Stretching apparatus for knee flexor

Abstract

A stretching apparatus for a knee flexor enables a patient having spasticity in a knee flexor and/or contracted muscle to be stretched for treatment and maintain the stretched position without help from another person such as a therapist. The stretching apparatus includes a support part adjustable in angle with respect to a floor, and arranged to support a rear part of the trunk and head of a user; a backing part for supporting a lower limb of the user in a stretched position, the backing part having one end hingeably connected to the support part; and an adjustment part for rotating the backing part at a predetermined angle with respect to the support part. The lower limb of the user can be rotated at the predetermined angle with respect to the trunk and head, thereby stretching the knee flexor.

1 . A stretching apparatus for a knee flexor, the apparatus comprising:
 a support part adjustable in angle with respect to a floor wherein the support part is arranged to support a rear part of a trunk and a head of a user;   a backing part for supporting a lower limb of the user in a stretched position wherein the backing part has an end hingeably connected to the support part; and   an adjustment part for rotating the backing part at a predetermined angle with respect to the support part wherein the lower limb of the user is rotated at the predetermined angle with respect to an upper torso of the user wherein the knee flexor is stretched.   
   
   
       2 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a base contacting the floor and further wherein the support part has a sliding plate wherein the sliding plate has a portion hinged rotatably to the base and further wherein the support part has a support angle adjustment part for supporting the sliding plate in a position rotated to a predetermined angle with respect to the base.   
   
   
       3 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a support bar wherein the support bar has a first portion coupled with a rear surface of the sliding plate at a point where the base and the sliding plate define the predetermined angle wherein the support bar has a second portion coupled with the base.   
   
   
       4 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a gear attached to the base wherein the sliding plate has a gear attached to the sliding plate wherein the gear of the sliding plate is meshed with the gear of the base further wherein the support angle adjustment part has a driving mechanism for driving the gears.   
   
   
       5 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a backing plate of a predetermined length for supporting the lower limb of the user wherein the backing plate has a hinge-coupled portion wherein the backing plate is rotatable with respect to the support part and further wherein the backing part has a fixing part mounted on the backing plate wherein the fixing part fixes a knee of the user in an extended position.   
   
   
       6 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the fixing part is a hook and loop fastener. 
   
   
       7 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a cylinder wherein the cylinder has a first portion hinge-coupled with the backing part and further wherein the cylinder has a second portion arranged to contact the base wherein a length between the first portion of the cylinder and the second portion of the cylinder is adjustable.   
   
   
       8 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an adjustment bar wherein the adjustment bar has a first portion coupled with the backing part and further wherein the adjustment bar has a second portion arranged to contact the base wherein the adjustment bar has a plurality of members of various lengths wherein one of the plurality of members having a suitable length is selected and coupled with the backing part according to an angle between the backing part and the adjustment part.   
   
   
       9 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a gear attached to the backing part and further wherein the adjustment part has a gear attached to the adjustment part wherein the gear of the adjustment part is meshed with the gear of the backing part and further wherein wherein the adjustment part has a driving mechanism for driving the gears.   
   
   
       10 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a cloth on a contact surface of the sliding plate wherein the cloth reduces friction of the contact surface.   
   
   
       11 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a base contacting the floor wherein the support part has a cloth attached to a frame having one portion moving up and down with respect to the base, and further wherein the support part has a support angle adjustment part for supporting the frame in a position rotated for a predetermined angle with respect to the base.   
   
   
       12 . The stretching apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the sliding plate is movable and slidable up and down.