Aquatic Exercise Apparatus and Method of Aquatic Exercising for Improving Mobility

Abstract

Proposed are an aquatic exercise apparatus and a method for exercising aimed at improving mobility of a user by exercising in water. The apparatus consists of base support and a balance board, which is connected to the base support via a resilient body that allows tilting of the balance board in any direction and a mechanism that provides free rotation of the balance board. Exercising in water allow people with mobility deficits to perform exercises without a fear of falling, decreasing pain, and improving cardiovascular return.

Claims

1. An aquatic exercise apparatus for improving mobility of a user's body comprising: a balance board having a face side, and a back side; a balance board support device for resting on an aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, the balance board support device comprising: a base portion for resting on the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, an elongated member slidingly installed in the base portion with possibility of fixation in a selected vertical position relative to the base portion, and a resilient member that links the elongated member with the balance board via a connection mechanism that removably and rotationally connects the elongated member with the resilient member.

2. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elongated member comprises a tubular member that has an upper end, which protrudes upward from the base portion, the connection mechanism comprises a solid body that is rigidly connected to the balance board at one end and has an opening at an end opposite to said one end, the upper end of the tubular member beings slidingly inserted into the opening of the solid body and thus rotatingly and removably supports the resilient member together with the balance board on the base portion.

3. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 2, wherein the resilient member is a body of rotation, which is made from a resilient material and has an outer surface in the form of a concave toroid with a diameter gradually decreasing from edges toward a central part.

4. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 3, wherein the resilient material is a hard rubber.

5. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solid body has a cup-shaped configuration and is made from a plastic material.

6. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 4, wherein the face side of the balance board has foot straps.

7. The aquatic exercise apparatus of claim 6, wherein the face side of the balance board has foot straps.

8. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 1, further provided with a flexible line having one end and an end opposite to the one end, the one end being connected to the base portion of the board support device and the end opposite to the one end being connected to the balance board via an easily disconnectable lock located on the balance board in a position easily accessible to a user.

9. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 2, further provided with a flexible line having one end and an end opposite to the one end, the one end being connected to the base portion of the board support device and the end opposite to the one end being connected to the balance board via an easily disconnectable lock located on the balance board in a position easily accessible to a user.

10. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 3, further provided with a flexible line having one end and an end opposite to the one end, the one end being connected to the base portion of the board support device and the end opposite to the one end being connected to the balance board via an easily disconnectable lock located on the balance board in a position easily accessible to a user.

11. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 5, further provided with a flexible line having one end and an end opposite to the one end, the one end being connected to the base portion of the board support device and the end opposite to the one end being connected to the balance board via an easily disconnectable lock located on the balance board in a position easily accessible to a user.

12. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a tubular extension formed on an upper end of the base portion, the tubular extension having a first transverse hole, the elongated member having a plurality of second transverse holes, the apparatus being further provided with a lock pin that locks the elongated member in the tubular extension of the base portion by passing through the first transverse hole and a second transverse hole selected from the plurality of second transverse holes, when the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole are aligned.

13. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the base portion has a tubular extension formed on an upper end of the base portion, the tubular extension having a first transverse hole, the elongated member having a plurality of second transverse holes, the apparatus being further provided with a lock pin that locks the elongated member in the tubular extension of the base portion by passing through the first transverse hole and a second transverse hole selected from the plurality of second transverse holes, when the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole are aligned.

14. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base portion has a tubular extension formed on an upper end of the base portion, the tubular extension having a first transverse hole, the elongated member having a plurality of second transverse holes, the apparatus being further provided with a lock pin that locks the elongated member in the tubular extension of the base portion by passing through the first transverse hole and a second transverse hole selected from the plurality of second transverse holes, when the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole are aligned.

15. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the base portion has a tubular extension formed on an upper end of the base portion, the tubular extension having a first transverse hole, the elongated member having a plurality of second transverse holes, the apparatus being further provided with a lock pin that locks the elongated member in the tubular extension of the base portion by passing through the first transverse hole and a second transverse hole selected from the plurality of second transverse holes, when the first transverse hole and the second transverse hole are aligned.

16. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the base portion comprises a structure that tapers upward from the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, and the upper end of the tubular member, which is slidingly inserted into the opening of the solid body, rigidly supports a spherical body that facilitates rotation and tilting of the balance board in any direction.

17. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the base portion comprises a structure that tapers upward from the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, the upper end of the tubular member, which is slidingly inserted into the opening of the solid body, rigidly supports a spherical body that facilitates rotation and tilting of the balance board in any direction.

18. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the base portion comprises a structure that tapers upward from the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, the upper end of the tubular member, which is slidingly inserted into the opening of the solid body, rigidly supports a spherical body that facilitates rotation and tilting of the balance board in any direction.

19. The aquatic exercise apparatus according to claim 18, further provided with buoyancy-possessing wet vest which is needed to make it easier for the user to take a vertical position on the balance board.

20. A method of aquatic exercising for improving balance ability of a user comprising: providing and apparatus comprising: a balance board having a face side, and a back side; a balance board support device for resting on an aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, the balance board support device comprising: a base portion for resting on the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface, an elongated member slidingly installed in the base portion with possibility of fixation in a selected vertical position relative to the base portion, and a resilient member that links the elongated member with the balance board via a connection mechanism that removably and rotationally connects the elongated member with the resilient member; immersing the apparatus into water to a selected depth; taking a vertical position on the balance board while being immersed in water to a depth that is selected by fixing the elongated member in the base portion in said selected vertical position; and improving body mobility by performing appropriate rotary, gyratory and tilting motions, possible due to a provision of the resilient member, while staying on the balance board in water.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a general view of the entire aquatic exercise apparatus of the invention with a balance board in a horizontal position, in which a user stays in a vertical position.

[0018] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate positions of the user on the balance board tilted in different directions simultaneously with rotation.

[0019] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate two modifications of a mechanism for connection of the balance board with a support base of the apparatus via a resilient member and rotary joint.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a view of a wet vest suitable for the method of the invention of the type that possesses buoyancy and do not interfere with exercising motions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] As mentioned above, the present invention relates to an aquatic exercise apparatus and method for exercising therapy and, more particularly, to an aquatic apparatus and a method for Improving mobility of a user by exercising in water.

[0022] The invention will be further described in more detail with reference to specific examples illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a general view of the entire aquatic exercise apparatus of the invention (hereinafter referred to as an apparatus of the invention) with a balance board in a horizontal position in which a user stays in a vertical position, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show positions of the user on the balance board tilted in directions shown by arrows T1 and T2 simultaneously with rotation in the directions shown by arrows R1 and R2.

[0023] The apparatus of the invention, which in an assembled form is designated by reference numeral 20, consists of a balance board 22 having a face side 22a and a back side 22b, a balance board support device 24 for resting on an aquatic exercise apparatus support surface B, e.g., a bottom of a swimming pool into which the apparatus of the invention is immersed, and a resilient member 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) that links the balance board 22 with the balance board support device 24. Connection between the balance board 22 and the balance-board support device 24 is carried out via a connection mechanism 28, which in FIG. 1 is shown as an encircled zone A and is embodied in two modifications 28A and 28B shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, respectively.

[0024] The resilient member 26 is a body of rotation, which is made from a resilient material, e.g., from a hard rubber, and has an outer surface in the form of a concave toroid 26a (FIG. 4) with a diameter gradually decreasing from edges toward a central part.

[0025] Prior to describing the connection mechanisms 28A and 28B in more detail, it worth mentioning other components which are essential for underwater use of the apparatus of the invention 20. One such a component is a flexible line 30 (FIG. 1) which may be, e.g., a rope, one end of which is connected to the balance-board support device 24 and the other end to the balance board 22. The rope 30 is needed for immersing the support device 24 into water, i.e., from the ground level to the bottom B of the swimming pool P as well as for taking the support 24 out from water. The rope 30 should be connected to the balance board 20 via an easily disconnectable lock 32 located on the balance board 22 in a position accessible to a user U.

[0026] For stability of the user on the balance board 22, the latter is provided with foot straps 34a and 34b attached to the front side 22 of the balance board.

[0027] The balance board support 24 has a structure that tapers upward from the aquatic exercise apparatus support surface B. The upper end of the balance board support 24 has a tubular extension 24a that extends upward. The tubular extension has a transverse hole 24b (FIG. 5).

[0028] Let us consider now the modification of the connection mechanism 28a shown in FIG. 4. This mechanism consists of a solid body 36 (FIG. 4), which is rigidly connected to the balance board 22 at one end and has an opening 36a. The solid body can be made, e.g., of a hard plastic material and may be connected to the resilient body, e.g., by a bolt 38 that passes through the resilient by 26 from the bottom of the opening 36a to the face side 22a of the balance board. For this purpose, a recess 22b is formed in the face side 22a of the balance board 22 and a recess 36b is formed in the bottom of the opening 36a. Provision of these recesses allows arranging the nut 38a, which is screwed onto the end of them bolt 38, and the head 36b of the bolt 36 in flush with the face side 22a of the balance board 22 and with the bottom of the opening 36a, respectively.

[0029] Another component of the connection mechanism 28a (FIG. 4) is an elongated member, e.g., a tube 40 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 4), which is slidingly and rotationally inserted into the opening 36a of the solid body 40. In other words, the entire assembly consisting of the balance board 22, resilient body 26, and the solid body 36 secured together with the bolt 38 may be slidingly inserted into the opening 36a of the solid body 36 and freely rotate on it.

[0030] The tube 40 has a number of holes, such as hole 40a shown in FIG. 4, and holes 40b and 40c (FIGS. 1 and 2). The connection mechanism 28 includes a lock pin 24e that is intended for securing the elongated member, i.e., the tube 40, in the tubular extension 24a of the balance-board support device 24. For securing the tube 40 in the tubular portion 24a, one of the holes 40a, 40b, 40c is aligned with the single hole 24b of the of the tubular extension 24a. By using the holes 40a, 40b, 40c arranged at different heights from the bottom surface B, it becomes possible to arrange the balance board 22 at different levels with respect to the level of water in the pool P or other water basin. Thus, it is possible to adjust the vertical position of the balance board 22 with reference to the height of the user and the load implied to the user during exercise.

[0031] The modification shown in FIG. 5 is similar to one shown and described in connection with FIG. 4, except that a spherical body 42 is attached to the upper end of the elongated member or tube 40. The spherical body 42 is inserted into the opening 36a (FIG. 5) of the solid body 36. The spherical body 42 can be rigidly attached to the elongated member 24a in a different manner. In the modification shown in FIG. 5, the tube 40a has a threaded portion 40d that extends upward from the tube 40a, and a spherical body 42, which is twisted onto the threaded portion. Provision of the spherical body facilitates rotation and tilting of the balance board in any direction.

[0032] An essential part of an exercising set associated with the use of the aquatic exercise apparatus of the invention is a wet vest V (FIG. 6) of the type that possesses buoyancy and does not interfere with exercising motions. An example of such a vest is a Wet Vest produced by Flag House Co., IL, USA. The vest V incorporates flotation panels sewn into a comfortable and snug fitting unit, which like a wet suit provides a thermal layer that insulates the user's body in the water. Without the use of the vest that possesses buoyancy, it would be difficult for the user to climb the balance board and to assume a vertical position on it. In addition, the vest protects the user from injuries in case of falling, even though injury with falling into water from the balance board, which is immersed into water to a certain depth is unlikely.

[0033] The invention was described with reference to specific drawings. It is understood that the description and images on the drawings are given only as examples, which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention application. Therefore, any changes and modifications are possible provided, that they do not depart from the scope of the attached claims. For example, all elements of the apparatus of the invention can be molded from a plastic material. Alternatively, the support base can be made from metal. The apparatus can be use not necessarily in water but on the land. The user may exercise with a wet vest or without it. The elongated member may be comprise of a solid rod instead of a tube. The resilient body may have a simple cylindrical or any other shape. A flexible line may be comprised of a thin metal chain. The balance board may be free of the foot straps if a user wears rubber slippers with a friction sole. The resilient body may be comprised of a spring or a set of springs.