a preferred embodiment, the legs are individually extendable.

Reference to extendable should be understood to mean that the length of the legs may be adjusted.

In practice, the ideal height of the support above the ground will vary between massage or physical therapy practitioners. It will be appreciated therefore the present invention provides a support which may accommodate for the preferences of various practitioners.

Further, when the support is set up, the ground surface on which it is placed may be uneven. This in turn can cause the support to be uneven, or unstable while supporting a human body. It may be advantageous to extend the individual legs to compensate for uneven surfaces.

Preferably this is achieved by having telescopic legs which may be locked at a desired length using a push lock mechanism. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that this is not intended to be limiting, as the legs may be extended in a variety of ways, including having segmented portions which may be added or removed to provide the desired length, articulated, gas strut assisted, screw thread, hydraulically or electrically actuated. Obviously, the legs might be locked in place in a variety of ways.

In a preferred embodiment the support includes recesses for accommodating the legs.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure is hinged between a first segment and a second segment. The support component may segmented or formed as a plurality of components accordingly.

It is envisaged that the support structure of the present invention may be folded together such that the surfaces of the segments are flat against each other, with the support component outwardly exposed.

In this way, where the face of the support component exposed to the outside is the second (more durable) face, the first face of the support component may be protected during storage or transporting.

By folding the segments in this way, the legs may pivot into the recesses provided for transporting or storage. Thus the legs are not exposed to the surrounding environment where they might inadvertently catch on objects and cause damage to the objects or the legs themselves.

Further, the folding of the support structure reduces the overall length of the massage table, making it more portable in that in can more readily fit into typical storage spaces such as the boot of a car.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure includes an aperture.

Reference to an aperture should be understood to mean a hole in the support structure shaped to allow a human face to protrude into the support, while resting on the edge of the hole. This allows the human body to rest comfortably when lying face down on the table, without the neck being at an awkward angle and the face pressed flat against the support.

It should be appreciated that a separate face rest may be provided, which may be releasably attached to the support structure. It should also be appreciated that the support component may also include an aperture.

The aperture may be utilised for other purposes, such as a hand hold for gripping the support during transporting.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure includes a securing mechanism.

A securing mechanism should be understood to mean a mechanism by which the segments of the support structure are secured together when in a folded configuration.

Preferably the securing mechanism is in the form of a rotating latch configured to be accessed through the aperture in order to lock the first segment and second segment together when the support structure is folded together. However, obviously the securing mechanism may take the form of other securing mechanisms such as snap lock fittings, external latches, Velcro, barrel locks and so on.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure includes at least one rolling mechanism.

A rolling mechanism should be understood to refer to any mechanism which facilitates movement while contacting a surface by rotating repeatedly.

In practice, when the support is to be transported it is desirable to be able to roll it along the ground rather than fully suspending its weight on the arm or shoulder of the person transporting it.

Preferably the rolling mechanism is two wheels configured to be exposed at one end of the support structure when it is in a folded condition. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that is not intended to be limiting, as the rolling mechanism may take the form of a roller ball or a cylinder.

It is envisaged that the rolling mechanism may be extendible from the support structure via a linkage mechanism when the support is in a folded condition.

In a preferred embodiment the support structure includes at least one recess for locating at least one container.

A massage or physical therapy practitioner requires numerous consumables or tools for use with their practice, such as disposable face towels, strapping tape, rubbing oil and so on. By providing containers for storing these materials within the support, the space required in other transporting means for these items is reduced, if not eliminated.

Preferably the container is a box with a removable lid. However, it should be obvious that a container may be any number of shapes or configurations, such as a box with a hinged lid, a bottle, or a bag.

In other embodiments the recess may be configured to form the container in and of itself. This may include providing a sliding or hinged lid over the recess. It is also envisaged that the recess may also be configured to accommodate accessories for the table. For example, a releasably attached face rest, or a shelf on which oil containers may be located and readily accessed by the practitioner while performing massage or physically therapy on the human body.

In a preferred embodiment the support surface is a surface of a massage table.

The support component typically has two opposing faces, being a first face and a second face.

Throughout the specification, reference will be made to the first face as being the face of the support component providing the support surface.

The materials typically used as padding with existing massage tables generally deform in only one direction - up and down. This means that the pressure on a body lying on such a surface accumulates at the points of direct contact, causing discomfort or even pain.

Reference to resilience throughout this specification should be understood to refer to a material property whereby the material may be capable of regaining its original shape or position after compression, bending, stretching, or other deformation.

In a preferred embodiment the more resilient material is a gel.

Reference to gel should be understood to mean a solid material with jelly-like properties.

Gels may be deformed in various directions simultaneously, which distributes pressure from the body being supported more evenly throughout the material and across the points of contact.

Gels such as Technogel™ also have a high resilience in comparison with traditional padding, which has a tendency to become permanently deformed over time. This permanent deformation further decreases the performance of the padding with regard to pressure distribution.

It is anticipated that the gel may also have anti-pathogenic and/or anti-microbial properties, which should be appreciated to be ideal in any situations of contact with a human body.

The gel may also have the ability to retain heat to a greater degree than traditional padding materials. This aids in increasing the comfort level of the human body being supported. Further, in the case where the human body is that of a sports person having undergone warm ups or during a sporting event, the temperature levels of the sports person should be maintained. This retention of heat by the gel prevents heat being transferred away from the sports person through the massage table.

Effectively, a greater level of comfort can be achieved with gel, using less material than traditional materials used for padding, and achieving a longer lifecycle as well.

Reference shall now be made to the more resilient material as being gel throughout the specification, but this should not be seen as limiting as those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of materials could be used - such as foam, rubber, or various other forms of padding.

It should be appreciated that the gel is not intended to require further covering or upholstery, although such may be used, e.g. for hygiene or in order to alter the aesthetic appeal of the support surface.

It is envisaged that such a gel may be simulated using a substantially liquid substance encased in a solid yet flexible casing such as rubber.

Generally gels with these properties are expensive, and the cost involved in having an entire support surface for a massage table made of gel may be beyond the means of most massage or physical therapy practitioners.

The support surface of the present invention may be configured such that portions of the gel may be positioned to correspond to the positions of typical pressure points of a human body when contacting the support surface.

Reference to typical pressure points of a human body should be understood to refer to the positions on a human body where the majority of the body's weight may be distributed while being supported by the support surface. The typical pressure points may vary between genders.

In some embodiments both faces of the support component may be configured to be exposed for the purpose of supporting the human body, with one face having the gel corresponding to the typical pressure points of a male, and the other configured to correspond to the typical pressure points of a female.

This would allow the practitioner to configure a single massage table to more specifically account for either gender type. Further, the faces may be configured to account for two different body positions on the support surface, or ranges of body sizes, shapes or weights.

Comfort in comparison to traditional surfaces is not sacrificed, as the majority of the weight of the human body may still be supported by and distributed over the gel in contact with the pressure points. Reducing the areas where gel is located to only those points where it is most needed will in turn reduce the cost of the support surface.

Typically, a human body is in a prone position while contacting the support surface. However, the body could also be in a variety of other positions - such as sitting, lying on its side, crouching, or any other desired position. It should be appreciated that the gel may be positioned to account for this variety of positions. Preferably two of the portions of gel are positioned particularly for use by a massage or physical therapy practitioner while performing proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching on a human body.

PNF stretching may require the practitioner to place one or both knees on the support surface in order to perform the particular stretch most effectively. It is envisaged that these two gel portions may have a greater thickness than the other portions of gel, in order to accommodate for the fact that the majority of the practitioner's weight may be distributed through only those portions.

In a preferred embodiment the less resilient surface type is a plastics material.

This is preferred as the structural strength and durability of the support surface may be improved by utilising a harder material than the gel where possible. Further, plastics are easily cleaned which is advantageous in the event of bodily fluids contacting the support surface and requiring sanitizing.

The plastics material may be acrylonitrol butadiene styrene (ABS).

ABS is a plastic with high strength and rigidity characteristics which makes is ideal for increasing the structural strength of the support surface while supporting a human body. It is also tough, which allows it to reduce damage to the support surface which might be caused through impact.

However, this is not intended to be limiting as those skilled in the art will appreciate that other materials may be used. For example, other plastics (including, but not limited to, such as polyethylene, poly carbonate, Duroplast™, nylon, metals or metal alloys, wood or indeed another form of gel or cushioning of a lower resilience than the more resilient surface type. The present invention offers a number of advantages over the prior art:

• May reduce the likelihood of the padding of a massage table being damaged during transportation or storage. This is achieved by providing the ability to reverse the massaging surface to expose a more durable surface less susceptible to damage.

This may also provide the ability to increase the number of functions the table may perform. For example, a white board may be provided for drawing up plays in a sporting environment.

• Potentially providing greater convenience to the practitioner transporting and storing the massage table. This is achieved by reducing the number of peripheral devices such as carry bags and towels normally required to safely transport or store the table.

• Greater comfort may be provided to the user of the massage table by providing weight distributing padding at the points corresponding to critical pressure points on the human body. Further, the reduced amount of padding required to provide a satisfactory level of comfort may result in the structural strength of the table being increased and manufacturing costs reduced.

• Improved hygiene by providing a support surface which does not absorb bodily fluids. Further, the support surface may be cleaned using liquids and dried rapidly following cleaning, rather than waiting for a substantial period of time for a more porous material to dry out. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 provides a side view of the support of the present invention in a preferred embodiment;

Figure 2 provides a bottom perspective view of the support of the present invention in a preferred embodiment;

Figure 3 provides a perspective view of the support of the present invention in a preferred embodiment, and

Figure 4 illustrates the support surface of the present invention in a preferred embodiment.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows a side view of a support in the form of a massage table (generally indicated by arrow 1 ) for a human body (not shown) according to one aspect of the present invention.

The massage table (1) includes two support components (2a, 2b).

The support components (2a, 2b) each have a first face (3) and a second face (4).

The massage table (1) includes a support structure (5).

The support components (2a, 2b) are configured to be snap locked (not shown) to the support structure (5) such that either face can be exposed for use.

In the embodiment shown, the first face (3) is exposed to provide a massage surface for a human body (not shown).

The support structure (5) includes pivotally hinged legs (6) for supporting the massage table (1).

The legs (6) are provided with cross members (not shown) between the pairs of legs (6) and support members (7) between the cross members (not shown) and the support structure (5) to act as bracing.

The legs (6) are provided with push release locks (8) which may be released to allow the legs to extend telescopically (not shown).

I j

>?_aure 2 shows a bottom perspective view of the massage table (1).

The support structure (5) provides recesses (9) configured such that the legs (6), cross members (10) and support members (7) may be pivoted to be fully located within the recesses (9).

The support structure (5) provides a further storage recess (11) for locating containers, provided for in this embodiment by box (12).

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the massage table (1) while configured for transporting or storing.

The support structure (5) is formed of a first segment (13a) and a second segment (13b).

The segments (13a and 13b) are connected by hinges (14).

When the massage table (1) is to be transported or stored, the segments (13a and 13b) are folded together with the support components (2a, 2b) on the outside.

In the embodiment shown, the second face (4) of the support component (2a) is made of a plastics material and is exposed in order to protect the first face (3) during transporting or storage.

The support structure (5) includes a securing mechanism, provided for in this embodiment by a rotating latch (15) connected to the second segment (13b).

The rotating latch (15) allows the segments (13a and 13b) to be secured to each other when folded together by engaging with the first segment (13a).

The support component (2a) and support structure (5) include an aperture, provided for in this embodiment by a face hole (16). The face hole (16) accommodates the face of the human body when lying face down on the massage table (1).

While the massage table (1) is folded for transporting or storing, the face hole (16) is used to access the rotating latch (15). The face hole (16) may be further used as a hand hold for gripping the massage table (1) in order to readily manoeuvre it as desired.

The massage table (1) also includes a rolling mechanism, provided for in this embodiment by wheels (17).

The wheels (17) enable the massage table (1) to be wheeled along the ground (not shown) when configured for transporting or storing, rather than fully suspending the weight of the massage table (1) on an arm or shoulder of a person (not shown) transporting the massage table (1).

Figure 4 shows a schematic plan view of a support surface according to one aspect of the present invention, in the form of a massage surface (generally indicated by arrow 30) for a human body (not shown)

The massage surface (30) is formed from a first surface type, provided for in this embodiment by a plurality of portions of gel (31), and a second surface type, provided for in this embodiment by a plastics material (32).

This plastics material (32) improves the structural integrity of the massage table surface (30) beyond that of the gel (31) by itself. The plastics material (32) is also water resistant and thus easily cleaned.

The portions of gel (31) are spatially separated to correspond to the location of the typical pressure points of the human body (not shown) when supported on the massage surface (30).

For example, point (33) corresponds to the pectoral region of the human body, where a substantial amount of weight would be distributed onto the massage surface (30).

The gel (31) is more resilient than that the plastics material (32), which allows for even and comfortable distribution of weight of the human body when supported by the massage surface (31). The gel (31) also returns to its original shape once the human body has been removed.

The massage surface (30) further includes knee circles (34).

These knee circles (34) are thicker than the other portions of gel (31), and are provided for use by a massage or physical therapy practitioner (not shown) while performing proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching on the human body.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT I/WE CLAIM IS:

1. A support, including

a support structure, and

the support characterised in that

2. A support as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support component is releasably attached to the support by a snap lock fitting.

3. A support as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second face of the support component is made of a more durable material than the first face.

4. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second face of the support component is configured to include a marking surface.

5. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support structure is hinged between a first segment and a second segment such that a face of the support component is outwardly exposed when the support structure is folded together.

6. A support as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support structure includes a rotating latch configured to be accessed through an aperture in the support structure in order to lock the first segment and second segment together when the support structure is folded together.

7. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support structure includes at least one rolling mechanism.

8. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the support structure includes at least one recess for locating at least one container.

9. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the support is a massage table.

10. A support surface for contacting and supporting, partially or fully, a human body, the support surface including at least two surface types having differing resilient properties,

characterised in that

11. A support surface as claimed in claim 10, wherein the more resilient material is a gel.

12. A support surface as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the gel has anti-pathogenic properties.

13. A support surface as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the gel has antimicrobial properties.

14. A support surface as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein two portions of more resilient material are located particularly for use by a physical therapy practitioner while performing proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching on a human body.

15. A support surface as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein the support surface is the surface of a massage table.

16. A support as substantially herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying description and drawings.

17. A support surface as substantially herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying description and drawings.