Non-invastive apparatus and method for dynamic motion therapy in a weightless environment

1 . A non-invasive method for performing dynamic motion therapy of a person in a weightless environment, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a vibration table having a non-rigidly supported platform;

(b) securing the person to the non-rigidly supported platform;

(c) subjecting the person to resonant vibrations generated by the non-rigidly supported platform; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) during a predetermined treatment duration.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

providing a chamber having the non-rigidly supported platform as a base; and

allowing the person to enter the chamber and step onto the base.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:

providing a locking mechanism to a top planar surface of the non-rigidly supported platform; and

locking a person's footwear to the non-rigidly supported platform via the locking mechanism.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises the step of applying a downward force to the person.

5 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 100 KHz

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 10 KHz.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein step (c) is performed for a predetermined period of time.

8 . The method as recited in claim 7 , wherein the predetermined period of time is approximately 10 minutes during a 24-hour period.

9 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined treatment duration is at least the duration of the weightless environment.

10 . A non-invasive apparatus for dynamic motion therapy in a weightless environment comprising:

a vibration table having a non-rigidly supported platform for generating resonant vibrations; and

means for securing a person to the non-rigidly supported platform.

11 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the means for securing comprises a chamber having the non-rigidly supported platform as a base.

12 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the means for securing comprises a locking mechanism provided on a top planar surface of the non-rigidly supported platform, wherein the locking mechanism includes means for locking footwear to the non-rigidly supported platform.

13 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the means for securing comprises a belt-strap combination.

14 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 100 KHz

15 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 10 KHz.

16 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency of 30 Hz.

17 . A non-invasive apparatus for dynamic motion therapy in a weightless environment comprising:

a vibration table having a non-rigidly supported platform for generating resonant vibrations;

means for securing a person to the non-rigidly supported platform; and

a chamber at least partially enclosing the non-rigidly supported platform and defining an interior compartment having the non-rigidly supported platform as a base.

18 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 100 KHz

19 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency in the range of 1 Hz to 10 KHz.

20 . The non-invasive apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the resonant vibrations have a frequency of 30 Hz.