Gait assistance harness apparatus

A gait assistance harness apparatus for the aid of a patient user by a therapist which includes:

• a) a gait belt to encircle the waist of a patient user and having a front section and a rear section;
• b) an adjustable closure means to secure the gait belt in use around the waist of a patient;
• c) separate strap, belt handle means on and secured to the rear section of the gait belt to permit a therapist to assist a patient in walking;
• d) a shoulder harness strap means having adjustable first and second shoulder harness straps, each strap having a first end and a second end, a face section and a back section;
• e) a separate strap shoulder handle means located on and aligned with each adjustable shoulder harness strap and positioned generally on the rear upper shoulder area of the back section of the strap;
• f) said adjustable first and second shoulder harness straps being crossed and secured together to form a strap crossover section in the back sections of the shoulder harness means;
• g) means of securing the first and second ends of the first and second shoulder harness straps to the front and rear portions of the gait belt;
• h) first and second upper extremities support ring means on the face sections of the adjustable first and second shoulder harness straps;
• i) first and second waist support ring means secured on either side of the gait belt apparatus;
• and
• j) restraining strap means for insertion through the upper extremities and waist support ring means and attachment onto a device for holding a patient;
• whereby said restraining strap means extend from the upper extremities support rings over the shoulder of a patient from front to back, diagonally downward across a back portion of the holding device to a support means opposite the upper extremities support ring, and from a waist support ring means to a rear support post and diagonally across under the patient to a support bar of the holding device opposite the waist support means so that the patient is maintained in an upright position.

A gait assistance harness apparatus for the assistance of a patient user by a therapist, which apparatus comprises:

• a) a gait belt to encircle the waist of a patient user and having a front and a rear section, an adjustable closure means to secure the gait belt in use;
• b) a shoulder harness means having first and second shoulder harness straps, each shoulder harness strap having a first end, a second end, a face section and a back section, the first and second ends of the first and second shoulder harness straps secured respectively to the front and back sections of the gait belt;
• c) a single, horizontally extended, separate strap belt handle means centrally positioned and secured to the rear section of the gait belt;
• d) a pair of vertically extending, separate strap belt handle means centrally located at the rear section of the gait belt and secured to either side of the horizontal belt handle means;
• e) said first and second shoulder harness straps being crossed and secured together to form a strap crossover section in the back section of the shoulder harness means;
• f) separate strap shoulder handle means located on, secured to and aligned with each of the adjustable first and second shoulder harness straps, and, in use, positioned on the rear upper shoulder area of the back section of the first and second shoulder harness straps, by use of which separate strap shoulder handle means and optionally also with the belt handle means a therapist can assist a patient to walk and by grasping of which a therapist can prevent a patient from accidental falls.