An exercise assistive device to help a developmentally developed person, or a
physically or neurologically impaired person, such as a child or adult, develop
vestibular balance and muscle control, so that the person can learn to perform
mobility activities, such as crawling, sitting upright, standing or walking. The
device includes a support frame supporting a body suit that is moved longitudinally,
and optionally transversely and rotationally. The body suit may be optionally spinally
supported. The body suit is optionally suspended from either a hand-held frame,
like a marionette, or from a floor-mounted, wall-mounted or ceiling mounted frame
with a glidable support dolly. Flexible connector straps are provided between the
body suit and body suit glidable support dolly and made of a material such as reinforced
fabric, elastic or canvas. These connector straps are positioned in spaced-apart
relation to one another about the body suit. The body suit is suspended from the
seat-support leg by the connector straps that extend between the body suit and
fasteners. The fasteners upon the body suit are strategically placed to assist
the person assume various postural positions ranging from the upright sitting or
standing position, such as at the shoulders, to oblique or horizontal crawling
quadruped positions. The person may be encouraged to travel forward, backward or
sideways by sensory attractive items, such as mirrors, toys, netting arrays or
pull bars.
