Chiropractic brace

• US 5,295,947 A
• Filed: 04/29/1992
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Global Medical Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: H.E. Stanley Laboratories
• Inventors: Muncy, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/875,324
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 128/869, 128/889, 602/5, 602/6, 602/7, 602/19, 2/44, 2/92
• US Class Current: 602/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/022 consisting of one or more shells
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/028 Braces for providing support to the lower back, e.g. lumbo sacral supports

Abstract

A light weight, substantially rigid chiropractic brace is disclosed which provides support for the lumbar spine area of a human patient while being comfortably worn, even during ambulation. The chiropractic brace is a bi-valve system comprising a posterior support including a recessed portion thereof for aligning the lumbar vertebra and an anterior support including a portion for lifting the patient'"'"'s abdominal region and locking out any vertical or lateral rocking motions. The chiropractic brace of the present invention also exerts a pelvic tilt to the patient thereby substantially eliminating torque on the lumbar vertebra. The brace aids the body'"'"'s natural healing process by preventing adverse forces from affecting an injured area.

Claims

1. A brace for supporting a human spinal column, comprising:

a) a substantially rigid posterior support means for supporting a posterior region of a human including the spinal column area, said posterior support means comprising an alignment means for aligning an area of the spine, said alignment means comprising a recessed portion in said substantially rigid posterior support means;

b) a substantially rigid anterior support means for supporting an anterior region of a human, said anterior support means comprising means for producing a hydrostatic lift to an abdominal region of the human, said means for producing hydrostatic lift comprising a recessed portion in said anterior support means; and

c) closure means for securing said posterior support means and said anterior support means around the human, said closure means comprising means for producing a pelvic tilt on the human so as to substantially prevent torque on a lumbar vertebra area of the human, wherein said recessed portion of said alignment means is positioned on said posterior support means to be abutable against substantially only a lumbar vertebra area of a human.

2. The brace according to claim 1, wherein said closure means comprises a bottom chafe means and a top chafe means mounted to said posterior support means for engaging a strap means, said strap means having an end secured to said anterior support means, said strap means engaging said bottom and top chafe means and having an opposite end secured to said anterior support means.

3. The brace according to claim 2, wherein said chafe means comprises at least a first and a second bottom chafes and at least a first and a second top chafes.

4. The brace according to claim 2, wherein said strap means comprises at least a plurality of straps, said plurality of straps comprising:

i) a first strap mounted to said anterior support means engaging said first top chafe and releasably secured to said anterior support means;

ii) a second strap mounted to said anterior support means engaging said first bottom chafe and releasably engaging said anterior support means;

iii) a third strap releasably engaging said anterior support means engaging said second top chafe means and releasably engaging said anterior support means; and

iv) a fourth strap releasably engaging said anterior support means engaging said second bottom chafe and releasably fastened to said anterior support means.

5. The brace according to claim 4, wherein said first and second strap crisscross each other and wherein said third and fourth straps crisscross each other.

6. The brace according to claim 2, wherein said means for producing a pelvic tilt comprises said bottom chafe means mounted on said posterior support means a predetermined distance from said alignment means, said strap means engaging said bottom chafe means and being securable to said anterior support means, so as to produce a tilt on a human'"'"'s pelvic area and substantially prevent torque on a lumbar vertebra area of a human.

7. The chiropractic support brace of claim 6, wherein said predetermined distance that said bottom chafe means is mounted from said alignment means is approximately two inches.

8. The brace according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing a hydrostatic lift comprises a substantially H-shaped recessed portion.

9. The brace according to claim 1, wherein said recessed portion of said lift means provides vertical support for said abdominal region and restricts lateral movement of said abdominal region.

10. The brace according to claim 1, wherein said alignment means is for aligning the lumbar vertebra area of the spine.

11. The brace according to claim 1, wherein said recessed portion of said alignment means is positioned on said posterior support means to be abutable against a lumbar spine area of, a human.

12. The chiropractic support brace of claim 1, wherein said substantially rigid posterior support means and said substantially rigid anterior support means comprise a PVC material.

13. A chiropractic support brace for supporting a human spinal column, comprising:

a) a substantially rigid posterior support means for supporting the posterior region of a human including the spinal column area, said substantially rigid posterior support means having an alignment means for aligning the lumbar spine area of a human, said alignment means comprising a recessed portion in said substantially rigid support means;

b) a substantially rigid anterior support means for supporting an anterior region of the human, said anterior support means comprising means for producing a hydrostatic lift to an abdominal region of the human, said means for producing hydrostatic lift comprising a recessed portion in said anterior support means; and

c) closure means mounted to said posterior support means for securing said posterior support means and said anterior support means around the circumference of a human, said closure means comprising a plurality of bottom chafe means mounted to the posterior support means at a predetermined distance from said alignment means and a plurality of top chafe means mounted to said posterior support means at predetermined distance from an outer edge of said posterior support means, said closure means further comprising strap means engaging said bottom and top chafe means for fastening said posterior support means to said anterior support means and for providing lift by said alignment means on the lumbar spine area so as to substantially prevent torque thereon.

14. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said recessed portion of said means for providing hydrostatic lift comprises a substantially H-shaped recessed portion.

15. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said recessed portion of said alignment means covers substantially the lumbar vertebra area of the spine.

16. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said substantially rigid posterior support means and said substantially rigid anterior support means comprises a PVC material.

17. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said predetermined distance that said bottom chafe means is mounted from the spine is approximately two inches.

18. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said predetermined distance that said top chafe means is mounted to said edge of said posterior support means is approximately two inches.

19. The chiropractic support brace of claim 13, wherein said strap means comprising:

i) a fist strap having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first strap being mounted to a bottom side portion of said anterior support means, said first strap being engagable with one of said plurality of bottom chafe means and securable at said second end to a releasable engaging means on an upper side portion of said anterior support means; and

ii) a second strap having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second strap being mounted to a top side portion of said anterior support means, said second strap being engagable with one of said plurality of said top chafe means and securable at said second end to a releasable engaging means on a bottom side portion of said anterior support means.

20. The chiropractic brace according to claim 13, wherein said recessed portion of said lift means is a substantially H-shaped recessed portion.