Device for strengthening, improving range of motion, improving flexibility in ankle joints and rehabilitating injured ankle joints

Abstract

The present invention comprises a device for strengthening, improving range of motion and/or improving flexibility in ankle joints and/or rehabilitating injured ankle joints. The device comprises structure or frame, at least one resistance mechanism connected to the structure or frame and a support platform connected to the at least one resistance mechanism for supporting the patient's foot. Rotating, flexing, inverting and/or everting the foot connected to the ankle of interest, which results in pressure applied to the support platform by the subject foot, increases and/or decreases the tension in the at least one resistance mechanism. A variety of stretches and/or strengthening and/or rehabilitating exercises may be performed with the device. The support platform is suspended within frame on the at least one resistance mechanism and, as a result, the support platform may be rotated, flexed, inverted and/or everted in an infinite number of directions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for exercising an ankle joint, the device comprising:
 a frame comprising a base, the base having a first major surface;   at least two opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base, the two walls comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite and parallel to the first wall;   a front wall extending upwardly from the base;   a rear wall extending upwardly from the base, the rear wall opposite and parallel to the front wall;   at least one resistance mechanism adjustably and releasably attached to each of the first and second walls, and to the front wall and the rear wall; and   a support platform for supporting a patient's foot thereon, the support platform connected to each of the resistance mechanisms and suspended between the first wall and the second wall and between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein force applied to the support platform increases or decreases the tension in the at least one resistance mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the first wall, second wall, front wall and rear wall being rigidly connected to the base of the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising the first wall, second wall, front wall and rear wall being collapsible. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one hinge connecting the first wall to the first major surface of the base;   at least one hinge connecting the second wall to the first major surface of the base;   at least one hinge connecting the front wall to the first major surface of the base; and   at least one hinge connecting the front wall to the first major surface of the base.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 at least one hinging and locking mechanism connecting the first wall to the first major surface of the base;   at least one hinging and locking mechanism connecting the second wall to the first major surface of the base;   at least one hinging and locking mechanism connecting the front wall to the first major surface of the base and   at least one hinging and locking mechanism connecting the rear wall to the first major surface of the base,   wherein the at least one hinging and locking mechanism comprises a first end and a second end with a central pivot disposed therebetween.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one aperture through each of first wall, second wall, front wall and third wall, wherein the at least one resistance mechanism is releasably and adjustably secured. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one key mechanism  200 , wherein the at least key mechanism further comprises:
 at least one aperture;   a channel in operative communication with each of the at least one apertures;   at least one access aperture in operative communication with the at least one aperture and channel.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a visible-light emitting device attached to the support platform. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising the visible-light emitting device light beam emission directed toward the front wall. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a grid disposed on at least one of the first and second walls, front wall and rear wall. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a grid disposed on the front wall. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising the visible-light emitting device light beam emission directed toward one of the first wall, second wall, front wall and rear wall. 
     
     
         13 . A method for exercising and/or rehabilitating a patient's ankle joint, comprising:
 providing a frame comprising a base, the base having a first major surface;   providing at least two opposing side walls extending upwardly from the base, the two walls comprising a first wall and a second wall opposite and parallel to the first wall;   providing a front wall extending upwardly from the base;   providing a rear wall extending upwardly from the base, the rear wall opposite and parallel to the front wall;   providing at least one resistance mechanism adjustably and releasably attached to each of the first and second walls at a positional height above the base, and to the front wall and the rear wall;   providing a support platform for supporting a patient's foot thereon, the support platform connected to each of the resistance mechanisms and suspended between the first wall and the second wall and between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein force applied to the support platform increases or decreases the tension in the at least one resistance mechanism;   positioning the patient's foot on the support platform; and   instructing the patient to move the foot to engage and manipulate the ankle joint by applying directional pressure to the support platform and engaging at least one of the resistance mechanisms.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising positioning each of the at least one resistance mechanisms attached to the first and second walls at substantially the same height above the base. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising positioning the at least one resistance mechanism attached to the first wall at a lower positional height above the base than the positional height of the at least one resistance mechanism attached to the second wall above the base. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising positioning the at least one resistance mechanism attached to the second wall at a lower positional height above the base than the positional height of the at least one resistance mechanism attached to the first wall above the base. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising positioning the support platform in an everted position relative to the patient's ankle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising positioning the support platform in an inverted position relative to the patient's ankle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising instructing the patient to move the foot in at least one of the sagittal plane, frontal plane and the horizontal plane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising instructing the patient to move the foot to perform at least one of dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, eversion, abduction, and/or adduction.