The invention relates to a device for therapeutic treatment, in particular pressure treatment, of muscles or other body regions of a person to be treated, or muscle relaxation, comprising a U-shaped frame having a holding bar and two parallel first and second arms extending from the holding bar, the arms being arranged at a mutual distance, wherein the holding bar is held on a support and is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis. In use of the device, the frame is substantially horizontal and is pivotable about the pivot axis by an actuation angle. A pressure arm arranged perpendicularly to the first arm is held on the first arm, said pressure arm being directed substantially vertically downwards in use of the device and being provided at a free end facing away from the first arm with a pressure element for exerting a pressure or treatment force on a body region of a person to be treated. A support element for an elbow region of a treating person is arranged at a free end of the first arm facing away from the holding bar and/or at a free end of the second arm facing away from the holding bar. A pressure support arranged perpendicularly to the second or first arm and facing away from the respective other arm is supported on the second arm and/ or the first arm, said pressure support being arranged substantially horizontally in use of the device and being able to be acted upon by a hand or arm force of the treating person in order to increase a pressure or treatment force exerted by the pressure arm.

The first arm can be arranged on the left as seen along the arms in the direction of the holding bar and the second arm can be arranged on the right, or vice versa.

With the aid of the pressure arm, the pressure support(s) and the support element(s) for an elbow region, the treating person can grip and actuate the device in various ways in order to enable optimal movement and pressure actuation of the pressure arm on a region of a patient to be treated.

The pressure element arranged at the end of the pressure arm can be made relatively small, for example with a diameter of 1 cm to 3, 4 or 5 cm, or larger, for example with a diameter of up to 8, 10, 12 or 15 cm, in order to enable pressure treatments of different intensity. Furthermore, the pressure element can be made relatively hard or relatively soft depending on the treatment purpose, so that it has a certain hardness or compliance. The pressure element can be made of plastic material or wood.

It may be provided that a position of the pressure arm is adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the first arm, and the pressure arm is expediently lockably held on the first arm to be able to change the leverage with respect to the horizontal pivot axis.

A position of the pressure support can be adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the arm on which it is held, and the pressure support is preferably lockably held on the arm to be able to change the leverage with respect to the horizontal pivot axis. Furthermore, the position adjustability of the pressure arm and/ or the pressure support allows the device to be adapted to the size of a treating person or a person being treated, if necessary.

The pressure arm is preferably made square or circular in cross section and may have a length of 0.5 to 2 times the length of the forearm of the treating person.

The device can be provided with a force sensor, which can be arranged on the pressure arm or between the pressure element and the pressure arm and by which a pressure or treatment force acting in the direction of the pressure arm can be detected. Alternatively, a pressure sensor may be used to detect a force acting on the pressure element or the pressure arm in all three spatial directions. The pressure sensor can be connected or connectable to a recording device to record the forces acting during a treatment. Furthermore, an analogue or digital display for the pressure force, in particular for the pressure force acting in the longitudinal direction of the pressure arm or its corresponding component, maybe provided, which is expediently arranged on the frame or on the support.

Expediently, the pressure support is made square or circular in cross section and may have a length of 0.5 to 2 times the width of a hand of a treating person, so that the latter can comfortably grip the pressure support.

The length of the pressure arm can be adjustable, for example by means of a telescopic design of the pressure arm with two or more sections that can be pushed into one another.

The pressure support can be held on the first and/or second arm at a distance therefrom via an intermediate element, wherein the pressure support can be arranged either above or below the arm in use of the device.

Advantageously, it is provided that the horizontal pivot axis is associated with a spring support by means of which the frame is held in a substantially horizontal starting position and is pivotable downward into a treatment position against a spring force.

It may be provided that the support element for an elbow region has a support arm arranged facing away from the arm on which it is held, said support arm extending at an angle from the free end of the arm and being substantially horizontal in use of the device. The support arm may be L-shaped and form a U-shaped arrangement with the free end of the arm, which may lie in the plane of the U-shaped frame.

On the first or second arm, in particular on the support arm, there can be attached one end of a flexible traction means, such as a strap or rope, the other end or free end of which hangs downwards and is provided with a loop or a gripping element, for example a gripping bracket, and can be acted upon by a foot force of the treating person. The length of the traction means between the arm and the free end or the gripping element can be adjustable.

The support can be stationary, or it can be adjustable or relocatable in a horizontal and/ or vertical direction.

The support can be designed as a wall support and can be adjustable or relocatable horizontally and/or vertically along a wall.

Alternatively, it may be provided that the support comprises a base frame movable on a floor or flat surface. The support can comprise wheels or castors and can be height- adjustable and permit rotatability about a vertical axis relative to the base frame.

The support can comprise a means for an inclination adjustment of the frame about a horizontal adjustment axis parallel to or coinciding with the horizontal pivot axis and/or perpendicular thereto.

Further advantages and features of the invention can be understood from the following description of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention, wherein reference is made to a drawing, in which

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention in a perspective view from a first direction, wherein the first arm is arranged on the left as seen from a treating person and the second arm on the right,

Fig. 2 shows the device according to Fig. 1 from a different direction,

Fig. 3 shows the device according to Figs. 1 and 2 from a further direction, Figs. 4 and 5 show a part of the frame of a device according to Figs. 1 to 3 when actuated by a treating person from different directions, wherein the device is designed inverted to that according to Figs. 1-3, so that the first arm is arranged on the right instead of on the left as seen from the treating person.

Figs. 1 to 3 show different side views of the device according to the invention for therapeutic pressure treatment, in particular of muscles.

The illustrated embodiment shows a U-shaped frame 1 comprising a holding bar 4 and two arms 5, 6 extending therefrom, held on a support 2, which is carried by a base frame 3 movable on the floor. The support 2 can be height-adjustable in a vertical direction (direction of arrow h) and permit rotatability of the frame about a vertical axis 3a.

With the aid of a support rod 2a, 2b, which in this embodiment is hollow and of cylindrical shape, telescopic and is arranged between the U-shaped frame 1 and the base frame 3, the device can be flexibly adapted individually according to specific requirements, e.g. location of a particular treatment. In this case, it is possible for the treating person to adapt the base frame 3 to his own needs such as distance from his own body, treatment height or his own sitting or standing height and also to vary it individually with respect to the person being treated and the body region to be treated.

The height of the support 2 can be adjusted and locked with a locking screw 12a. For this purpose, the locking screw 12a, on which a handle made of plastic, for example, is located, is screwed into positioning holes 20 provided for this purpose. The positioning holes 20 are located on an upper section 2b of the support rod that extends vertically downwards from the U-shaped frame 1, and are arranged equidistantly from one another. The lower section 2a of the support rod is fixed to the base frame 3. The upper section 2b is telescopically received in the lower section 2a.

In another embodiment, the support can be designed as a wall support which can be fixed on a wall, for example by means of a rail system, and can be adjusted or relocated vertically and/ or horizontally along the wall and thus can be variably adjusted to the individual needs of the treating person and the person to be treated. The connection between the U-shaped frame i and the upper section 2b of the support rod is realised in the illustrated embodiment such that a part of the U-shaped frame i that is rectangular in cross-section and extends horizontally away from the holding bar 4 of the frame 1 is received in a receiving profile lb that is rectangular in cross-section and can be relocated and fixed, wherein a position adjustment is possible with the aid of a fixing screw 12b.

The U-shaped frame 1 comprises the holding bar 4 and two parallel arms, a first arm 5 and a second arm 6, extending from the holding bar and arranged at a mutual distance. The frame 1 is arranged horizontally and, in addition to being pivotable about the vertical axis 3a (angle a), can also be held pivotably about a horizontal pivot axis 3b (angle P) and lockable in a fixed pivot position. Preferably, a spring support, not illustrated, is provided between frame 1 and support 2, said spring support holding the frame in a substantially horizontal starting or rest position and, for example, pressing it upwardly against a stop. The frame can be pivoted downwards from the starting position about the horizontal pivot axis 3b and brought into a treatment position by a downwardly directed force applied to the arms.

A carrying handle 21 is fixed to an intermediate element 21a which in turn is fixed to the holding bar 4. Preferably, the carrying handle 21 is made of a round material having a circular cross-section and is arranged in a rectangular shape, as shown, preferably having rounded corners, or in an O-shape. The cariying handle can be positioned at an angle between o and 90 degrees, prefereably approximately 45 degrees, with regard to the holding bar 4. A pressure arm 7 is arranged perpendicularly to the first arm 5 and vertically to an extension plane of the frame 1 containing the holding bar 4 and the arms 5, 6 and is fixed on the first arm 5, said pressure arm 7 having a circular cross section. A pressure element 8 for exerting a pressure on a body region of a person to be treated is arranged on the pressure arm 7 at a lower free end 9, i.e. at a free end 9 facing away from the first arm 5.

In one embodiment, the pressure arm 7 has a sensor 7a, for example a pressure sensor, which can be integrated in the pressure element 8 or arranged between the pressure element and the pressure arm and, during a treatment, detects a transmitted pressure force which is applied via the pressure element 8 and can be used to record the force at predetermined time intervals. In doing so, the applied force is measured and/or recorded over time in order to inform the treating person and/or the person being treated in a comprehensible manner of the treatment that is performed, e.g. whether there is a muscle hardening at a specific location or the like. Thus, it is possible to create a treatment protocol.

A support element to, in particular for an elbow region of a treating person, is arranged at a free end 9 of the first arm 5. In this case, the support element 10 has a support arm 10a facing away from the other arm 6 and extending at an angle from the free end of the first arm 9, said support arm 10 being substantially aligned with the extension plane of the frame 1 and horizontal in use of the device. The support arm 10a, which is L-shaped and forms a U-shaped arrangement together with the first arm 5, carries a flexible traction means 13, in this case a flexible strap, which is connected to the support arm 10a and can be individually adjustable in length. At a free end of the strap 13 facing vertically downwards from the first arm 5, there is located a gripping bracket 14 in the form of a reinforced loop equipped with a tube element 15, which can be used to allow a treating person to apply additional force with his foot during use or to relieve the strains on his arms.

A pressure support 11 arranged via an intermediate element 11a at a distance from the second arm and facing away from the first arm 5 is held on the second arm 6. The pressure support 11 is shown having a circular cross section, but obviously can have any convenient shape. The pressure support 11 preferably extends in a direction parallel to and above the extension plane of the frame 1. For a more comfortable grip, the pressure support can be fitted with a soft outer lining.

In the present embodiment, it is provided that the pressure arm 7 is moveable and adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the first arm 5 and lockable on the first arm 5 by means of a locking screw 12c. This enables an easy individual adjustment of the device. Furthermore, this allows a leverage to be varied with respect to the horizontal pivot axis 3b in order to adjust a generated pressure force. Similarly, the pressure support 11 held on the second arm 6 is moveable and adjustable in a longitudinal direction of the second arm 6 and lockable in order to be able to change a leverage with respect to the horizontal pivot axis 3b. In Fig. 3, a stepless lockability using a locking screw i2d is illustrated, the screw being arranged on an outer side of the second arm 6 facing away from the first arm 5.

The second arm 6 is telescopically length-adjustable in its longitudinal direction. A suitable position can be locked by means of a locking screw i2e.

Also, the first arm 5 is telescopically length-adjustable in its longitudinal direction. A suitable position can be locked by a means similar toa locking screw as i2e.

Alternatively, instead of a continuous or stepless lockability by means of the locking screws i2a-e, a lockability may be provided at fixed predetermined intervals with corresponding positioning holes similar to the positioning holes 20.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the inventive device, in particular the parallel arms 5 and 6, in use from different perspectives, wherein the first and second arms are arranged mirror- inverted to the embodiment according to Figs. 1-3.

The treating person grips the pressure arm 7 with his right hand 18a, wherein his right forearm or elbow region 18b is placed on the support arm 10a. With his left hand 19a, the treating person grips the first arm 5 next to the pressure arm 7 or in a region between the pressure arm 7 and the holding bar 4 of the frame 1. His left forearm or elbow region 19b is placed on a free end 17 of the second arm 6.

A left or right foot of the treating person, not illustrated here, can be inserted into the gripping bracket 14 of the flexible traction means 13 (Figs. 1 to 3).

As an alternative to the illustrated actuation, a treating person could of course grip the second arm 6 with his left hand, for example on the arm itself or on the pressure support 11. Due to the longitudinal adjustability of the pressure arm 7 and the pressure support 11 along the respective arm 5, 6, an optimal adaptation to a preferred arm or hand position of the treating person, his height etc. is possible. List of reference symbols

1 U-shaped frame lb receiving profile

2 support

2a support rod (lower section)

2b support rod (upper section)

3 base frame

3a vertical axis

3b horizontal pivot axis

4 holding bar

5 first arm

6 second arm

7 pressure arm

7a sensor

8 pressure element

9 free end of 5

10 support element

10a support arm

11 pressure support

11a intermediate element i2a-e locking screw

13 flexible traction means (strap)

14 gripping bracket

15 tube element

17 free end (of 6)

18a right hand

18b right forearm (elbow)

19a left hand

19b left forearm (elbow)

20 positioning holes

21 carrying handle

21a intermediate element h height direction a angle of rotation about the vertical axis 3a

P angle of rotation about the horizontal pivot axis 3b