Knee and joint rehabilitation exercise device

Abstract

A knee rehabilitative device permits a user to provide elastic resistive stretching caused when the leg or other joint is extended or straitened, facilitating exercise and strengthening of the user's muscles and improved flexibility in the area of the knee or other joint area.

1 . A joint rehabilitation device comprising:
 a spring member; and   attaching members that secure the device on either side of a user's joint,   the spring member providing resistance when the joint is extended.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 2  wherein:
 the joint is a knee; and 
 the attaching members are configured to secure the device onto both the upper leg and lower leg of the user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the attaching members are straps. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the straps are adjustable. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one support configured to generally separate the spring member from the user's knee joint and substantially prevent the spring member from contacting the user's knee joint. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one support is made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 straps to secure the device onto both the upper and lower leg of the user; and   supports that generally separate the spring member from substantially contacting the knee joint,   the spring member providing resistance when the knee joint is extended.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the spring is configured for attachment to the front of the user's leg and knee joint to help stretch the leg. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the spring is attached to the rear of the leg and knee joint to help strengthen the leg. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a hinged brace secured to a leg   at least one elastic spring member connected to the brace at both the upper and lower leg, and   the elastic spring member is orientated along at least one side of the leg, wherein:   the elastic spring member exerts force pulling the upper and lower leg portions of the brace towards each other, such that when the knee joint is straitened the quadriceps muscle is engaged.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a hinged brace secured to a leg   a tightening device to extend the leg orientated along the front of the knee joint, wherein:   the tightening of the device causes the knee to stretch into an extended position.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a post and beam leg stretching device, and   an upper slider with extending handle grips   a mid section with an extending lower rail and an extending upper rail on which the sliders may adjust upon   a lower slider   an elastic cord member wrapped around the lower leg and connected to the lower slider, wherein:   the upper slider may be pushed down towards the lower slider in order to stretch the leg by extending the knee joint.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 2 , comprising a post and beam leg stretching device, and
 an upper slider with extending handle grips   a mid section with an extending lower rail and an extending upper rail on which the sliders may adjust upon   a lower slider   an elastic cord member wrapped around the lower leg and connected to the lower slider,   an elastic cord member wrapped around the upper leg and connected to the upper slider, wherein   the knee is extended in order to strengthen leg muscles.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the elastic spring member is wrapped around the back of the leg and attached to the mid section. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the spring member is a flat leaf spring that can be bent and flexible enough to permit a range of motion up to and including a full range of motion for the knee joint. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the spring may be orientated along either the front or back of the knee. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein, when the spring is orientated along the front of the knee, such that, when the knee is extended, the leg is stretched. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein, when the spring is orientated along the back of the knee, such that, when the knee is extended, the leg muscles associated with the knee are strengthened. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a ratcheting adjustment device, permitting the leaf spring knee brace to be tightened to adjust attachment to the leg. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 7 , comprising a spring loaded linkage, made of
 at least one pad oriented adjacent to the pivot point which touches the back of the knee,   two adjustable rigid bars with slid-able pins and pin holes, which are connectable to a pivot pin   an extension spring attachable to the two bars which exerts force when stretched, wherein the leg muscles are strengthened.   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the rigid bars have more than one set of parallel pin holes that permit adjustment of the spring tension. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20  wherein the springs may are replaceable to a adjust tension level. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20  wherein the spring is adjustable.