EXERCISE MACHINE

Technical field

This invention relates to the construction technology of exercise equipment and machines for sports, play or recreational purposes, or even rehabilitation of functionalities post-trauma compromised by injury.

In more detail, the invention relates to a machine for exercising the lower limbs of the human body for prevention of injury to/rehabilitation of knee flexor muscles, whose injury, as is known, is one of the most common sports injuries.

Background art

As is known, the knee flexor muscles are a group of muscles made up of three different muscles: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris. The latter of these is a two joint muscle (that is to say, it intersects two joints, the hip and the knee). Said muscles are knee flexors and strong hip extensor muscles with the knee extended. During fast running their job is to act as a brake on knee extension and they perform this action in a significant lengthened condition (110%) relative to their length in an erect position.

As regards knee flexor muscle injuries, many risk factors have been identified. These appear to include old age, reduced flexibility of the flexor muscles, reduced flexibility of the quadriceps muscle, reduced mobility of ankle bending, tiredness, imbalance between agonist and antagonist muscles, lack of strength in the pelvis stabiliser muscles.

Given the large number of causes that may result in injury, not all of the studies publishes on the subject agree with each other.

Therefore, the matter is still open and is objectively quite important in medical, osteopathic and even economic terms if we consider the world of professional sport. As far as is currently known, the best way of strengthening to prevent injuries to this muscle group is with eccentric exercise, that is to say, where the muscle is lengthening while contracting.

To train this muscle group there are several exercises, both free body and with various equipment and apparatuses.

These known methods include a typical exercise that in English is called a: "ball leg curl". In short, it is a free body exercise performed using a ball. The athlete lies on the floor on his back with his shoulders resting on the floor and with his legs resting on a ball. The exercise consists of performing a series of alternate bends of the knee while keeping the feet resting on the ball and without bending at the hip, that is to say, with the pelvis and femur substantially aligned to form a 180° angle. A variation on that exercise is vice versa performed with bending at the hip which causes the pelvis and femur to substantially form an angle of 90° to one another. This exercise, used in the professional practice of the Applicant, has given results that are positive and long-term even better than other methods. However, the training method suffers several significant limitations and disadvantages. A first disadvantage is the fact that, being a free body exercise, the posture of the user suffers a certain subjective variability which may invalidate the benefits of a precise repeatability of the movements, even for the same person, above all in the transition from one training session to another. Another disadvantage is the need for the user to be assisted when doing the exercise, practically continuously by a professional trainer, above all when the exercise must be done with bending at the hip. In other words, in order to correctly train a two joint muscle such as the knee flexor, that assistance is practically essential.

Another disadvantage is the fact that it is impossible to quantify the work done and to plan increasing loads over time, as would in contrast be desirable for rational planning of training and/or planning of a rehabilitative recovery. Disclosure of the invention

The primary purpose of this invention is therefore to overcome said disadvantages by means of an exercise machine which in accordance with the invention has the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The advantages of the invention are more apparent in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan assembly view of a machine in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams showing a detail relating to the position of the user in the machine during the exercise;

Figures 5 and 6 are assembly views, respectively in a plan view and an elevation view, of an alternative embodiment of the machine according to the invention;

Figures 7 and 8 are two explanatory diagrams of the movement performed by the user during use of the machine.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety an exercise machine for exercising the lower limbs 2 of the human body, and more particularly the knee flexor muscles, to prevent them from suffering traumatic injuries and/or for rehabilitating their functionality, for example, after a sports injury.

The machine 1 basically comprises a foot block 3, a slide 4 bearing the foot block 3; and a structure 5 which supports and constrains the slide 4, allowing it the freedom to translate - relative to the self-same structure 5 - alternately backward and forward along a predetermined movement trajectory 6, preferably straight and horizontal.

The slide 4 may be equipped with adjusting means 13 for adjusting the length of its stroke, along the movement trajectory 6. Moreover, the slide 4 is height-adjustable on the supporting structure 5 by means of suitable height adjusting means 14. One possible embodiment of said height adjusting means 14 is symbolically shown in Figure 2 where height- adjustable supports 20 are visible applied to the base of the structure 5. The machine 1 also comprises the presence of resisting means 7 associated with the slide 4 in such a way as to apply a resistance to the translation to it, whose intensity may be selected and/or modulated by the user as required.

According to a first embodiment, shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the above-mentioned resisting means comprise one or more weights 15 - preferably a set of selectively variable weights 15 grouped together in a pack - which can be lifted vertically, and which are connected to the slide 4 by a cable system 16 that opposes the movement of the slide 4 in one of the two directions of travel along its trajectory 6. A different embodiment of the resisting means 7 - illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 - in contrast comprises a plurality of elastic reactions units 17 - preferably having a resistance capacity with an adjustable setting - which are interposed between the slide 4 and the supporting structure 5 in such a way as to oppose the movement of the slide 4 in one of the two directions of free movement of the slide along the trajectory 6. The machine 1 also comprises a small bed 8 placed in front of the structure 5 and equipped with means for adjusting the horizontal distance and the vertical height relative to the position of the foot block 3.

The small bed 8 is equipped with a supporting surface 21 which, by the action of the height adjusting means 14, implemented for example partly in the structure of the small bed 8, can be raised or lowered as required by the user. In use, [Figures 7 and 8] the user lies down on the small bed 8 on his back, then engages his feet in the foot block 3 which, for that purpose [Figures 2 and 6], comprises a base 10 and a roller 9 supported with its axis 1 1 horizontal, projecting from the base 10 and at a distance that allows an interposed transit section 22, through which the feet 12 of the user can pass until they hook onto the roller 9 in the position distal relative to the user. Then, the user lying on his back with his feet 12 engaged on the foot block 3 [Figures 3 and 4], alternately bends and extends his lower limbs 2, moving the slide 4 towards him against the action of the resisting means 7 during the stroke towards the small bed 8; and in contrast, retaining it during the return stroke away from the small bed 8, with which the slide 4 returns to its starting position.

The machine fulfils the aims indicated and provides a set of important advantages.

In fact, first, thanks to the possibilities for adjusting the position of the various components of the machine 1, it is possible to set up the machine 1 to suit the anatomy of the specific user, allowing optimum configuration, which once established can be recorded and so is perfectly repeatable every time the user subsequently uses the machine 1 for a training session.

A second advantage of the machine 1 is that as well as allowing bending at the knee - clearly illustrated by the variations of an angle [B] defined between the upper and lower parts of the leg - it also allows bending at the hip, clearly shown by the variations of an angle [A1 ;A2] indicated in Figures 7 and 8. It should be noticed that this result is difficult to obtain for example using the "ball leg curl" method, above all without the specialised assistance of a trainer or rehabilitation coach.

Consequently, the machine 1 allows the implementation of an important synergic effect, in addition to making it possible even for a user who is not directly assisted by a third party during his training session. Therefore, using the machine 1 it is possible to implement a training method: complete, rational and perfectly repetitive, for a muscle that by its very anatomical definition is a two joint muscle.

A further advantage of the invention is that of allowing precise and easy quantification of the work done by the user at each training session. Finally, from Figures 7 and 8 it may be observed immediately that the work done during the bending step is the product of the resisting load applied (for example the force of the weight P) for the movement [s] of the foot block 3 towards and away from the small bed 8.

With similar calculation methods, which are not part of this invention, but are well-known by technicians in the field, it is possible to calculate the motor and resistance work performed by the user in the version of the machine comprising the use of springs as an alternative to and/or in addition to the weights.

Yet another advantage allowed by the machine 1 is that of allowing, in general, strict planning of the training plan and in particular planning for gradually increasing loads, which is very necessary in use of the machine 1 for rehabilitation of reduced functionalities, caused by the most diverse factors, including the results of a trauma, of a sports injury and/or a surgery.