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An exercise glove for intrinsic muscles and method of use. The exercise glove incorporates rigid ribs having rib distal end angles corresponding to patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angles. The ribs passively hold the patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angles in extension, while the patient activ

An exercise glove for intrinsic muscles and method of use. The exercise glove incorporates rigid ribs having rib distal end angles corresponding to patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angles. The ribs passively hold the patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angles in extension, while the patient actively flexes the proximal interphalangeal joints and distal interphalangeal joints to obtaining optimal intrinsic muscle stretching. The rib distal end angles may be set by a physical therapist to correspond to individual patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angles, or alternately an array of ribs of different rib distal end angles may be provided with the exercise glove, from which rib assortment the physical therapist may choose ribs having appropriate rib distal end angles ribs to attach to the exercise glove. The method includes the steps of using the exercise glove to passively hold metacarpal phalangeal joints in extension, while actively flexing proximal and distal interphalangeal joints.

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I claim: 1. An exercise glove for intrinsic muscles comprising a glove body encasing a hand void, at least one glove finger at one end of said glove body, each said at least one glove finger being attached at one end to said glove body, a glove thumb aperture in said glove body, an adjustable plast

I claim: 1. An exercise glove for intrinsic muscles comprising a glove body encasing a hand void, at least one glove finger at one end of said glove body, each said at least one glove finger being attached at one end to said glove body, a glove thumb aperture in said glove body, an adjustable plastically deformable rigid rib associated with each said glove finger comprising a rib distal end and a rib proximal end, whereby said rib maintains it shape after being plastically deformed, means of attaching each said rib distal end to a respective said glove finger, and means of attaching each said rib proximal end to said glove body, whereby said rib may hold only a respective metacarpal phalangeal joint within said glove at a maximum available angle of extension, and wherein a proximal interphalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal joint remain free to be exercised. 2. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 1 wherein each said rib further comprises a rib distal end angle measuring between 0 and 45 degrees, whereby a physical therapist may set said rib distal end angle to equal a metacarpal phalangeal joint angle in a patient using the plastically deformable rigid material of said rib. 3. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 2 wherein said means of attaching each said rib distal end to a respective glove finger comprises a glove finger pocket attached to each said glove finger, each said rib distal end being sized to fit into a corresponding said glove finger pocket. 4. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 2 wherein said means of attaching each said rib proximal end to said glove body comprises hook and loop material on said rib proximal end mating with hook and loop material on said glove body. 5. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 4 wherein said glove further comprises a glove wrist attached to an end of said glove body opposite said at least one glove finger, and a glove wrist strap around said glove wrist, whereby said exercise glove may be more securely attached to a patient hand. 6. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 4 wherein said glove further comprises a glove back strap covering each said rib proximal end, said glove back strap being attached to said glove body by means of hook and loop material on said glove back strap mating with the same strip of hook and loop material to which each said rib proximal end is attached, whereby said glove body may be held in close proximity to a patient hand. 7. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 6 further comprising a glove ring attached to said glove body, said glove back strap passing through said glove ring prior to being attached to said glove body. 8. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 2 further comprising at least one rib tool, each said rib tool comprising a rib tool aperture sized to admit said rib distal end or said rib proximal end, whereby leverage may be brought to bear on said rib to adjust said rib distal end angle. 9. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 3 further comprising a glove finger pocket strap encircling each said glove finger and corresponding said glove finger pocket, whereby an attachment of said rib distal end to a corresponding said glove finger may be re-enforced. 10. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 2 further comprising an elastic member corresponding to each said glove finger, a glove back on one side of said glove body, and a glove front on an opposite side of said glove body, each said rib being attached to said glove back, each said elastic member being attached at one end to a location on said glove front corresponding to a thenar imminence base in a patient hand inside said exercise glove, and an elastic member loop attached to an end of each said elastic member opposite said thenar imminence base, each said elastic member loop being sized to admit a middle finger segment of a patient finger. 11. A method of use for an exercise glove for intrinsic muscles, said exercise glove comprising a glove body encasing a hand void, glove fingers at one end of said glove body, a glove thumb aperture in said glove body, a plastically deformable rigid rib associated with each said glove finger comprising a rib distal end disposed at a rib distal end angle relative to a rib proximal end, whereby said rib maintains it shape after being plastically deformed, means of attaching each said rib distal end to a respective glove finger, and means of attaching each said rib proximal end to said glove body, said method of use comprising the steps of: A. Bending each said rib distal end angle to substantially equal a corresponding patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle; B. Donning said exercise glove by a patient by inserting a patient hand into said hand void, a patient finger into each said glove finger, and a patient thumb through said glove thumb aperture; C. Allowing said exercise glove to rigidly hold only each said patient metacarpal phalangeal joint in extension; and D. Actively flexing patient proximal interphalangeal joints and distal interphalangeal joints, whereby patient intrinsic muscles may be stretched. 12. The method of claim 11 comprising the further step of extending said patient proximal interphalangeal joints and distal interphalangeal joints following their flexion in step D. 13. The method of claim 11 comprising the further steps of removing each said rib from said exercise glove prior to setting its rib distal end angle, and then re-attaching each said rib distal end to a respective glove finger and each said rib proximal end to said glove body. 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said means of attaching each said rib distal end to a respective glove finger comprises a glove finger pocket attached to each said glove finger, each said rib distal end being sized to fit into a corresponding said glove finger pocket, and said method of use comprises the further step of attaching said rib distal end to said glove finger by inserting said rib distal end into a corresponding said glove finger pocket. 15. The method of claim 11 wherein said means of attaching each said rib proximal end to said glove body comprises hook and loop material on said rib proximal end mating with hook and loop material on said glove body, and said method of use comprises the further step of attaching said rib proximal end to said glove body by mating said hook and loop material on said rib proximal end with said hook and loop material on said glove body. 16. The method of claim 12 comprising the further step of measuring a maximum patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle prior to each exercise session, setting a corresponding rib distal end angle to substantially equal said maximum patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle, and concluding said exercise sessions when said maximum patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle ascends to a normal or desired value. 17. The method of claim 12 wherein said exercise glove further comprises an elastic member corresponding to each said glove finger, each said elastic member being attached at one end to a location on said glove body corresponding to a thenar imminence base in a patient hand inside said exercise glove, and an elastic member loop attached to an end of each said elastic member opposite said thenar imminence base, each said elastic member loop being sized to admit a patient middle finger segment, and said method comprises the further step of inserting a middle finger segment of a patient finger into a corresponding said elastic member loop prior to passively flexing said patient proximal interphalangeal joints, whereby a stretching value to said patient intrinsic muscles may be increased. 18. The method of claim 13 comprising the further step of setting each rib distal end angle using a pair of rib tools, each said rib tool comprising a rib tool aperture sized to admit said rib distal end or said rib proximal end, inserting a rib proximal end in one said rib tool aperture and inserting a rib distal end in another said rib tool aperture, and using said rib tools to set a rib distal angle. 19. A method of use for an exercise glove for intrinsic muscles, said exercise glove comprising a glove body encasing a hand void, glove fingers at one end of said glove body, a glove thumb aperture in said glove body, a plurality of rigid ribs, each said rib comprising a rib distal end disposed at a rib distal end angle relative to a rib proximal end, means of attaching each said rib distal end to a respective glove finger, and means of attaching each said rib proximal end to said glove body, said method of use comprising the steps of: A. Selecting, from a plurality of said ribs, one said rib having a rib distal end angle substantially equal to a corresponding patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle; B. Attaching the selected rib to said exercise glove adjacent a patient finger associated with said corresponding patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle; C. Donning said exercise glove by a patient by inserting a patient hand into said hand void, a patient finger into each said glove finger, and a patient thumb through said glove thumb aperture; D. Allowing said exercise glove to rigidly hold only each said patient metacarpal phalangeal joint in extension; and E. Actively flexing patient proximal interphalangeal joints and distal interphalangeal joints, whereby patient intrinsic muscles may be stretched. 20. An exercise glove for intrinsic muscles comprising a glove body with at least one glove finger, each said glove finger being sized to encase a patient proximal finger segment, a rigid rib comprising a rib distal end and a rib proximal end, each said rib distal end being attached to a corresponding glove finger, and each said rib being attached to said glove body each said rib comprising a rib distal end angle between said rib distal end and said rib proximal end, each said rib distal end angle being set to equal a corresponding patient metacarpal phalangeal joint angle, whereby patient metacarpal phalangeal joints are rigidly held in extension while the patient may actively flex proximal interphalangeal joints and distal interphalangeal joints, in order to obtain optimal stretch of said intrinsic muscles. 21. The exercise glove for intrinsic muscles of claim 20 wherein each said rib extends substantially from a corresponding said glove finger to a location on said glove opposite a patient thumb pertaining to a patient hand disposed within said exercise glove, and wherein each said rib is substantially parallel to said at least one glove finger.