Adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit

1 . An adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit comprising:

a bar being elongated and resiliently flexible;

said bar comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;

a holding structure being disposed on a central portion of said bar and configured to permit a user to manually grip and hold said bar and move said bar in an oscillating manner to cause said bar to flex and said first end portion and said second end portion to move back and forth and thereby generate forces that cause muscle contractions in parts of the body of the user to exercise parts of the body of the user;

a plurality of weights being configured to be detachably connected to said bar at said first end portion and said second end portion to cause greater flexing of said bar and greater forces on parts of the body to exercise parts of the body in a more strenuous manner than would occur with solely said bar;

each of said plurality of weights being attachable and detachable to said bar to permit a therapist or the user to vary the total weight at each of said first end portion and said second end portion in accordance with a physical therapy or exercise program suitable for the user's strength, health, age, and/or physical therapy or exercise needs;

wherein said plurality of weights comprises at least two weights each having a different weight;

wherein said bar comprises layers of hook-and-loop material configured to detachably connect with layers of hook-and-loop material on said plurality of weights; and

wherein one of said layers of hook-and-loop material is disposed on opposing surfaces of each of said first end portion and said second end portion to permit detachable connection of said plurality of weights on said opposing surfaces.

2 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of weights comprises two layers of hook-and-loop material on opposing sides to permit detachable connection of weights in a stacked manner.

3 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 2 , wherein said bar is in the shape of an elongated rectangular strip and said plurality of weights are in the shape of rectangular blocks.

4 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 3 , wherein said bar and said plurality of weights comprise wood or plastic or composite material.

5 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 4 , wherein each of said plurality of weights is 0.25 to 0.625 inch thick, is 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide, is 2 to 6 inches long, and weighs 0.5 to 1.0 ounce.

6 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of weights comprise a set of small weights, a set of medium weights being heavier than said small weights, and a set of large weights being heavier than said medium weights.

7 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 6 , wherein:

said bar comprises a plurality of bar layers that are stackable to permit formation of a bar of different thicknesses and stiffnesses;

said holding structure comprises a wrap made of fabric or elastic material and configured to be wrapped around said plurality of bar layers to hold said plurality of bar layers together; and

said wrap comprises one of: adhesive material to semi-permanently connect said plurality of bar layers together or hook-and-loop material to detachably connect said plurality of bar layers together.

8 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of bar layers is 0.2 to 0.3 inch thick, is 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide, is 40 to 56 inches long, and weighs 5 to 8 ounces.

9 . An adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit comprising:

a bar being elongated and resiliently flexible;

said bar comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;

a holding structure being disposed on a central portion of said bar and configured to permit a user to manually grip and hold said bar and move said bar in an oscillating manner to cause said bar to flex and said first end portion and said second end portion to move back and forth and thereby generate forces that cause muscle contractions in parts of the body of the user to exercise parts of the body of the user;

a plurality of weights being configured to be detachably connected to said bar at said first end portion and said second end portion to cause greater flexing of said bar and greater forces on parts of the body to exercise parts of the body in a more strenuous manner than would occur with solely said bar;

each of said plurality of weights being attachable and detachable to said bar to permit a therapist or the user to vary the total weight at each of said first end portion and said second end portion in accordance with a physical therapy or exercise program suitable for the user's strength, health, age, and/or physical therapy or exercise needs;

wherein said bar comprises a plurality of bar layers that are stackable to permit formation of a bar of different thicknesses and stiffnesses;

wherein said holding structure comprises a wrap made of fabric or elastic material and configured to be wrapped around said plurality of bar layers to hold said plurality of bar layers together; and

wherein said wrap comprises one of: adhesive material to semi-permanently connect said plurality of bar layers together or hook-and-loop material to detachably connect said plurality of bar layers together.

10 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of weights comprises at least two weights each having a different weight.

11 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein said bar is in the shape of an elongated rectangular strip and said plurality of weights are in the shape of rectangular blocks.

12 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein said bar and said plurality of weights comprise wood or plastic or composite material.

13 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of weights is 0.25 to 0.625 inch thick, is 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide, is 2 to 6 inches long, and weighs 0.5 to 1.0 ounce.

14 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of weights comprise a set of small weights, a set of medium weights being heavier than said small weights, and a set of large weights being heavier than said medium weights.

15 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of bar layers is 0.2 to 0.3 inch thick, is 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide, is 40 to 56 inches long, and weighs 5 to 8 ounces.

16 . An adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit comprising:

a bar being elongated and resiliently flexible;

said bar comprising a first end portion and a second end portion;

a holding structure being disposed on a central portion of said bar and configured to permit a user to manually grip and hold said bar and move said bar in an oscillating manner to cause said bar to flex and said first end portion and said second end portion to move back and forth and thereby generate forces that cause muscle contractions in parts of the body of the user to exercise parts of the body of the user;

a plurality of weights being configured to be detachably connected to said bar at said first end portion and said second end portion to cause greater flexing of said bar and greater forces on parts of the body to exercise parts of the body in a more strenuous manner than would occur with solely said bar;

each of said plurality of weights being attachable and detachable to said bar to permit a therapist or the user to vary the total weight at each of said first end portion and said second end portion in accordance with a physical therapy or exercise program suitable for the user's strength, health, age, and/or physical therapy or exercise needs;

wherein said bar comprises layers of hook-and-loop material configured to detachably connect with layers of hook-and-loop material on said plurality of weights; and

wherein one of said layers of hook-and-loop material is disposed on opposing surfaces of each of said first end portion and said second end portion to permit detachable connection of said plurality of weights on said opposing surfaces.

17 . The adjustable physical therapy and exercise kit of claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of weights comprises two layers of hook-and-loop material on opposing sides to permit detachable connection of weights in a stacked manner.