Head, neck and shoulder therapeutic exercise device

Abstract

A head, neck and shoulder therapeutic exercise device which mechanically assists the human head and neck with intermittent rearward/forward movement in order to help correct or attenuate by means of muscular conditioning the cervical misalignment associated with forward head and flexible cervical lordosis. Mounted on a chair, an adjustable frame supports above the patient's head a motor assembly in fixed position and a motion-assist assembly which is horizontally moveable. The latter comprises in part a roller block with affixed roller bearing plate extending down behind the patient's head. The motor shaft, also behind the patient's head, has a cam which rides against a roller bearing in the roller bearing plate. As the cam's high side rotates against the bearing, the bearing plate moves away from the patient, thereby transferring rearward tension to the head by means of stretchable straps attached to said bearing plate and placed around the patient's forehead and chin. Each rotation of the cam is briefly halted by a timer when the head is in retracted position. After a holding phase, the rotation resumes, returning everything to original position. The head displacement distance is controlled by variously sized interchangeable cams. During therapy, the patient tries to do chin tuck exercises to accompany the cyclic mechanical movement.