Spine stretcher and aligner

• US 5,007,414 A
• Filed: 08/01/1989
• Issued: 04/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles D. Sexton
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Sexton
• Inventors: Sexton, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kubel, P.
• Application Number:
  US07/387,729
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 128/69, 128/78
• US Class Current: 602/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/01 Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces

Abstract

A spine stretcher and aligner comprising a rigid or semirigid base having two members mounted thereon, with each member having a sustantially flat face, with the faces opposing each other so as to form a channel therebetween. Each member has an arcuate configuration at the upper edge of the face, with the highest point of said edges being closer to one end of the channel than the other. The members are composed of a compressible material which permits movement of the material toward the center of the channel when the weight of the back presses downwardly on the members. Dowels may be removably inserted in the members so as to raise the height of the edges.

Claims

1. A spine stretcher and aligner comprising

a base;

a first resilient member extending above said base, said first member having a first arcuate upper edge extending substantially the length of said member and extending upwardly of said base;

a second resilient member extending above said base, said second member having a second arcuate upper edge opposed to and spaced from said first upper edge of said first member, said second arcuate upper edge having substantially the same configuration as said first arcuate upper edge;

said first and second arcuate upper edges having a curvature greater than the normal lordosis of the human spine;

said arcuate edges being configured such that the apex of said upper arcuate edges is nearest one end of said members.

2. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 1 wherein each of said members slope downwardly from said upper arcuate edges outwardly toward said base.

3. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 1 wherein said arcuate upper edges of said members are concave relative to each other.

4. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 3 wherein the distance between said arcuate upper edges is greatest at the apex of said arcuate edges.

5. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 4 wherein the distance between said arcuate upper edges is substantially two inches at either end of said edges and substantially two and one-half inches at the apex of said edges.

6. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 1 further comprising means for raising the height of the apex of said arcuate upper edges of said members.

7. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 6 wherein said resilient members comprise cushions and the means for raising the height of the apex of said edges comprises

slots in each of said cushions below said apex;

and

dowels removably inserted into said slots.

8. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 7 wherein said cushions form a channel and said channel is wider at its base than at said upper edges.

9. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 8 wherein said cushions are comprised of rubber.

10. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 8 wherein said cushions are comprised of foam plastic.

11. The spine stretcher and aligner of claim 1 wherein said base and said resilient members are molded as a single plastic element.