Patent ID: 8012113

Claim:
A spinal brace comprising: a flexible air injectable band configured to be disposed about a torso of a user and to provide traction to a spine of the user; a support panel configured to provide support by compression to at least a region of said torso, said support panel being less flexible than said air injectable band; and means of associating said support panel with said flexible air injectable band; wherein the air injectable band is configured to expand in an axis generally parallel to the spine when inflated so as to apply a force at a rib area of the user via an upper edge and a force at a hip area via a lower edge to provide said traction comprising a decompression of vertebrae within the spinal column of the user; and wherein said means of associating comprise two association openings formed through the support panel, one association opening disposed at each of substantially opposite ends of said support panel, the air injectable band extending through the association openings, wherein the association openings traverse across the support panel in a direction generally parallel to the spine and wherein said association openings have a dimension in said direction that is greater than a corresponding dimension of the flexible air injectable band.