DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT MECHANICAL THERAPY ON THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: medical engineering. SUBSTANCE: device has a pair of U-shaped uprights 2, rest members 1 mounted in them in parallel to each other, frame 5 mounted on uprights 2 and rest members 1 to enable rotation in longitudinal direction to take place. Frame 5 is bound to uprights 2 by means of rotatable axles 4 and to rest members 1 by means of adjusting screws 6 with ball-shaped end pieces 8. Elastic plate 16 for body to be placed on it has head lock member 17, foot lock member 18 and lateral lock member 19 mounted on the corresponding rest members to enable adjustment of their position to be carried out in horizontal direction. Plates 16 are connected with means for adjusting their curvature by means of Y-shaped clamps 15. The means for adjusting plate curvature has shaft 22 mounted in frame 5 under plate 16 with flywheel 23 and ratchet wheel 32. Two pairs of identic straight guides 9 with sliders 12 are mounted on frame 5 symmetrically on both sides of shaft 22. Strips are set with their ends on sliders 12 to enable rotation in transverse direction to take place. The first slider 23 and the second slider 25 are mounted on the ends of the shaft and bound with it by means of right and left threads. Two pairs of identic rods 28, 29 and 30, 31 are hingedly and coaxially mounted in the middle of the strips with their ends 26, 27, the other ends being hingedly connected with the first and the second sliders 23 and 25. Lever 33 with handle 35 and arresting device 37 are rotatably mounted in it to enable rotation in transverse direction. The lever is independently rotatably mounted on shaft 22. The arresting device is engageable with ratchet wheel and Y-shaped clamps 15 are fixed on the upper sides of the corresponding strips. After having adjusted position of stoppers 17-19, patient gradually reduces distance between the strips, smoothly increasing curvature of plate 16 by rotating lever 33 and ratchet wheel 23. After making a pause, the patient turns handle 7 setting needed slope of plate 16 with respect to rest members 1. Dynamical change of angle in longitudinal and lateral directions takes in this way. The vertebral column stretches under the body weight due to passive mode of muscle operation in dorsal position. Unforced stretch of the vertebral column takes place in using various alternative modes of dynamic change of angles in antero-posterior and lateral directions at various speeds of vertebral column flexion and extension contributing to its mobility. EFFECT: enhanced effectiveness in preventing spinal curvature. 4 cl, 3 dwg