Orthopedic reclining chair

An orthopedic reclining chair comprising a seating unit having a back rest portion and a seat portion at a substantial angle to the back rest portion, a frame supporting said seating unit for movement between a substantially upright position and a traction position in which the seat portion is maintained at a substantial angle to the back rest portion and the body of a user would be substantially inverted with the torso inclined at an angle of at least 135.degree. to the vertical, reclining mechanism acting between said seating unit and said frame for moving the seating unit between said positions, and a lap belt extending from said seat portion and [disposed to support the thighs of a user substantially parallel to said seat portion when the chair is in said traction position.] having a thigh engaging portion wide enough to engage a substantial area of the front surface of the thighs of a user and to maintain them substantially parallel to said seat portion, whereby when the seating unit is in the traction position a major component of the weight of the head and torso of the user is suspended from the thigh bones through the hip joints, the back-rest portion being devoid of features substantially restraining the gravitational traction forces on the torso.