Patent ID: 8920352

Claim:
A lumbar-sacral orthosis comprising in combination, (a) a frontal portion; (b) a lumbar reinforcement portion, said lumbar reinforcement portion having an adjustable portion comprising (1) a relatively rigid outer base portion defining a movement axis, (2) a relatively flexible inner portion having two end portions, both said two end portions moveably and slidingly fixed to said outer base portion such that said inner portion is able to be bowed away from said outer base portion, and (3) an inflatable air bladder positioned between said inner portion and said outer base portion, and having an air conduit adapted to reversibly inflate and deflate said air bladder so as to thereby move said end portions reversibly toward and away from one another along said movement axis; (c) at least one strap adapted to connect said frontal portion to said lumbar reinforcement portion, and (d) at least one guide member that couples said outer base portion to said inner portion, wherein one of said outer base portion and said inner portion comprises at least one guiding structure configured to operate with said at least one guide member to permit said at least one guide member to move relative to said at least one guiding structure such that said at least one guide member is coupled to, and configured to move relative to, one of said outer base portion and said inner portion, and said inner portion is configured to bow away from said outer base portion when said at least one guide member moves relative to said at least one guiding structure.