Motion muscle relaxer

Abstract

An exercise apparatus is provided to support the user in a bent-leg position and thereby guide the user through a series of swiveling, pitching, and rolling motions to stretch and align the user's back and spine. In one embodiment, the exercise assembly includes a base member, a leg support member for supporting a user's legs, and a vertical support member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end connected to the leg support member and the second end movably connected to the base member. In one embodiment, the leg support member includes a generally W-shaped undulated profile having a peaked portion and two recessed portions extending outward from opposite sides of the peaked portion. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a ball joint connected to the second end of the vertical support, and swivelably, pitchedly, and rolledly connected to the base support member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a base member having an upper surface and a lower surface;   a leg support member for supporting a user's legs; and   a vertical support member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end connected to the leg support member and the second end movably connected to the base member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the leg support member includes a generally W-shaped undulated profile having a peaked portion and two recessed portions extending outward from opposite sides of the peaked portion. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical support comprises:
 a telescoping member; and   a receiving member, wherein one of the telescoping member and the receiving member is configured to slide along the other.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein one of the telescoping member and the receiving member includes an alignment hole, and the other includes a plurality of holes, and wherein a height of the apparatus is set by selectively aligning the alignment hole with one of the plurality of holes. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a sleeve configured to overlap at least a portion of the telescoping member and the receiving member, wherein the sleeve includes a narrow vertical slit configured to circumferentially expand and contract around the telescoping member and the receiving member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the telescoping member and the receiving member are configured to adjust the height of the apparatus between approximately 16 inches and 23 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball joint connected to a lower end of the vertical support member, wherein the ball joint is swivelably connected to the base support member about a swivel axis extending between the first and second end of the vertical support member, the ball joint is pitchedly connected to the base support member about a pitch axis extending through a pivot point in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction of the base member, and the ball joint is rolledly connected to the base support member about a roll axis extending through the pivot point in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the base member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a socket configured to swivelably, pitchedly, and rolledly support the ball joint; and   a tapered recess in the upper surface of the base member, wherein the tapered recess is configured to house at least a portion of the socket.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a tapered protrusion extending upward from the upper surface of the base support member, the tapered protrusion configured to receive at least a portion of the ball joint. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a knob screw configured to movably fasten the ball joint to the base member. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is configured to roll approximately 120 degrees about the roll axis, and the apparatus is configured to pitch approximately 120 degrees about the pitch axis. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base member has an arcuate profile forming a gap between a first portion of the lower surface of the base member and a second portion of the lower surface of the base member. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of feet on the lower surface of the base member. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus configured to stretch and exercise a user's back, the apparatus comprising:
 a leg support member including a generally W-shaped undulated profile having a peaked portion and two recessed portions extending outward from opposite sides of the peaked portion;   a telescoping member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end secured to the leg support member, the second end having an alignment hole;   a vertical receiving member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end configured to slidably receive the telescoping member, wherein a height of the apparatus is set by selectively aligning the alignment hole in the telescoping member with one of a plurality of holes in the vertical receiving member;   a ball joint fixedly connected to the second end of the vertical receiving member; and   a base member having an arcuate profile forming a gap between a first portion of a lower surface of the base member and a second portion of the lower surface of the base member, wherein the base member is configured to swivelably, pitchedly, and rolledly support the ball joint.   
     
     
         15 . A method of using an apparatus having a base member, a leg support member, and a vertical support assembly having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end connected to the leg support member and the second end movably connected to the base member, the method comprising:
 a user resting a portion of the user's back on a surface;   the user placing a portion of the user's legs on a portion of the leg support member; and   moving the apparatus between a first position and a second position.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein moving the apparatus comprises swiveling the leg support member between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein moving the apparatus comprises pitching the leg support member between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein moving the apparatus comprises rolling the leg support member between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein moving the apparatus comprises adjusting the height of the leg support member between the first position and the second position.