Device to Assist Chiropractic Manipulation and Mobilization

A device for spinal manipulation includes a base fitting within a practitioner's palm, whereby the practitioner's fingers extend beyond the base. The base is secured within the palm by a fabric strap secured around the practitioner's hand. A groove runs centrally along an application side of the base opposite a palm side of the base, the groove being in orthogonal orientation to the practitioner's fingers. A pair of contact bars are affixed to the application side of the base, with the groove positioned between each of the pair of contact bars. Preferably, the contact bars are detachably affixed to the application side of the base, whereby contact bars of varying shape and size can be used. Preferably, the fabric strap is made of elastic material, whereby the device can be rotated about the practitioner's hand or positioned above the practitioner's wrist, when the device is not in use.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM

Not Applicable

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device intended to assist with spinal manipulation and mobilization performed by chiropractors and other medical practitioners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Musculoskeletal pain including spinal (back) pain and the like represents a major source of health care expenditures and disability. Various methods and aids have been developed to address this issue. For example, braces, belts, surgical procedures, and therapy devices have been developed and are currently (or previously) available. Much of the spinal pain experienced is described as mechanical in nature and is due to decreased mobility of the spine (or parts thereof) or misalignment of individual spinal segments (vertebrae). Treatment of this condition often requires some form of mobilization or manipulation of the joints and surrounding tissues performed by specialized practitioners, including Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Osteopaths, and others who have these treatments within their ability. Due to the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, such practitioners may perform upwards of one hundred treatments each week often using only their hands. This overuse of practitioners' hands can lead to disability and/or deformity in the practitioners' hands and wrists. This leads to the need for an effective way to reduce the stress on the practitioners' hands while providing a safe and effective treatment.

The prior an includes devices that serve similar purposes, including the inventions disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,030 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,057,412. These other devices are, however, relatively large, so that the practitioners' entire hand is essentially encased within these other devices, when the devices are in use. Thus, when using these other devices, practitioners are not able use their fingertips to simultaneously palpate a patient. Such palpation can be crucial in applying proper treatment to the patient. The relatively large size of these other devices and the unyielding nature of the structures holding the devices into position on the practitioner's hand also makes it difficult for practitioners to carry these devices with them when not in use. Further, the fully integrated structures of these other devices require these other devices to be completely replaced when surfaces that come into contact with patients become worn. Also, the size and configuration of the surfaces that come into contact with patients cannot be easily varied on these other devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device to assist with spinal manipulation embodying the principles of the present invention includes a base that is sized and shaped to fit within a practitioner's palm when the device is in use. When using the device, a practitioner's fingers, thus, extend beyond the base, so the practitioner is able to simultaneously palpate a patient, allowing for more effective and accurate application of chiropractic therapy to the patient. The base of the device embodying the principles of the present invention is held into place on the practitioner's palm, when in use, by a fabric strap. Given the relatively small size of the device and the collapsible nature of the fabric strap, the device can easily be stored in a practitioner's pocket when the device is not in use. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fabric strap is made of elastic material, which also allows the practitioner to rotate the device about the practitioner's hand or to slide the device onto the practitioner's wrist or forearm, when the device is not in use.

A groove runs centrally along an application side of the base (the application side of the base being opposite a palm side of the base). The groove is in a generally orthogonal orientation to the practitioner's fingers, when the practitioner's fingers are inserted through the fabric strap. A pair of contact bars and are affixed to the application side of the base with the groove running between each of the pair of contact bars. The pair of contact bars are positioned generally in parallel to the groove. The contact bars and are made of a durable, rigid or semi-rigid material such as rubber, plastic, foam, a like material, or a combination of those materials.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of contact bars is detachably affixed to the base. This allows contact bars to be replaced when they become worn. This also allows contact bars with differing structures to be substituted onto the base, such as contact bars with an angled contact surface. The practitioner might find that different contact bar structures have particular therapeutic advantages tor treating patients suffering from various difficulties.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To provide an understanding of the basic principles of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments shown in the drawings, and specific terms will be employed to describe the same. It should be understood, however, that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Instead, the invention includes any and all such alterations and improvements of the illustrated device that would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

A device10in accordance with the present invention is shown inFIGS 1-9. The device10includes a base60having, in the preferred embodiment shown, a generally rectangular shape. Other shapes for the base60, including elliptical, circular, square, or trapezoidal, fall within the scope of the present invention. The base60is sized and shaped to fit comfortably within a practitioner's palm. With the base60seated within the practitioner's palm, a practitioner's fingers are able to extend beyond the base60and make contact with a patient, when the device10is in use. The base60is made from a rigid, durable material, preferably a plastic, although metal, ceramic, wood, or other materials may be used. The base60includes a palm side62and an application side64.

A fabric strap80, which is preferably adjustable in size, is affixed to the base60. The fabric strap80is sized and structured so that it can be secured around a practitioner's hand. Thus, the base60is held firmly within the practitioner's palm by the fabric strap80when the device10is in use. In a preferred embodiment, the fabric strap80is constructed from elastic material, which stretches in a fashion that allows the practitioner to rotate the device10around the practitioner's hand or to slide the device10above a practitioner's wrist, when the device10is not in use.

A groove50runs centrally along the application side64of the base60in generally orthogonal orientation to the practitioner's fingers, when the practitioner's fingers are inserted through the fabric strap80. A pair of contact bars20and22are affixed to the application side64of the base60with the groove50running between each of the pair of contact bars20and22. The pair of contact bars20and22are positioned generally in parallel to the groove50, one of the pair of contact bars20is also positioned generally parallel to the other one of the pair of contact bars22. The contact bars20and22are made of a durable, rigid or semi-rigid material such as rubber, plastic, foam, a like material, or a combination of those materials.

The contact bars20and22may be integrally constructed with the base60, or the contact bars20and22may permanently affixed to the application side64of the base60. In alternative embodiments, the contact bars20and22may be detachably affixed to the application side64of the base60.

In an embodiment of the device10shown inFIGS. 4-6, each of the pair of contact bars20and22are detachably affixed to the base60by means of a pair of male tabs having a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration40and42. Lower ends41and43and of the T-shaped male tabs40and42are affixed to the application, side64of the base60. In this embodiment, each of the pair of contact bars20and22also include a female slot having a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration30and32. The T-shaped female slots30and32are sized and positioned to snuggly receive the T-shaped male tabs40and42when the practitioner detachably affixes the contact bars20and22onto the base60by sliding one of the T-shaped male tabs40and42into one of the T-shaped female slots30and32.

In another alternative embodiment shown inFIGS. 7-8, the contact bars20and22are detachably affixed to the base60by means of a pair of male tabs having a generally mushroom-shaped cross-sectional configuration44and46. Lower ends45and47and of the mushroom-shaped male tabs44and46are affixed to the application side64of the base60. The upper portions of the male mushroom tabs48and49are made of temporarily compressible material. In this embodiment, each of the pair of contact bars20and22also include a female slot having a generally mushroom-shaped cross-sectional configuration34and36. The mushroom-shaped female slots34and36are sized and positioned to snuggly receive the mushroom-shaped male tabs44and46when the practitioner detachably affixes the contact bars20and22onto the base60by snapping one of the mushroom-shaped male tabs44and46into one of the mushroom-shaped female slots34and36. Similar means for detachably affixing the contact bars20and22that would be familiar to those skilled in the art fall within the scope of the present invention.

Alternative embodiments of the present invention, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 7A, include contact bars20and22with patient-contact surfaces21and23variously angled with respect to the base60. Such angled patient-contact surfaces21and23may offer therapeutic advantages to the practitioner when using the device10to treat patients. Other shapes and sizes for contact bars20and22that would be of therapeutic value fall within the scope of the present invention.

The device10is to be used by practitioners who are trained in spinal manipulation and mobilization. The device10is to be placed with the contact bars20and22touching the patient in a manner similar to the traditional technique of hand/fist contact. One technique that may utilize this device10is currently used by chiropractors and is commonly referred to as an “anterior thoracic adjustment” or a “supine thoracic adjustment” Using the device10with this technique, the practitioner would first secure the device10to the palm of their hand with the fabric, strap80. With the patient sitting, the practitioner would place the contact bars20and22on area of a patient's spine that will be adjusted and lay the patient supine on the device10and the practitioner's hand. The patient will then place their hands behind their neck with elbows pointed forward. The practitioner will then contact the patient's arms with his/her free hand and arm and deliver a thrust from anterior to posterior or as determined by the practitioner. Since technique can vary from practitioner to practitioner, it is understood that the device10can be utilized in any manipulation or mobilization as determined by the individual practitioner.

Since the size and shape of the patient can vary, it is understood that the size and shape of the device10and its components can also vary in size and shape from that shown. Since the size of the practitioner and the techniques may vary, the size and shape of the device and its components can be modified to suit the practitioner's needs. Although the device10and its components may vary, they will conform to the general depictions inFIGS. 1-9.