Inflatable cervical cervico-thoracic thoraco-lumbar and lumbar exercising device

A traction and exercising device for imparting a forward curve to the cervical and lumbar regions of a spine and for promoting fluid imbibition in the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine, said device comprising:

• a frame;
• a head support disposed on said frame and having a neck support:
• means for securing the head support to a user's head in order to position the neck support transversely across a back of the user's neck;
• first means, disposed on the neck support, for lifting and stretching a cervical spine of the user by applying a force away from the neck support and against the back of the user's neck in order to exercise a lordotic arc in the cervical spine, said first means including means for causing said first means to expand in a first direction outwardly from said neck support and in a second direction transverse to the first direction, the expansion in the first direction being a distance greater than the expansion in the second direction;
• a transverse lumbar support disposed on said frame in a spaced apart relationship with said head support;
• second means for lifting and stretching a lumbar spine of the user by applying a force away from the transverse lumbar support and against the user's lumbar spine in order to exercise a lordotic arc in the lumbar spine;
• means for adjusting the spaced apart relationship between the head support and said transverse lumbar support;
• and
• means for enabling the user to simultaneously and alternatively control both the first means and second means in order to increase the lordotic arc in the cervical, cervico-thoracic, thoraco-lumbar and lumbar spine and to promote fluid imbibition in the cervical and lumbar spinal regions.

A method of exercising a lordotic arc in both the cervical and lumbar regions of a spine and promoting fluid imbibition through the cervical and lumbar regions comprising the steps of:

• providing a head support including means for fastening said head support to a user's head;
• providing a neck support on said head support;
• providing a lumbar support;
• securing said head support to a user's head such that the neck support is positioned transversely across a user's neck;
• gradually inflating a first inflatable bladder between said neck support and said user's neck, causing said first inflatable bladder to expand in a first direction outwardly from said neck support and in a second direction transverse to the first direction, in order to impart a lordotic arc into the cervical regions of the spine and in order to traction the region on both sides of the lordotic arc, the expansion in the first direction being a distance greater than the expansion in the second direction;
• alternately inflating and deflating the first bladder, while the user's head is secured to the support frame, in order to exercise the lordotic arc, exercise the cervical region and promote fluid imbibition therethrough;
• gradually inflating a second inflatable bladder between said lumbar support and a user's lumbar spine, in order to impart a lordotic arc into the lumbar region of the spine and in order to traction the region on both sides of the lordotic arc;
• and
• alternately inflating and deflating the second bladder in order to exercise the lordotic arc, exercise the lumbar region, and promote fluid imbibition therethrough.

A method for imparting a forward curve to both the cervical and lumbar spine and manipulating the spine and intervertebral discs to promote fluid transfer to the discs, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a support frame;
• providing a neck support caused by said frame;
• providing a lumbar support caused by said frame;
• positioning said neck support transversely across a back of a user's neck;
• adjusting a distance between said neck support and said lumbar support and positioning said lumbar support transversely across a lumbar region of a user's spine;
• inflating a bladder between the user's neck and the neck support, in a first expansion direction outwardly from said neck support toward the user's neck, forcing the cervical spine to curve forwardly, and in a second expansion direction normal thereto, thereby applying an angular traction to the cervical spine, said first expansion direction being a distance greater the second expansion direction;
• inflating a bladder between the user's lumbar region and the lumbar support in a first direction outwardly from said lumbar support toward the user's lumbar region forcing the lumbar spine to curve forwardly, and in a second direction normal thereto, thereby applying an angular traction to the lumbar spine;
• and
• selectively inflating and deflating the bladders, forcing the cervical, cervico-thoracic, thoraco-lumbar and lumbar spine to curve forwardly and repeating inflation and deflation of the bladders in order to transfer fluid to the intervertebral discs.