Orthopedic gravity traction brace

An orthopedic traction lumbar brace for connection to means for holding a patient in a desired suspended position to apply gravity traction to the lumbar area of the spine, which comprises:

• (a) a torso sorrounding vest made from a stretchable material to conform to the contour of the lower rib cage and a portion of the torso therebelow, the vest having an outer surface which is formed with pile means which is adapted to coact with a hook means of a hook and pile attachment;
• (b) attachment means for securing the vest to the patient for preventing movement of the vest after conformance thereof to the contour of the lower rib cage, the attachment means including a plurality of elongated circumferential straps secured to the vest and extending substantially around the entire outer surface thereof, wherein each of the circumferential straps includes means for tightening the strap around and below the lower rib cage to secure the vest thereto, and wherein the underside of each strap is formed with a hook means for securing the strap to the pile means on the outer surface of the vest along substantially the entire length of the strap;
• and
• (c) support means for connecting the vest to the holding means, wherein the support means comprises a plurality of U-shaped hanging straps secured to the vest, and wherein at least one end of the hanging strap is adjustable relative to the vest and includes two opposed faces which respectively have a hook means and a pile means, whereby the adjustable end of the hanging strap may be interposed between the vest and the circumferential straps such that the hook means on the hanging strap coacts with the pile means on the outer surface of the vest and the pile means on the opposed face of the hanging strap coacts with the hook means on the circumferential strap to allow the circumferential strap to reinforce the connection of the hanging strap to the vest.

A method of using an orthopedic lumbar traction brace which includes a torso surrounding vest made from a stretchable material and having a plurality of circumferentially extending straps secured thereto and extending around the vest for securing the vest to a patient, wherein each of the straps has means for tightening the strap in a circumferential direction, which comprises:

• (a) placing the vest around the lower rib cage and a portion of the torso below the rib cage of the patient to allow the vest to conform thereto;
• (b) securing the vest to the patient by tightening the lowermost strap of the vest beneath the rib cage to allow the weight to the patient to be borne thereon;
• and further tightening the remaining straps on the vest around the rib cage to allow the vest to grasp the rib cage to prevent upward movement of the vest thereon;
• and
• (c) connecting the vest to means for holding the patient in a desired hanging position to suspend the patient and apply gravity traction to the lumbar area of the spine.