Apparatus for stretching hip adductor

Abstract

The invention relates to a stretching apparatus for a hip adductor. The stretching apparatus includes a pair of support members for supporting inner portions of both legs; a connecting member for connecting the support members together to stretch the both legs to a predetermined angle and maintain the legs in the stretched position; and joint units each attached to a corresponding one of the support members, the joint unit connected to a terminal end of the connecting member to join the connecting member to the support members. A stretching treatment and practice can be performed to treat a patient having a hip adductor tightness or joint contracture and the stretched position can be maintained without continuous input of manpower.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for stretching a hip adductor by which stretching treatment and practice can be performed to treat a patient having a hip adductor tightness or joint contracture and the stretched position can be maintained without continuous input of manpower.

2. Description of the Related Art

Some conditions such as cerebral palsy and spinal cord injuries are accompanied with muscle tightness or joint contracture. To treat such tightness or contracture, at least one therapist stretches the contractured joint and keeps the stretched position with hands. In particular, to stretch a hip adductor or hip adductors, a treatment is carried out to stretch a patient to a posture as shown in FIG. 7.

The hip adductor is one of inner thigh muscles, which may interfere walking or disable normal walking when become tight. As shown in FIG. 7, to treat the hip adductor, that is, the inner thigh muscle, therapist draws both legs to spread to a stretched position and maintain the stretched position for a while in order to stretch tight muscles or treat joint contracture.

However, this is a treatment method that requires the therapists to participate with during the entire treatment time for the patient. This treatment is a physically arduous task for the therapists and requires the input of manpower thereby raising treatment costs. Furthermore, it is difficult to correctly estimate the degree of stretching (e.g., stretching time and amount of muscles) and thus data can be rarely objectified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems of the prior art and therefore an object of certain embodiments of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for stretching a hip adductor in which the stretched position can be maintained without continuous input of manpower during stretching treatment on a hip adductor.

Another object of certain embodiments of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for stretching a hip adductor by which treatment data such as stretching time and amount can be objectively managed to enable a quantified treatment and continuous input of a therapist can be omitted to reduce physical burdens and manpower wastes.

According to an aspect of the invention for realizing the object, the invention provides a stretching apparatus for a hip adductor. The stretching apparatus includes a pair of support members for supporting inner portions of both legs; a connecting member for connecting the support members together to stretch the both legs to a predetermined angle and maintain the legs in the stretched position; and joint units each attached to a corresponding one of the support members, the joint unit connected to a terminal end of the connecting member to join the connecting member to the support members.

Preferably, the support members may be configured to support the legs from malleolus to thigh. In addition, each of the joint units may include a first support, which is protruded toward another one of the support members and has a globe-shaped inner space, and a second support having a globe-shaped portion at one end to be inserted into the inner space of the first support and a space formed at an opposite portion to receive the connecting member.

Preferably, each of the joint units may include a support wall having a pair of protrusions protruded toward another one of the support members and a support bar for connecting the protrusions, wherein the connecting member is terminated with a bent hook, wherein the bent hook is caught by the support bar to joining the connecting member to the corresponding support member. Here, the hook of the joint unit may be bent to form a substantially closed curve, and wherein the support bar is inserted into the hook so that the hook joins the connecting member with the corresponding support member.

Preferably, at least two of the joint units may be provided in upper and lower positions of one of the support members and at least another two of the joint units may be provided in corresponding positions of the other one of the support members. In addition, the connecting member may include a length-adjusting unit arranged in an intermediate portion of the connecting member, the length-adjusting unit capable of adjusting a length of the connecting member to adjust a stretching angle. Here, the length-adjusting unit may comprise a turn buckle having inner threads of opposite directions, wherein the connecting member is divided into two sections, each of the connecting member sections having a thread formed at an end facing away from the joint unit, wherein the thread conforms to one of the inner threads of the turn buckle to couple the connecting member section with the turn buckle.

Alternatively, the length-adjusting unit may comprise a length-adjusting pipe which has a hollow inner space for receiving the connecting member sections and a plurality of through holes, wherein the connecting member is divided into two sections, each of the connecting member sections having a protrusion arranged at an end facing away from the joint unit, the protrusion capable of elastically protruding from the connecting member section to be inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes of the length-adjusting pipe to adjust the length of the connecting member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a stretching apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detailed view illustrating joint units shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the joint units according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of support members of the stretching apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating further another embodiment of the support member of the stretching apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a usage of the stretching apparatus according to the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional stretching treatment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a stretching apparatus according to the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for stretching a hip adductor of the invention includes support members 1, connecting members 30 and 31 and joint units 20 for joining the connecting member 30 and 31 with the support members 1.

Each of the support members 11 is formed at a predetermined length to suitably support and with a semicircular cross section to closely contact inner portions of legs of a patient. The support member 11 may include a buffer inserted into a portion in contact with the leg in order to alleviate pain that the contact portion gives a patient.

The connecting members 30 are a bar-shaped member to connect the support members 11 at both sides. The connecting members 30 may have a circular cross section, but are not limited to this shape. The connecting members 30 serve to separate the support members 11 from each other while maintaining the support members 11 in the separated position. For this purpose, the connecting members 30 are prepared in various lengths so that one of the connecting members 30 with a specific length corresponding to the degree of spreading of the legs of the patient is selected to connect the support members 11.

At least two of the connecting members may be used as shown in FIG. 1, in which the connecting member 31 in an upper position is shorter than the connecting member 30 in a lower position. This structure is to uniformly distribute a force of the legs of the patient to return to the original position, that is, a force applied to ends of the connecting member joined with the support members to both of the support members without being biased to one support member.

The joint units 20 are attached to the support members 11, and function to connect the connecting members 30 to the support members 11. FIG. 2 specifically illustrates a structure of such joint units 20 shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, each of the joint units 20 includes a first support 23 formed in the support member 11. The first support 23 is protruded from the support member 11, and has an inner global space. Preferably, the first support 23 may be formed integrally with the support member 11, with its outer contour of a cylinder, a polygonal column and the like.

The joint unit 20 also includes a second support 35 coupled with the first support 23. The second support 35 is provided at one end with a globe-shaped ball joint 25. The globe-shaped end of the second support 35 is inserted into the inner space of the first support 23 to function as a ball joint. For this purpose, a cover 27 is fitted into the first support 23 in order to prevent any release of the globe-shaped end of the second support 35 upon inserted into the first support 23.

The second support 35 also has a bar having a diameter smaller than that of the ball joint 25, extended from ball joint 25 toward another one of the support members 11. The other end of the second support 35 also has a cylindrical part of a specific diameter extended from the bar so as to receive the connecting member 30.

With the joint units 20 structured as above, it is possible to connect the connecting members 30 to the support members 11 to hold the support members 11 even though the distance between the support members 11 are enlarged varying angles with respect to the connecting members.

As the distance between the support members 11 is enlarging, that is, the legs of the patient are being spread, the connecting members can be replaced with longer ones. In this way, it is possible to perform stretching treatment with the legs spread (i.e., a position where hip adductors are stretched).

As shown in FIG. 1, at least two of the connecting members are preferably joined or connected to the support members 11. If a single support member were used to stand against the load applied inward in response to the legs being spread, the member might be fractured or a repulsive force applied to the legs might create severe pain. Accordingly, the connecting members 30 and 31 of different lengths are preferably selected in view of the angle and length between the support members to uniformly share the load. For this purpose, the joint units 20 in one support member are located correspondingly to those in the opposite support member. That is, the connecting members 30 and 31 are arranged in parallel with each other to uniformly share the load.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the joint units according to the invention, and FIG. 4 specifically illustrates the joint units shown in FIG. 3, in which turn buckles are used.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of joint units 47 includes a support wall 46 and a support bar 45 inserted into the support wall 46. The support wall 46 is formed integrally with the support member 11, with a pair of protrusions extending at a predetermined length toward another one of the support members 11. The protrusions of the support wall 46 are spaced from each other at a predetermined gap, which is a hollow space for receiving the connecting member 40. The support bar 45 connects the pair of protrusions of the support wall 46.

In this embodiment, the connecting member 40 is provided at one end with a bent hook 42. The hook 42 may be substantially closed curve-shaped to form a circular pin hole as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the support bar 45 is removed out of the support wall 46, the hook 42 is inserted into the gap between the support walls 46, and the support bar 45 is fixedly inserted into holes of the support wall 46 and the hook 42 to couple the connecting member 40 with the joint unit 47. That is, the support bar 45 acts as a pin. The connecting member 40 is subject to a force of the support member 11 inwardly driven by legs of a patient. Here, the support bar 45 supports the hook 42, which is subject to the force from the support member 11. The support bar 45 may be formed thick enough in view of a load applied thereto.

The hook 42 may preferably bent twice into a U shape. With the support bar 45 inserted into the hook 42, the support member 11 can be jointed or connected with the connecting member 40. In this case, legs of a patient (under a force to be parallel with each other) apply inwardly-oriented force to the support members 11, and the connecting members 40 are required to support and maintain the support members 11 in the original position. For this purpose, the connecting members 40 are connected to the support members 11 by means of the hooks 42 caught by the support bars 45. Then, in case of stretching treatment, the inside wall of the support wall 46 contacts a terminal end of the connecting member 40 while the support bar 45 does not apply a force to the connecting member 40. Preferably, the hook 42 of the connecting member 40 has a length shorter than that of the protrusions of the support wall 46 in order to prevent an escape of the terminal end of the connecting member 40.

If the hook 42 at the end of the connecting member 40 were shorter than the protrusions of the support wall 46, the end of the hook 42 caught by the support bar 45 might escape from the support bar 45 as the inside wall of the support wall 46 contacts the end of the connecting member 40. This can be prevented by the above-described structure. That is, even if the hook 42 touches the inside wall of the support wall 46, the end of the hook 42 does not escape from the support bar 45. Thus, the hook 42 is positively secured not to escape and the support members 11 are sufficiently supported by the connecting member 40. Preferably, the terminal end of the connecting member 40 or the hook 42 is bent into a suitable configuration not to be pushed upward or downward to escape from the support wall 46.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in its lower part, a length-adjusting unit provided in the connecting member 40 shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the connecting member 40 is divided into two sections. Each of the connecting member 40 sections has threads 48 and 49 around an end portion thereof which is not connected to the joint unit 47 (or faces away from the joint unit 47). The treads 48 on the first (left) section of the connecting member 40 are formed in opposite direction from the threads 49 on the second (right) section of the connecting member 40. The threads 48 and 49 are inserted into a turn buckle 50 which is provided with female thread groups of opposite directions at the inside wall. With this configuration, it is possible to turn the turnbuckle 50 in one direction in order to pull the connecting member sections connected to the threads thereby decreasing the length of the connecting member 40. Of course, the turnbuckle 50 can be turned in the opposite direction to increase the length the connecting member 40.

FIG. 5 illustrates a length-adjusting unit provided in the connecting member 30 shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 5, the connecting member 30 is divided into two sections. Each section of the connecting member 30 is provided, at an end which is not connected to the joint unit (or facing away from the joint unit), with a protrusion 63 and an inner spring 64. The protrusion is configured to elastically protrude out, and the inner spring 64 is mounted inside the connecting member 30 to elastically urge the protrusion 63 outward. In addition, the length-adjusting unit is of a length-adjusting pipe 60 configured to receive the connecting member 30. The length-adjusting pipe 60 is provided with a plurality of through holes 64 configured to receive the protrusions 63 of the connecting member 30. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the length of the connecting member 30 by pushing the protrusion 63 to be inserted into one of the through holes 64 in a suitable position.

While the maneuvers for adjusting the length have been illustrated as above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be appreciated that various other length-adjusting maneuvers are adoptable.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a usage of the stretching apparatus according to the invention.

The stretching apparatus for hip adductors of the invention can be used to perform a stretching treatment on patients having muscle tightness or joint contracture owing to cerebral palsy or stroke. To perform a stretching treatment with the legs of a patient are spread at a certain angle, the legs should be maintained in the spread position, which has been carried out manually by a physiotherapist in the prior art.

According to the invention, the support members 11 are attached to the legs of the patient, which are spread at a specific angle, and connected with the connecting members 40 to maintain the legs in the spread position as shown in FIG. 6. The degree of muscle tightness or joint contracture of the patient makes the angle of the spread legs be varied and thereby the length of the connecting members 40 and 41 be adjusted. For this purpose, the connecting member itself includes the length-adjusting unit so as to be adjusted in length by itself. Alternatively, a plurality of connecting members may be provided at different lengths so that those of suitable lengths are used in turns.

To stretch a hip adductor or hip adductors, the legs of the patient should be stretched with knees straightened. For this purpose, the support members are required to contact the legs at a sufficient length, and preferably, at one ends thereof, to contact the legs from just above malleolus. The support members are also required to have a sufficient length so that other ends thereof can contact thighs. The malleolus of the legs may prevent the support members from easily escaping from the legs. In addition, Velcro tapes may be attached to the support members to wrap around the support members and the legs of the patient in order to secure the attachment members to the legs. In case of using the Velcro tapes, the support members can be provided in various lengths, which are not limited to a section from malleolus to thigh.

According to this disclosure as set forth above, in a stretching treatment on a hip adductor, legs of a patient can be spread and maintained in the spread position so that the stretching treatment can be carried out without continuous input of manpower. As advantageous effects, manpower management can be optimized and treatment time and costs can be saved.

In addition, the degree of stretching of a hip adductor of a patient can be correctly measured through conversion from the length of the connecting member, and thereby the patient can be treated in a stepwise manner.

Furthermore, the stretching apparatus has a simple structure to be used and fabricated easily.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments and the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited thereto but will be defined by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can substitute, change or modify the embodiments into various forms without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stretching apparatus for a hip adductor, the apparatus comprising:

a pair of support members for supporting inner portions of legs of a user;

a connecting member wherein the connecting member connects the support members together wherein the support members stretch the legs of the user to a predetermined angle wherein the support members maintain the legs in a stretched position; and

joint units wherein each of the joint units is attached to a corresponding one of the support members wherein each of the joint units is connected to a terminal end of the connecting member wherein each of the joint units joins the connecting member to the support members.

2. The stretching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support members are configured to support the legs of the user from a malleolus of each leg of the user to a thigh of each leg the user.

3. The stretching apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a first support wherein the first support protrudes toward one of the support members wherein the first support member has a globe-shaped inner space; and

a second support wherein the second support has a globe-shaped portion at one end of the second support wherein the globe-shaped portion is inserted into the inner space of the first support wherein a space is formed at an opposite end of the second support wherein the space receives the connecting member.

4. The stretching apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a support wall on each of the joint units wherein the support wall has a pair of protrusions wherein the pair of protrusions protrude toward one of the support members wherein the support wall has a support bar for connecting the protrusions wherein the connecting member terminates with a bent hook wherein the support bar catches the bent hook wherein the bent hook and the support bar join the connecting member one of the support members.

5. The stretching apparatus of claim 4 wherein the bent hook bends to form a substantially closed curve wherein the support bar inserts into the bent hook and joins the connecting member with the support member.

6. The stretching apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of the joint units are provided in upper and lower positions of one of the support members wherein at least another two of the joint units are provided in corresponding positions of the other one of the support members.

7. The stretching apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a length-adjusting unit arranged in an intermediate portion of the connecting member wherein the length-adjusting unit adjusts a length of the connecting member to change a stretching angle.

8. The stretching apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a turn buckle having inner threads of opposite directions and further wherein the connecting member is divided into two sections wherein each of the sections of the connecting member has a thread formed at an end of the connecting member facing away from the joint unit wherein the thread conforms to one of the inner threads of the turn buckle wherein the thread couples the section of the connecting member with the turn buckle.

9. The stretching apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a length-adjusting pipe wherein the length-adjusting pipe has a hollow inner space wherein the hollow inner space receives the sections of the connecting member and a plurality of through holes wherein the connecting member is divided into two sections wherein each of the sections of the connecting member has a protrusion arranged at an end of the section of the connecting member wherein the end of the section faces away from the joint unit wherein the protrusion elastically protrudes from the section of the connecting member wherein the protrusion is inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes of the length-adjusting pipe to adjust the length of the connecting member.