WO1995011643A1

WO1995011643A1 - Method and device for back rehabilitation

Info

Publication number: WO1995011643A1
Application number: PCT/FI1994/000483
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sakari Karjalainen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-10-26
Filing date: 1994-10-26
Publication date: 1995-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 1996-04-26
Also published as: FI945024A0; FI945024A7; FI945024L; AU7995394A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for relieving spinal column tensions, in which method the patient is suspended from a rack above him so that around the patient's diaphragm and middle is fastened a vest (8), from which suspension links (18) on the backside, the patient is suspended in a support above enabling the suspension of the patient in an essentially stooped position.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR BACK REHABILITATION

The invention relates to a method and a device for the reha¬ bilitation of the back.

The vertebrae of the spinal column comprise bone processes or prominences projecting backwards and sidewards to attach muscles and ligaments. The processes are called pedicle, lamina, transverse process and spinous process. Between the vertebral arches there are openings, through which the spi¬ nal cord nerves pass. From both sides of the spinal cord comes one big and several smaller nerves and blood vessels, that pass through these openings. Between the vertebrae there is a disk. Although the nerves and the arteries and the veins are well protected, they can easily be damaged. The disk mass can e.g. be flatten, swell or be dislocated, the joint of the articular process can swell, the spinous processes can be hooked. When this happens, the openings where the blood vessels and the nerves pass can be reduced, causing pain and/or ache. Aneurysms i.e. varicoses can be formed in the blood vessels. Because the nerve tracks are in connection with the feet through the pelvis, the back pain radiates also to the foot. The feeling of pain in the lower back is due to the fact that the biggest lumbar nerve passes via the lumbar vertebrae, by which already small changes in the bones or disks can cause pressure on the nerves and the blood vessels. The joining of the spinal column to the rigid pelvis in the point of the lumbar vertebrae can also cause pain.

Different devices have been developed for the relieve of muscular tension and the traction of the back. An example of such devices is e.g. a bench, which can be turned so that the patient is more or less with his head down on the desk level. The patient has been attached to hang from his feet. Such a bench can prove detrimental especially to persons suffering of high blood pressure, as the patient's head is downwards during the traction. The body weight can cause additional joint exertion. Different vertical supports have also been developed, having in their upper end a crossbar, from which the patient can hang from his hands either with his feet on the ground or off the ground, the floor. In such a traction the patient's back is essentially straight and demands strong arms.

The method, device and vest according to the invention pro¬ vide a decisive improvement of the above mentioned disadvan- tages. The embodiment of the method of the invention is characterized in what is presented in claim 1, and of the device in what is presented in claim 7, and of the vest in what is presented in claim 12.

The objective of the device and the method according to the invention is to relieve tensions in the back. The lifting of the patient can be made from the right spot. The knees can be bent. The lifting device can be evenly attached to the body. The lengths of the device parts can be adjusted accor- ding to the measures of the patient. The traction does not require any arm strength of the patient. The arms will not grow numb, as the west is not supported from the armpit.

The invention is below described in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings:

Fig. 1 presents a side view of a device according to the invention.

Fig. 2A presents a front view of the device. Fig. 2B presents a front view of the knee-support

Fig. 3 presents the vest from beneath

Fig. 4 presents a top view of the vest

Fig. 5 presents a side view of the vest.

The device according to the invention comprises a frame 1, having a mainly at least from its upper part essentially vertical, telescopically extendable upper-body support 2, the lower part 5 of which is oblique in relation to the sup- port 2, a foot-support 3, projecting away from the lower part 5, and which is pivotable in relation to the lower part 5, and a lower-body turning device 4, which means that the foot-support is pivotable essentially in horizontal direc- tion, i.e. the foot-support is jointed to the lower part. The turning of the foot-support into side-position, in which the feet are pivoted to the left or right side from the rest of the body, can be implemented by using gravity. As the axle of the bar or shaft 9 fixed from its one end to the foot-support 10, is mounted in bearings laterally pivotable from its one end to the frame 1, e.g. by axle boxes or to the bottom part of the device, it can easily be pivoted, which reduces the tension on the muscles subject to the traction. A groove in the frame 1 is provided for the moving of the shaft.

From the upper-body support 2, 2 are projecting two brackets 7, 7 or only one intermediate bracket essentially in the middle of the supports, for the suspension by e.g. chains of the patient wearing the vest 8, having fixing hooks for the attachment of the chain at a distance from the support 2.

When the patient enters the device, he first sits down into the seat 6, the height of which is adjustable, and his knees are placed on top of the knee-support in a bent position. Thereafter he puts on the vest, and fastens it around him by e.g. adhesive strips. Air is blown into predetermined por¬ tions of the vest, by which the tension of the vest on the body is levelled and concentrated while lifting the patient. The vest is fixed on the patient's back to the brackets 7, 7, by e.g. a chain. When the patient wearing the vest fixed to the brackets is lifted by a power source connected to the device so that the upper-body support is extended or the seat is lowered, the patient remains hanging while he is supported both by the brackets of the upper-body support and by the knee-supports. Lifting from the vest causes the pa¬ tient to be in a stooped position, in which the tensions of the back are relieved. A simultaneous massage of the lower back is enabled, as there is space between the upper-body supports, as presented in Fig. 2, and the vest is not ex¬ tending to the lower back. When the tensions have first been relieved, the result of the massage in a non-tension state is more advantageous, as is known.

The upper-body support 2 or supports 2, 2 can be made from two within each other placed tubes, by which the moving of the inner tube provides for adjustment of the length of the support. The position of the tubes can be secured by e.g. a cotter. The height of the foot-support can be adjusted cor¬ respondingly. The foot-support can also be pivoted in side direction. All these measures can naturally be controlled by different driving and operating devices.

The foot-support can in a front view comprises e.g. a later¬ ally pivotable shaft 9 of the frame 1, and of a perpendicu¬ lar approximately 0 to 25° pivotably attached upwards pro¬ jecting support (10). From the fixing point of the portion 9 and the frame 1, the foot-support can be mounted to pivot laterally, by which the foot-support is at its highest in the front of the device and is descending when pivoted to the sides. Supports 3 for the knees are provided in the foot-support. From there is provided the jointed shaft 21, with the handle 22 in its end, for e.g. steering of the de¬ vice. The vest 8 comprises several compartments, that can be filled with gas or air. By regulating the air quantities in the different compartments, the tightening of the vest around the body can be adjusted.

The Figs. 3 to 5 present a vest 8, from which the patient is placed to hang from a rack. The edge of the vest is surroun¬ ded by a hem 11. For the filling of the vest with air is provided a valve 19. The suspensions links 18 are placed in the upper part of the vest on the back side, so that the suspension height can be adjusted. The reinforcement plate 17 is placed in the middle of the vest so that the suspen¬ sion straps 12 to the suspension links 18 starts from them. and the air cushions/chambers 13 and 14 projecting to the front and the sides of the body are placed on both sides of the reinforcement plate 17, which is e.g. a thin plywood. Adhesive strips 15 and 16 at opposite ends are provided for 5 the fastening of the vest. The air cushions 13 and 14 are hot sealed from their edges and the cushions 13 and 14 are often attached by hot seal rings from their one surface to the bottom cloth 21 of the vest. When filled with air, the air cushions come on top of the vest edge in the upper part 10 of the vest, thus securing that the vest edge does not press on the patient being lifted.

The reinforcement plate is sewed to the middle part of the vest. The vest angle is favorably approx. 45°, e.g. 30 to

15 60°. The opposite angle is the angle β which is approx. 60°, e.g. 50 to 70°. Vertically beneath the air cushions 13 and 14 can be formed small air compartments to keep the cloth of the vest especially on both sides of the reinforcement plate straight so that wrinkles are not formed when lifting.

2.0

The vest can be attached to the frame of the device. The vest thus supports the back to remain straight in side view, although the patient's feet are pivoted laterally. This pre¬ vents the turning of the patient's back when turning his

25 feet laterally.

The air cushions 13 and 14 can also be extended to the point of the adhesive strips 15, 16, or horizontal air cushions can be placed in the vicinity so that the breastbone stress 30 area of the vest can be expanded, however so that support is not taken from the chest. The air cushions 13, 14 can be formed into several almost vertical bags at the hot seal rings, to prevent the wrinkling of the cloth when lifting.

35 Fig. 2 presents by dashed lines the expanded opening from which the patient can be massaged.

Please note that the invention has above been presented with reference to only one of its favorable embodiments. The in¬ vention is not to be considered as so limited, but several modifications within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims are possible.

Claims

1. A method for the traction of the spinal column, in which method the patient is suspended from a rack above him, characterized in that around the patient's diaphragm and middle is fastened a vest provided with suspension links on the back side from which the patient is suspended in a sup¬ port above to enable the suspension of the patient in an essentially stooped position.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the feet are placed on top of a foot-support so that the knees are bent.

3. A method according to the claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the height of the support is adjusted.

4. A method according to the claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the compartments (13, 14) of the vest are filled with gas.

5. A method according to any of the claims 1 to 4, charac¬ terized in that the foot-support (3) is supported in one end of the bar rigidly and that the other end of the bar is at- tached pivotably to the frame.

6. A method according to any of claims above, characterized in that the foot-support in the upper position of the bar, which is horizontal in a certain angle, is higher than in side position.

7. A vest for a spinal column traction device, the vest hav¬ ing fixing hooks (18) for the lifting from the vest, vest fixing means (16) for the fastening around the body, characterized in that the vest is provided with air cushions/chambers (13, 14) for the division of the lifting load to a broader area on both sides of the reinforcement plate (17) , which has a predetermined shape and remains on the back side.

8. A vest according to claim 7, characterized in that the compartments (13, 14) of the vest to be filled with gas com- prises longitudinal compartments, while the chamber to be filled by air is essentially of the same width as the vest.

9. A vest according to claim 8, characterized in that two of the longitudinal compartments of the vest to be filled with gas are placed under the armpits when the vest is worn cor¬ respondingly against the should blade, however not support¬ ing on the armpit, and beneath the longitudinal compartments are provided smaller compartments than the longitudinal com¬ partments.

10. A vest according to the claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the reinforcement plate (17) is between the compart¬ ments (13, 14) to be filled with air, and the sidewalls of the reinforcement plate (17) bordering to the compartment are in a certain angle to the compartment (13, 14) forming a V-shape when extending down the wall.

11. A vest according to claim 10, characterized in that the compartments (13 or 14) are connected with each other.

12. A device for the traction of the spinal column, comprising essentially a vertical support (10), having at its upper end brackets (7, 7) projecting to a distance from the support, from which brackets the patient can be lifted to hang to from the fixing points (12) on the upper-back side of the back of the west (8) he is wearing, character¬ ized in to the support (10) has been attached at an interval a foot-support (3) at a predetermined height on the same side as the suspension hooks (18), to enable the resting of the knees against it in the seat position.

13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that the support (10) comprises two vertical supports at an in- terval from each other at least essentially in the area of the lower back.

14. A device according to claim 13, characterized in that the height of foot-support (3) and the support (10) is ver¬ tically adjustable.

15. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that a seat (6) has been attached to the device, the height of which is favorably adjustable.

16. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that the foot-support (3, 10) is pivotably supported by the shaft (9) in the frame (1) , so that the axle of the shaft is in an oblique angle in relation to the horizontal direction and so that the foot-support is highest when the foot-support is in front of the support (10).