Back brace for sitting

1 . A therapeutic back brace for sitting, comprising: a frame having a back portion, a seat hingedly coupled to the back portion through a biased hinge biased to a seated position from an extended position, the back portion being flexible, and a vertical extender comprising a gas spring, the vertical extender being a support mechanism connected to the back portion of the frame at a first location and coupled to the seat at a second location, the vertical extender positioned between the back portion and the seat; a first pair of shoulder straps releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and configured to extend over a user's respective left and right shoulders and attach to the back portion after extending beneath the user's respective left and right shoulders; an abdominal strap releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend around a user's midsection at a position between the user's T8 and L2 vertebrae, the respective distal ends configured to releasably couple to each other using hook and loop fasteners; a second pair of shoulder straps releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend over the user's respective left and right shoulders, cross in front of the user and attach to the abdominal strap using hook and loop fasteners on respective right and left sides of the user's midsection; wherein the first location at which the vertical extender is coupled to the back portion is located between the abdominal strap and the first pair of shoulder straps, and the vertical extender is configured to lengthen to move the back portion away from the seat and to lift the upper body of the user through the shoulder straps and the abdominal strap; and a lumbar cushion releasably coupled to the frame with hook and loop fasteners and configured to be positioned between the frame and the user at a position between the user's T8 and L2 vertebrae; wherein the therapeutic back brace has a standing configuration and a sitting configuration, the standing configuration comprising a first angle between the seat and the back portion, the sitting configuration comprising a second angle between the seat and the back portion smaller than the first angle, and wherein the vertical extender is configured to reduce the force exerted on the user's back by supporting the user with the back portion of the frame and driving an upper portion of the user's back away from a lower portion of the user's back when the user is strapped into the therapeutic back brace.

2 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 1 , wherein the vertical extender is biased to exert an expanding force on the back portion of the frame, driving the top end of the back portion away from the hinge point, the expanding force adjustable by the user.

3 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism is movable by the user between an unlocked state that allows the support mechanism to lengthen and shorten, and a locked state that restricts the support mechanism from shortening.

4 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism is movable by the user between an unlocked state that allows the support mechanism to lengthen and shorten, and a locked state that restricts the support mechanism from lengthening and shortening.

5 . A therapeutic back brace for sitting, comprising: a frame having a back portion, a seat hingedly coupled to the back portion, and a vertical extender being a support mechanism connected to the back portion of the frame at a first location and coupled to the seat at a second location, the vertical extender positioned between the back portion and the seat; a first pair of shoulder straps releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and configured to extend over a user's respective left and right shoulders and attach to the back portion after extending beneath the user's respective left and right shoulders; an abdominal strap releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend around a user's midsection at a position between the user's T8 and L2 vertebrae; a second pair of shoulder straps releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend over the user's respective left and right shoulders, cross in front of the user, and attach to the abdominal strap on respective right and left sides of the user's midsection; wherein the first location at which the vertical extender is coupled to the back portion is positioned between the abdominal strap and the first pair of shoulder straps, and the vertical extender is configured to lengthen to move the back portion away from the seat and to lift the upper body of the user through the shoulder straps and the abdominal strap; a lumbar cushion releasably coupled to the frame with hook and loop fasteners and configured to be positioned between the frame and the user; and wherein the vertical extender is configured to reduce the force exerted on the user's back by supporting the user with the back portion of the frame and driving an upper portion of the user's back away from a lower portion of the user's back when the user is strapped into the therapeutic back brace.

6 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 5 , wherein the vertical extender is biased to exert an expanding force on the back portion of the frame, driving the top end of the back portion away from the hinge point, the expanding force adjustable by the user.

7 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 5 , wherein the support mechanism is movable by the user between an unlocked state that allows the support mechanism to lengthen and shorten, and a locked state that restricts the support mechanism from shortening.

8 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 5 , wherein the support mechanism is a gas spring.

9 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 5 , wherein the support mechanism is a lifting jack.

10 . A therapeutic back brace for sitting, comprising: a frame having a back portion, a seat coupled to the back portion and a vertical extender being a support mechanism coupled to the back portion of the frame at a first location and coupled to the seat at a second location, the vertical extender positioned between the back portion and the seat; a first pair of shoulder straps coupled to the back portion of the frame and configured to extend over a user's respective left and right shoulders and attach to the back portion after extending beneath the user's respective left and right shoulders; an abdominal strap coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend around a user's midsection; wherein the first location at which the vertical extender is coupled to the back portion is positioned between the abdominal strap and the first pair of shoulder straps, and the vertical extender is configured to lengthen to move the back portion away from the seat and to lift the upper body of the user through the shoulder straps and the abdominal strap; and wherein the vertical extender is configured to reduce the force exerted on the user's back by supporting the user with the back portion of the frame and driving an upper portion of the user's back away from a lower portion of the user's back when the user is strapped into the therapeutic back brace.

11 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the back portion of the frame is hingedly coupled to the seat.

12 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , further comprising a second pair of shoulder straps releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame and having respective distal ends configured to extend over the user's respective left and right shoulders, cross in front of the user, and attach to the abdominal strap on respective right and left sides of the user's midsection.

13 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the abdominal strap is further configured to extend around a user's midsection to at a position between the user's T8 and L2 vertebrae.

14 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the vertical extender is biased to exert an expanding force on the back portion of the frame, driving the top end of the back portion away from the hinge point, the expanding force adjustable by the user.

15 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the support mechanism is movable by the user between an unlocked state that allows the support mechanism to lengthen and shorten, and a locked state that restricts the support mechanism from shortening.

16 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the support mechanism is movable by the user between an unlocked state that allows the support mechanism to lengthen and shorten, and a locked state that restricts the support mechanism from lengthening and shortening.

17 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the support mechanism is a gas spring.

18 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein the support mechanism is a lifting jack.

19 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , a lumbar cushion releasably coupled to the frame with hook and loop fasteners and configured to be positioned between the frame and the user.

20 . The therapeutic back brace of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first pair of shoulder straps and the abdominal strap is further configured to be releasably coupled to the back portion of the frame.