STRETCHING DEVICE

Abstract: There is disclosed according to the invention an improved device to aid in the stretching of a person's spinal column. The device comprises two telescoping U-shaped supports, forming a square shaped frame, which, preferably on the horizontally lying elements of the supports, is provided with pliable rollers. In accordance with the present invention the device's vertical telescoping leg size together with a pair of tension wires (13) are directly adjustable with the aid of a pair of adjustment screws (18) for primary adjustment bolts (10). Furthermore, a spring function is easily set by means of springs (23) in the telescoping legs with the aid of two secondary adjustment bolts (12) provided with a further pair of adjustment screws (15). By means of the instant improved development an essential self-regulation of the frame is also made possible on use due to the device's spring effect, which thus improves the function of the traction device and at the same time reduces the risk of pain on traction of the spine of the user.

Description: Stretching device Technical Field The present invention relates to a device for use in treating spinal disorders, and more specifically to a spinal traction device, also referred to as a "spinal tractor", which aids in the stretching of the spinal column. State of the Art Pain in the back is one of our most common national diseases There are a number of different causes for back disorders The most common reason for acute back pain is probably minor ruptures in various muscles or ligaments Other causes of pain can be small fractures in the vertebrae and inflammation around the joints in the spinal column A very common problem is injury (most often due to wear and tear) to the intervertebral disks, also named disks Said disks, which comprise a gel-like core surrounded by a tenacious cartilage ring, spread the pressure over the vertebrae and this is the area that first shows signs of ageing. The worse the disks become, the more the vertebral column shrinks when in an upright position, which eventually causes back problems and in severe cases more or less continuous pain Normally the problem is aggravated when the person is sitting or is in an upright position, since usually the spinal column is pressed together With severe back pain it is therefore essential to try to find a completely pain free position so as to rest in a satisfactory manner. A known way to achieve a restful position is for a person to lie on his/her back on the floor resting their legs up on a chair (so called back-resting position or psoas-position). However, this does not bring about a desired absolute unloaded stretching of the spinal column Normally a lying, extended position is always the most restful. Just by lying down one does not, however, achieve the complete stretching and unburdening which is desired The state of the art, even in this context, discloses a number of different devices and arrangements for relieving the burden on a person's spinal column European patent specification EP-A1-0 230 218 discloses, for instance, a rather complicated device to achieve a supported movement for a patients legs, which also relieves the spinal column The device is complicated and cannot be transported in an easy manner or be used by a person requiring temporary unburdening of the spine Another patent specification, EP-A1-0 082 112, discloses an apparatus to aid in traction of the spinal column and in softening knee and hip joints by suspending the knee joints with the aid of the device in a manner corresponding to the position with the chair under the legs The device consists, in principle, of two U-shaped frames formed by tubes, whereby the straight legs of one of the frames are inserted into the straight legs of the other frame to form a square-like structure The inserted inner tubes are each provided with a slot, in which extends a device provided with rollers for a belt for adjusting the length of the telescoping U-frames Furthermore, the device is provided with a folding support arrangement for the lower part of the legs The device according to EP-A1-0 082 218 will have the same function as that obtained by using a chair on which to rest the legs for a temporary unburdening of the spine By means of the belt the device may be collapsed to a lesser size than that needed for the back-resting position, and at once the device may be adjusted to a suitable length on use However, there is a need to achieve a traction device which to yet a higher degree serves the purpose of stretching the spinal column, while at the same time it is technically simple and thus comprises a low-cost device and which, furthermore, may be used both for spinal traction as well as for exercise to stren Όgt U hen the back muscles Description of the invention An improved device, which achieves this aim, is shown in an embodiment in accordance with the present invention The device to aid in the traction of a person's spinal column, comprises a frame consisting of two U-shaped supports forming a square frame and which, preferably, is provided with pliable rollers on the tubes forming horizontal parts of the U- shape In accordance with the present invention the vertical telescoping leg size of the device together with a pair of tension wires are directly and easily adjustable with the aid of an adjustment screw for a primary adjustment bolt in each leg Furthermore, a spring function is easily set by means of springs in the tele- scoping legs with the aid of a secondary adjustment bolt in each leg aided by a further adjustment screw. By means of the instant improved development also an essential self-regulating of the size of the frame is achieved on use due to the spring function of the device, which thereby improves the function of the traction device and at the same time reduces the risk of pain during traction of the spine of the user. The special features of the invention are disclosed in the independent claim 1, and additional embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims 2 to 6. The use of the device in accordance with the present invention is disclosed in the independent claim 7. Description of the drawings The aims, features and advantages of the present invention mentioned above shall now be made clear by means of an illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, which is described below with the aid of the drawings, where the same reference designations denote the same or corresponding elements in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an overall picture of the device in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 illustrates a side view of the device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 illustrates a starting position when using the traction device according to the invention, Fig. 4 illustrates a detailed section through one half of the device according to the present invention, its upper adjustment bolt in a position giving maximum length of the device, Fig. 5 illustrates a detailed section through one half of the device according to the present invention with its upper adjustment bolt in a position giving minimum length of the device, Fig. 6 illustrates a section through a tube element according to Fig. 4 along a line X-X, Fig. 7 illustrates a section through a tube element according to Fig. 4 along a line Y-Y, Fig. 8 illustrates in comparison with Fig 3, a further extended position using the traction device accordin 'sg to the invention, and Fig 9 illustrates a completely extended position using the traction device according to the invention, and where the device serves only as footrest. Illustrative embodiments Fig 1 illustrates an overall picture of one embodiment of the device in accordance with the present invention The device 1 consists of a frame comprising two U-shaped supports, which in accordance with the detailed section illustrated in Fig 4, each consists of a horizontal tube element. 5, 6, respectively, fastened to two vertical tube elements, 2, 3. respectively, whereb\ the vertical tube elements 3 of one of the supports are telescopically inserted into the vertical tube elements 2 of the second support, so as to form a square structure Furthermore, a roller 8 is drawn over the horizontal element 5 and/or the horizontal element 6 The roller which is drawn over the tube element, in the preferred embodiment, is about 150 mm in diameter and consists of a first, approximately 30 mm thick layer of foam plastic, and a second, approximately 30 mm thick softer layer of foam plastic The roller serves to round off the horizontal element, which provides thus a more pliable support when the device is in use than what the horizontal element without upholstering would provide By means of the basic telescopic embodiment the tube frame in itself may be size regulated in conformity with what is already known according to the state of the art (EP-A1-0 0+82 218 for example) Figs 4 and 5 illustrate detailed sections through a vertical telescoping half of the device according to the present invention and illustrates thus a pair of the two vertical telescoping tube elements 2 and 3 as well as the upper adjustment bolt 10 in lowest position, uppermost position, respectively The lower vertical tube element 3 in the figure, which is inserted in the vertical tube elements 2 of the second support, illustrates furthermore a lower adjustment bolt 12, having a fixed end plate 1 1 The end plate 1 1 is provided with a hole for a through going tension wire 13 The tension wire 13, at one of its ends is fixed to the lower end of the lower tube element 3 and is guided via a hollow adjustment screw 15 and further by means of the end plate 1 1 into the lower adjustment bolt 12 and is thereafter fixed in a lower end of the upper adjustment bolt 10 At the other end of the upper adjustment bolt 10 an adjustment screw 18 is threaded, which is fixed to the upper end of the upper tube element 2 The adjustment screw 18 is provided with a wheel 19, with which the upper adjustment bolt 10 may be continuously moved between a lowest position illustrated in Fig 4 and an uppermost position illustrated in Fig 5 In a corresponding manner there is arranged at the lower end of the tube element 3 an adjustment screw 15, through which the tension wire 13 runs The adjustment screw 15 may be turned by means of a wheel 29, whereby the position of the lower bolt 12 in the element 3 can be adjusted The control wheels 19 and 29 are in the illustrative embodiment arranged recessed in the rounded end knobs so as to be accessible from two sides, for instance Between the upper bolt 10 and the lower bolt 12 there is also arranged a spring 23, preferably a compressing spring screw, through which the tension wire 13 runs The spring 23 works to press the lower bolt and thereby the lower tube element 3 downwards at the same time as the tension wire 13 holds fast the lower tube element 3, because of its fixture to the upper bolt 10 As is shown in the cross section of the tube elements 2 and 3 illustrated in Figs 6 and 7, the tube elements 2 and 3 in the preferred embodiment are not completely cylindrical but are shaped with paired control channels 20, 21, respectively, thereby preventing the bolts 10, 12, respectively, which have a corresponding shape, from turning in the tube elements 2, 3 respectively when adjusting the position of the bolts in the respective element The tubes 2 and 3 in the preferred embodiment are finished off with a rounded part from which the respective control wheels 19 and 20 slightly abut at the smaller circumference of the tubes 2 and 3 In a simpler embodiment the tubes may also be square formed or have some kind of corresponding form which thus prevents the adjustment bolts 10 and 12 which have a corresponding shape, from turning Figure 6 illustrates a view along a section X-X in Figure 4 The cut away section of the tube element 2 illustrates also a section through the adjustment screw 18 as well as the paired control channels 20, which serve as controller for the bolts 10 in Figs 4 and 5 In the same manner Fig 7 illustrates a view along a section Y-Y in Fig 4 In Fig 7 the tube element 3 is shown with the bolt 12 lying inside, which is controlled by the paired control channels 21 in the element 3 Furthermore the end of the adjustment screw 15 is seen with the tension wire 13 running through it By means of the adjustment screw 18 and its control wheel 19, the position of the adjustment bolt is thus set in the tube 2 and thereby the total length of the telescoping tubes 2 and 3 by means of the tension wire 13. By means of the adjustment screw 15 and its control wheel 29 the position of the adjustment bolt 12 is thus set in the tube 3, which thus regulates the spiral spring's 23 compressing force on the lower tube 3. By means of the paired combination of the position of the upper telescoping adjustment bolt 10 in the paired telescoping tube elements 2 and compression of the springs 23 with the aid of the lower telescoping adjustment bolts 12 in the support's paired telescoping vertical tube elements 3, the size of the frame can be thereby adjusted at the same time as its spring effect also can be adapted because the compression force of the springs determine the force needed to press the device together still more in relation to the positioned size In other words, according to the present invention it is possible to adjust the frame in a simple manner so that on use of the device 1, in an appropriate mode it is somewhat resilient under the knees and the lower parts of the legs. With the aid of a scale (not shown) on the elements 3 it is in addition possible to easily read off a complete set length for the vertical parts of the device 1, which consist of the telescoping pair of elements 2 and 3. Fig. 3 illustrates a typical use of the traction device according to the invention taking up the "back resting position". The same position is taken at the start as with the use of a chair as described above. The spine stretcher ("spinal tractor") replaces here, for instance, the chair as described in connection with the so called back resting position or psoas-position and it is positioned after it has been suitably adapted to the user's thigh bone length, along the thigh to the knee-crease. The leg parts below the knee will then hang freely over the stretcher's padded upper edge. The lower padded roller of the stretcher will rest against the user's posterior and at the same time rests against the underlay, whereby the traction movement of the device is dependent upon the central distance between the lower roller of the device and the centre of the horizontal accumulation of both thighs in the pelvis. The person thereafter allows the device, in accordance with Fig. 8, to slowly sink down to a horizontal position, whereby the spinal column is successively stretched out in the different angles towards the horizontal plane. Such a movement must be carried out slowly and usually may take half a minute up to one minute. By means of its spring effect the device automatically becomes very pliable with the stretching movement. Because of the adjusting alterna- tives a user may determine the position which gives the most comfortable stretching out movement The sensation during traction is that pain in the back changes to a comfortable warmth and at the same time it dwindles and disappears in the legs and feet By means of the spring effect that the device according to the present invention provides additional strain in the knee creases is reduced and thereby for instance, soreness in the knee creases is avoided on repeated use of the device according to the invention When a user lies in his/her bed the stretching consequently successively continues, in accordance with Fig 9, until the person lies flat and uses the stretcher as a foot cushion As long as the person continues to he in this manner the spine continues to be stretched out It is now possible to take a sleeping position and the person may carefully remove the device What is important at this stage is not to sit up since then the spinal column is immediately pressed together B\ then lying still with the spinal column stretched out during long periods the person may rest in such a position often completely without a sensation of pain Because in this manner the spinal column is given a chance to rest for longer time periods, an improvement of general well being may also be achieved, and in cases where the trouble has its source in slight muscle ruptures, for instance, this may even help to accelerate healing In a longer perspective, the exercises in accordance with the use of the device are expected to give a person with back trouble an improved state by unburdening the spinal column and because then the spinal column under said resting periods is not over loaded in a harmful way The present invention has been described with the aid of a preferred embodiment, but it is obvious to a skilled person that it may be changed and modified in many ways without deviating from the idea of the present invention and its scope such as is defined in the attached claims

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A device for stretching the spine, which device comprises a frame consisting of two U- shaped supports, each consisting of a horizontal element attached to two vertical elements, whereby the vertical elements (3) of a first support are telescopically inserted into vertical elements (2) of a second support forming a square structure, whereby the square structure may be set to a suitable size by adjusting the telescoping vertical elements, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that each vertical element (3) in the first support with its first ends inserted in the vertical elements (2) of the second support, each comprise a first adjustment bolt (12) having an end plate ( 1 1) provided with a hole for a through-going tension wire (13) having a first end fastened to a second end of the vertical elements (3) of the first support, whereby the tension wire passes through a first adjustment screw (15) for adjusting the position of the first adjustment bolt (12) in the vertical element (3), that each vertical element (2) in the second support furthermore comprises a second adjustment screw ( 18) with which the position of a second displaceable bolt (10) is adjusted in each one of the vertical elements (2), whereby the adjustment screw (18) is supported at the end of the vertical element (2) facing away from the inserted vertical element of first support with the first adjustment bolt (12) and is threaded into a first end of the second displaceable bolt (10) the position of which in the vertical element (2) is thereby adjustable in relation to the fixing of the second adjustment screw (18) at the end of the vertical element (2) that the vertical elements (2) in the second support each comprise a spring (23) which with a first end braces against the end plate (1 1) of the first adjustable bolt (12) at the vertical element (3) of the first support which is inserted into the vertical element (2) of the second support, whereby a second end of the spring (23) rests against a second end of the displaceable second adjustment bolt (10). which furthermore secures the other end of the tension wire (13) whereby by means of a combination of the position of the second displaceable bolt (10) and by means of the tension wire (13), the size of the device may be adjusted at the same time as its spring force by means of the springs (23) adapts with the aid of the position of the first adjustment bolt (12) in the vertical element (3) of the first support. 2 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the horisontal element (6, 5) in the first and/or second support is provided with rollers (8) having a first layer of hard plastic foam and a second layer of softer plastic foam 3 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the adjustment screws (18, 15, respectively) are provided with a wheel (19, 29, respectively) recessed at the end of the vertical elements (2, 3, respectively). 4 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical elements (2, 3) are made in a shape which stops the first (12) and the second (10) adjustment bolts, which have a corresponding shape, from rotating in the vertical elements (2, 3) on adjustment of the position of the bolts in the elements with the aid of the adjustment screws (18, 15) 5 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring (23) is a compressing spring screw, through which the tension wire (13) runs 6 A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical elements (3) of the first support are each provided with a scale which is read against an end of the second support's vertical elements (2) on the outside so as to facilitate the device's vertical parts to be positioned symmetrically in size when positioning the adjustment screws (18) 7 The use of the device according to any of the previous claims, characterize d in that by means of a further adjustable spring function in the device's vertical elements it is easily possible to use the device in an effective manner for back trouble, for instance, and in a comfortable position and under a certain period stretch out and hold the spinal column extended, thereby unburdening the spine under favourable conditions

Inventors: GULLBERG BENGT, GULLBERG, BENGT
Applicants: GULLBERG BENGT, GULLBERG, BENGT
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61H1
IPC codes: A61H1