Taylor harness

A harness adapted to strengthen the abdominal and anterior sublumbar muscle groups in a Homo sapien patient, while simultaneously serving as an aid in lifting heavy objects from a hip-flexed position to a standing position, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a rigid tension equalizing plate having a fulcrum, said tension equalizing plate adapted to be positioned over an area of the patient's upper rear or posterior torso with said fulcrum covering the longitudinal center of the patient's body, said tension equalizing plate including a pair of attachment points disposed below said fulcrum defining a triangular configuration with said pair of attachment points being positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal center;
• (b) two members attached to said fulcrum, said two members being adaptable to extend, in an essentially mirror image manner with each other, from said fulcrum over each respective shoulder to form a “V” configuration extending upwardly to opposite sides of the neck where each of said members further extends forwardly between the respective neck and the scapulo-humeral joints then ventrally and posteriorally below each respective armpit across the lateral aspect of the rib cage toward the center of the back where said members cross in the vicinity of the last thoracic vertebrae and further extend anteriorally around the rib cage to an anterior position near the ventral sternal area at which point said members are attachable to each other with a hook and loop fastening means or a fastening device;
• (c) a first pair of leg bands, each being adapted for being received around a different leg at a point between the gluteal area and the knee;
• and
• (d) a pair of elastic back bands, each of said pair of elastic back bands being adapted to attach to a different one of said pair of lower attachment points and attach to the corresponding leg band at a point so that each of said back bands extends between said corresponding lower attachment point and said first leg band at an angle and under an amount of tension sufficient to pull said attachment point inwardly downward toward the longitudinal center when the corresponding leg is extended forward, thus causing said tension equalizing plate to pivot around said fulcrum,
• whereby said harness provides a means for the patient to walk while being subjected to an increased tension between the knee area and the shoulder area.

A harness adapted to strengthen the abdominal and anterior sublumbar muscle groups in a Homo sapien patient, while simultaneously serving as an aid in lifting heavy objects from a hip-flexed position to a standing position, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a rigid tension equalizing plate having a fulcrum, said tension equalizing plate adapted to be positioned over an area of the patient's upper rear or posterior torso with said fulcrum covering the longitudinal center of the patient's body, said tension equalizing plate including a pair of attachment points disposed below said fulcrum defining a triangular configuration with said pair of attachment points being positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal center, said tension equalizing plate being adapted to pivot at said fulcrum while positioned on the patient;
• (b) two members pivotally attached to said fulcrum, said two members being adaptable to extend, in an essentially mirror image manner with each other, from said fulcrum over each respective shoulder to form a “V” configuration extending upwardly to opposite sides of the neck where each of said members further extends forwardly between the respective neck and the scapulo-humeral joints then ventrally and posteriorally below each respective armpit across the lateral aspect of the rib cage toward the center of the back where said members cross in the vicinity of the last thoracic vertebrae and further extend anteriorally around the rib cage to an anterior position near the ventral sternal area at which point said members are attachable to each other with a hook and loop fastening means or a fastening device;
• (c) a pair of elastic back bands, each of said pair of elastic back bands being adapted to attach to a different one of said pair of lower attachment points and extend to the upper gluteal area when stretched
• (d) a first pair of leg bands, each being adapted for being received around a different leg at a point just above the knees, a second pair of leg bands adapted for being received around a different leg below the knees, and a third pair of leg bands adapted for being received around a different leg just above the ankles;
• (e) a pair of leg straps, each of said pair of leg straps adapted to cross under the instep of the patient's foot and extending upward therefrom from the medial and lateral aspects of each ankle and up the posterior of the corresponding leg and attaching to said corresponding elastic back band, wherein each of said pair of leg straps is adapted to be fastenable to the corresponding third leg band at a point adjacent to each ankle with adjustable ankle strap with pads and fastenable to the corresponding first and second leg band at posterior point causing each of said elastic back bands to be extended from said corresponding lower attachment point at an angle and under an amount of tension sufficient to pull said attachment point inwardly downward toward the longitudinal center when the corresponding leg is extended forward, thus causing said tension equalizing plate to pivot in a pendulum fashion around said fulcrum, whereby said harness provides a means for the patient to walk while being subjected to an increased tension between the knee area and the shoulder area.