Patent ID: 6997892

Claim:
A method for treating a portion of a user's body, comprising: positioning two support belts about the user's body, the support belts each having a front portion corresponding to a front portion of the user's body and a back portion corresponding to a back portion of the user's body, the support belts further having one or more fluidic lifting mechanisms having end portions coupled to generally the front portions of the support belts and one or more fluidic lifting mechanisms having end portions coupled to generally the back portions of the support belts, the one or more lifting mechanisms adapted to apply a decompressive force to the portion of the user's body through the support belt when the support belts are positioned about the user's body; using a control system coupled to the one or more lifting mechanisms to supply fluid to and pressurize the one or more lifting mechanisms to cause the one or more lifting mechanisms to cyclically apply the decompressive force to the portion of the user's body through the support belts when the support belts are positioned about the user's body such that the decompressive force is applied for a predetermined time interval during each of a series of traction cycles, whereby mobility of the portion of the user's body is restricted during each of the series of traction cycles; and maintaining a pressure in each lifting mechanism during each traction cycle within a predetermined pressure range defined by a lower threshold and an upper threshold, the control system including a pressure transducer for monitoring pressure within the lifting mechanisms, and the control system supplying additional fluid to the lifting mechanism in response to the pressure in the lifting mechanism falling below the lower threshold, the control system reducing fluid pressure in the lifting mechanism in response to the pressure in the lifting mechanism rising above the upper threshold.