Exercise for users with limb differences
A brace can be used to make it easier for people with lower limb differences to engage in an active lifestyle. The brace can have a body that is sized to wrap around a portion of a human limb (e.g., a residual limb). The body can have an undulating shape. When the brace is wrapped around a human limb, lateral end regions of the body can overlap and can be connected to each other. In this configuration, the brace can have a substantially conical shape. The brace can be a part of a system and/or a kit.
1 . A system comprising: a brace including: a body sized to wrap around a portion of a human limb, the body having a proximal side and a distal side, the proximal side and the distal side being spaced from and opposite each other, the body having an undulating shape, where the proximal side and the distal side undulate in substantially the same direction; a first connector provided in a first end region of the body; and a second connector provided in a second end region of the body, when the first connector and the second connector are attached, the brace is held in a closed configuration in which the brace has a substantially conical shape; a control unit; and a resistance member having a first end operatively connected to the brace and a second end operatively connected to the control unit, the resistance member being a strap that does not stretch or exhibits minimal stretch, the control unit being configured to measure a force exerted on the resistance member by a user.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the resistance member includes a first segment and a second segment.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first segment includes a receiver, and wherein the second segment includes a tongue, and wherein the tongue is configured to be operatively connected to the receiver, whereby the first segment and the second segment can be selectively coupled and decoupled from each other.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further including a third connector configured to attach the brace to the resistance member.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the third connector includes a strap defining a loop through which a portion of the body is received.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to vary a resistance on the resistance member.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the control unit includes an input interface that enables a user to set a resistance of the resistance member.
8 . The system of claim 1 , further including a light, and wherein the control unit is configured to:
determine when a force exerted on the resistance member exceeds a threshold; and
cause the light to be activated.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further including a speaker, and wherein the control unit is configured to:
determine when a force exerted on the resistance member exceeds a threshold; and
cause the speaker to emit an audial indicator.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes a generator for generating electrical energy to power the control unit, and wherein the control unit does not have a battery.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the undulating shape is a multi-v shape or a multi-u shape.
12 . The system of claim 1 , further including a connecting member, wherein the connecting member is configured to be connected to the control unit and to a fixed structure.
13 . The system of claim 1 , further including a retractor operatively connected to the resistance member, and wherein the retractor is configured to retract the resistance member to a non-extended position.
14 . A brace comprising:
a body sized to wrap around a portion of a human limb, the body having a proximal side and a distal side, the proximal side and the distal side being spaced from and opposite each other, the body having an undulating shape where the proximal side and the distal side undulate in substantially the same direction;
a first connector provided in a first lateral end region of the body; and
a second connector provided in a second lateral end region of the body,
the body having an open configuration and a closed configuration,
when the first connector and the second connector are connected, the brace is held in the closed configuration where the brace has a substantially conical shape.
15 . The brace of claim 14 , wherein the undulating shape is a multi-v shape or a multi-u shape.
16 . The brace of claim 14 , further including a third connector configured to attach the brace to a resistance member.
17 . The brace of claim 14 , wherein, when the brace is in the closed configuration, a first opening in defined in the proximal side and a second opening is defined in the distal side, whereby the human limb is simultaneously receivable within the first opening and the second opening.
18 . A kit comprising: a brace including a body sized to wrap around a portion of a human limb, the body having a proximal side and a distal side, the proximal side and the distal side being spaced from and opposite each other, the body having an undulating shape, where the proximal side and the distal side undulate in substantially the same direction, the brace including a first connector and a second connector provided in opposing lateral end regions of the body, when the first connector and the second connector are connected, the brace is held in a closed configuration in which the brace has a substantially conical shape; a resistance member being a strap that does not stretch or exhibits minimal stretch; and a control unit including a generator for generating electrical energy to power the control unit, the control unit not having a battery, the control unit being configured to cause a resistance to be applied to the resistance member, the resistance member having a first end configured for operative connection to the brace and a second end configured for operative connection to the control unit.
19 . The kit of claim 18 , further including a connecting member having a first end configured for operative connection to the control unit and a second end configured for operative connection to a fixed structure.
20 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein the second end of the resistance member is pre-attached to the control unit.