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Lumber distraction chair

Lumber distraction chair description/claims

The Lumbar Distraction Chair (hereinafter “Device”) provides relief for back pain through gravitational lumbar distraction. The constant wear and tear of the lumbar muscles leads to myofascial inflammation. This inflammation over time causes back pain. The Device provides gravitational lumbar distraction that stretches the back muscles causing them to fatigue and rest. This allows rest and recuperation of the cells. The inflammation subsides and pain is alleviated.

Initial conservative treatment includes postural improvement, physical therapy and medications. Gravity lumbar distraction is a more aggressive approach and has good results. Khalil et al. described significant improvement of pain when adding this to the treatment to physical rehabilitation. Lumbar distracters counteract gravitational effects on the back muscles. This allows for stretch, relaxation and recuperation of muscle cells.

Numerous devices that apply gravitational lumbar distraction have been manufactured and patented. Tables that have been patented include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,681 to Shanley in 1976, a tilting table apparatus with straps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,427 to Granberg in 1984, a portable table with hip and chin straps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,969 to Hamlin in 1986, a ratcheted table with hip and chin straps. U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,809 to Cuccia in 2003, a rotatable, portable table with straps. U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,501 to Mayes in 2003, a table with variable weights for lumbar distraction.

Patents have also been issued to vertical inversion gravitational lumbar distraction devices. Unfortunately these uncomfortable positions are not well tolerated because of headaches, joint pains, conjunctival petechial hemorrhages: U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,532 to Ellis in 1967. These morbidities may actually negate the therapeutic effect of the lumbar distraction. Our Device differs from the aforementioned devices because its major supportive framework is a chair rather than a table. It also provides the therapeutic gravitational lumbar distraction without the discomfort of being suspended completely vertical. With our Device, the lower half of the body is elevated by the chair while the upper half of the body is supported by the ground. This position is better tolerated.

Lower back pain is caused by repeated injury of muscle cells releasing local inflammatory mediators. The inability of these muscles to rest propagates the local inflammation. The Lumbar Distraction Chair breaks the cycle by placing the body in a relaxed position and allows the paraspinal muscles to rest and recuperate. While using the device, the back muscles are gently stretched by the gravitational pull of the body's weight. The muscles fatigue and are allowed to rest. Relaxation interrupts the inflammatory process, which causes immediate relief and initiates the healing process.

An office swivel chair provides the convenient dual usage as both a chair and a therapeutic device. The major modification to the office swivel chair is the inwards folding arm rests. Proper positioning on the device for therapeutic purposes involves two steps. First the patient lies on the ground, with his/her back resting on the floor. The patient's hips and knees are flexed, allowing the seat of the chair to fit underneath his/her legs. Next the arm rests have adjustable and lockable hinges that allow the arm pads to folded inwards and inverted to secure the patient's legs onto the seat (hereinafter “Secured Position.”)

The next step provides the lumbar distraction to the patient. The height of the seat will be elevated by the chair's height-adjustable pneumatic, telescopic stand. As a result, the patient's legs, hips and lower back will be raised two to three centimeters off the ground, applying gravitational distraction to the lumbar and sacral spine, (hereinafter “Therapeutic Position.”) While suspended, the back muscles maintain a gentle gravitational stretch which aids in relaxing the back muscles and counteracts inflammation. The patient experiences immediate relief and muscle cells begin their recovery. The lumbar distraction also lengthens the spinal canal, alleviating pain caused by a herniated nucleus pulposus. The patient will be in this position for 20 minutes, three times per day. Dismounting can be done by unlocking the arm rests from the legs and sliding the legs off the seat.

FIG. 1 is a frontal view schematic drawing of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a right side view. FIG. 2B is a right, posterior view.

FIG. 3A to C are diagrams of the preferred embodiment with the inwards folding arm rests. FIG. 3A is a left, frontal view. FIG. 3B is a left side view. FIG. 3C is a side view.

FIGS. 4A and B are schematic diagrams of a patient mounting the device attaining the Secured Position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a patient moving from the Secured Position to the Therapeutic Position.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the preferred embodiment. An office swivel chair has a major structural modification of inwards folding arm rests (number 1 to 8). The said arm rests function to secure the patient's legs onto the seat of the chair while in the Secured Position. The seat elevates and provides lumbar distraction to the patient. Therefore the modified arm rests enable the chair to convert into a therapeutic device for low back pain.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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