The Gymnasticon was an early exercise machine resembling a

stationary bicycle A stationary bicycle (also known as exercise bicycle, exercise bike, spinning bike, spin bike, or exercycle) is a device used as exercise equipment for indoor cycling. It includes a saddle, pedals, and some form of handlebars arranged as on ...

, invented in 1796 by Francis Lowndes. Its function was to exercise the

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

s, either "in all parts of the body at once, or partially.""Gymnasticon," J. M. Good, O. Gregory, and N. Bosworth, ''Pantologia. A New (Cabinet) Cyclopaedia'' (London, 1819)
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Background

The Gymnasticon emerged from the newly developed science of

orthopedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

, originated by

Nicolas Andry Nicolas Andry de Bois-Regard (1658 – 13 May 1742) was a French physician and writer. He played a significant role in the early history of both parasitology and orthopedics, the name for which is taken from Andry's book ''Orthopédie''. Early l ...

in 1741.Sarah Bakewell, "Illustrations from the Wellcome Institute Library: Medical Gymnastics and the Cyriax Collection," ''Medical History'' 41 (1997), 487–495. It was an early example of a series of new technologies in

gymnastics Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...

that would lead to the development of

physical therapy Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, pat ...

in the nineteenth century. Lowndes, the device's inventor, had previously established himself as an authority on

medical electricity Electrotherapy is the use of electrical energy as a medical treatment. In medicine, the term ''electrotherapy'' can apply to a variety of treatments, including the use of electrical devices such as deep brain stimulators for neurological disea ...

, the use of

electricity Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as describe ...

as a therapy for both disease and injury. His book ''Observations on Medical Electricity,'' published in 1787, contained descriptions of a number of cases "in which electricity has either cured the disease, or given great relief."''The Monthly Review'', vol. 77 (1787), 240
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Mechanism

The Gymnasticon depended on a set of

flywheel A flywheel is a mechanical device which uses the conservation of angular momentum to store rotational energy; a form of kinetic energy proportional to the product of its moment of inertia and the square of its rotational speed. In particular, as ...

s that connected the wooden

treadle A treadle (from oe, tredan, "to tread") is a mechanism operated with a pedal for converting reciprocating motion into rotating motion. Along with cranks, treadmills, and treadwheels, treadles allow human and animal machine power in the a ...

s for the feet to cranks for the hands, which could drive each other or operate independently."Specification of the Patent granted to Francis Lowndes," ''The Repertory of Patent Inventions'', London: T. G. Underwood, 1797, 88–93
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The figure on the right shows the inner workings of the machines. Labels ''A'', ''B'', ''C'', and ''D'' show the structural frame. The treadles are marked ''E'', and are connected to the frame by metal brackets or cocks (''F''), derived from clockmaking. "Each treadle has two, and the centered Screws which pass through them embrace the cross, or lower extremities of the treadle-lifters, ''GG'', so as to admit of easy motion." The lower cranks, labeled ''I'', are adjustable, to suit the needs of the patient, as are the upper cranks, ''K''. The upper cranks are connected to the lower by means of two flywheels (''M''); a band fixing the motion of the two together can be attached or removed as needed. Figures 2 and 3 represent the means of connecting the treadles and handles, respectively, to the central system. ''O'' is the treadle's "divided head, with the upper division or cap screwed down. ''P'' is a spring or a spring-board, destined to give action to the joints and muscles of the feet. The front or toe extremities of these spring-boards are held by springs, or cocks and centered points, fixed to each of the treadle-boards ''E E''; their back or heel extremities are left loose, to admit of elevation, when the springs are compressed (by the floor or any other means employed) by the descent of the treadles ''E E''". ''N'' is a crank allowing external operation.

Uses

In his patent, Lowndes described the machine as intended simply "to give and apply motion and exercise, voluntary or involuntary, to the limbs, joints, and muscles of the human body. A magazine article at the time noted, however, that Lowndes had claimed success in using the machine to treat "

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of a red, tender, hot and swollen joint, caused by deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. Pain typically comes on rapidly, reaching maximal intens ...

palsy Palsy is a medical term which refers to various types of paralysisDan Agin, ''More Than Genes: What Science Can Tell Us About Toxic Chemicals, Development, and the Risk to Our Children;; (2009), p. 172. or paresis, often accompanied by weakness a ...

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including ar ...

, debility,

contraction Contraction may refer to: Linguistics * Contraction (grammar), a shortened word * Poetic contraction, omission of letters for poetic reasons * Elision, omission of sounds ** Syncope (phonology), omission of sounds in a word * Synalepha, merged ...

, etc."''The Monthly Magazine'', vol. 4 (1798), 477
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It was specifically designed for the sick, with an external crank that could be used to force involuntary motion in the joints of a person too disabled to work the machine alone.''The Monthly Magazine'', vol. 2 (1796), 799
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However, its ability to provide exercise for people forced to be sedentary by circumstances (such as students) made it useful for the healthy as well.

References

{{reflist Exercise equipment