Method and apparatus to maintain distance between bones of a back for pain relief
View Patent ↗An apparatus includes a first and second engaging member to engage a first and second portion of a body toward an upper and lower portion of a back, and a plurality of assemblies connecting the first and second engaging members to maintain a distance between bones of a body portion comprising an area of the back, wherein the body portion resides between the first and second portions, and wherein each assembly comprises a plurality of rods coupling the first engaging member and the second engaging member, and a coupling tube with a first rod of the plurality of rods secured to a proximal end and a second rod of the plurality of rods secured to a distal end, wherein rotation of the coupling tube adjusts a gap between the first and second rods in the coupling tube to control the distance between the bones of the body portion.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a first engaging member adapted to engage a first portion of a body toward an upper portion of a back;
a second engaging member adapted to engage a second portion of the body toward a lower portion of the back; and
a plurality of assemblies connecting the first engaging member and the second engaging member and adapted to separate different bones of a body portion comprising an area of the back that have bone-on-bone contact with each other at a back joint and to maintain a distance between the different bones, wherein the body portion resides between the first and second portions, and wherein each assembly comprises:
a plurality of rods coupling the first engaging member and the second engaging member;
a coupling tube with a first rod of the plurality of rods directly secured to each of the first engaging member and a proximal end of the coupling tube and a second rod of the plurality of rods directly secured to a distal end of the coupling tube; and
a hinge adapted to be disposed along the plurality of rods at a position aligned with a back joint of a user between vertebrae, wherein the second rod of the plurality of rods is directly secured to a proximal end of the hinge and a third rod of the plurality of rods is directly secured to each of a distal end of the hinge and the second engaging member, wherein the hinge includes a degree of freedom oriented in a direction of movement of a torso of the user and a plurality of stop-pins disposed in a hinge interior defining a threshold angle for rotation of the hinge, wherein the hinge is further adapted to enable angular movement of the second and third rods in accordance with the plurality of stop-pins and maintain the distance between the different bones during the movement of the torso, and wherein the coupling tube of each assembly is rotatable and adapted to adjust a gap between the first and second rods in the coupling tube based on rotation and elongate each assembly and the back to separate and provide the distance between the different bones having bone-on-bone contact with each other.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first engaging member or the second engaging member includes a strap adapted to secure the first portion or the second portion of the body.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of assemblies is adapted to separate two bones selected from a group of: thoracic vertebrae, and lumbar vertebrae.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each assembly further includes a pin disposed through the coupling tube, wherein rotational forces applied to the pin rotate the coupling tube to adjust the gap.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first assembly of the plurality of assemblies is adapted to be secured on a first exterior portion of the torso, and wherein a second assembly of the plurality of assemblies is adapted to be secured on an opposing exterior portion of the torso.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hinge is adapted to be aligned with the back joint selected from a group of: a joint between two thoracic vertebrae, a joint between a thoracic vertebra and a lumbar vertebra, and a joint between two lumbar vertebrae.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second engaging member is further adapted to engage the second portion of the body toward the lower portion of the back along thoracic vertebrae.
8 . A method for maintaining a distance between bones of a body portion comprising an area of a back using a device comprising a first engaging member, a second engaging member, and a plurality of assemblies connecting the first engaging member and the second engaging member, wherein each assembly comprises a plurality of rods coupling the first engaging member and the second engaging member, a coupling tube with a first rod of the plurality of rods directly secured to each of the first engaging member and a proximal end of the coupling tube and a second rod of the plurality of rods directly secured to a distal end of the coupling tube, and a hinge adapted to be disposed along the plurality of rods at a position aligned with a back joint of a user between vertebrae, wherein the second rod of the plurality of rods is directly secured to a proximal end of the hinge and a third rod of the plurality of rods is directly secured to each of a distal end of the hinge and the second engaging member, and wherein the hinge includes a degree of freedom oriented in a direction of movement of a torso of the user and a plurality of stop-pins disposed in a hinge interior defining a threshold angle for rotation of the hinge, the method comprising:
engaging a first portion of a body toward an upper portion of the back with the first engaging member of the device;
engaging a second portion of the body toward a lower portion of the back with the second engaging member of the device, wherein the body portion resides between the first and second portions;
separating, and providing a distance between, different bones of the body portion comprising the area of the back that have bone-on-bone contact with each other at a back joint via the device by adjusting a gap between the first and second rods in the coupling tube of each assembly based on rotation of the coupling tube of each assembly that elongates each assembly and the back; and
maintaining the distance between the different bones during the movement of the torso by the hinge enabling angular movement of the second and third rods in accordance with the plurality of stop-pins.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first engaging member or the second engaging member includes a strap adapted to secure the first portion or the second portion of the body.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of assemblies is adapted to separate two bones selected from a group of: thoracic vertebrae, and lumbar vertebrae.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein each assembly further includes a pin disposed through the coupling tube, wherein rotational forces applied to the pin rotate the coupling tube to adjust the gap.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a first assembly of the plurality of assemblies is secured on a first exterior portion of the torso, and wherein a second assembly of the plurality of assemblies is secured on an opposing portion of the torso.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hinge is aligned with the back joint selected from a group of: a joint between two thoracic vertebrae, a joint between a thoracic vertebra and a lumbar vertebra, and a joint between two lumbar vertebrae.
14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein engaging the second portion of the body toward the lower portion of the back includes:
engaging the second portion of the body toward the lower portion of the back along thoracic vertebrae with the second engaging member of the device.