CA2467787A1

CA2467787A1 - Harness neck traction

Info

Publication number: CA2467787A1
Application number: CA 2467787
Authority: CA
Inventors: Benjamin Gomizelj
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-25
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2005-11-25

Abstract

Harness Neck Traction device is a carry-on neck traction mechanism which delivers traction force to cervical spine by exerting forces into opposite directions;
on one end onto the shoulders through the harness and on the opposite end onto the sub-occipital through the sub-occipital brace. The force is produced through use of nut and bolt mechanism. By turning the bolt one way the nut is forced upwards and thus exerts pressure on the sub-occipital brace producing traction force onto the neck.

Description

Gomizelj, Benjamin Application No.: 2,467,77 139 Eden Place Title: Harness Neck Traction Burlington, Ontario I3AItl~TESS hlECK Tl~rCTI~1~T
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a mechanism that will deliver mechanical traction force to a person's neck who has been suffering with degenerative disc disease, "pinched nerve", cervical spinal joint inflammation, and spinal stenosis. This mechanical traction device differs from other cervical traction devices in its ability to be carried on shoulders while delivering traction enabling the person to be physically active.
Any other available neck traction device requires a person undergoing the treatments to be either seated or in lying position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The inventor is a physical therapist who has been treating neck-shoulder pain syndrome for many years; mechanical neck traction devices have been of immense value as an adjunct to the treatment protocols when treating neck-shoulder pain.
On many occasions neck traction devices that are widely available on the market have been prescribed to patients to be used at home. All to date manufactured mechanical electrical or hydraulic neck traction devices require a person to either sit in a chair or lie down for the duration of the treatment. That is so because the traction force exerted onto the head comes from a electrical, mechanical or hydraulic source that is attached to either the traction bed or to the overhead console to which the traction source is fastened. That most times presents a problem and poor compliance of the patient; time is the most precious commodity we possess.
With this in mind I constructed a neck traction device that can be carried on shoulder and thus used while one is doing simple house chores or even office work. The length of the traction treatment has tlhus been extended greatly. In the clinical setting it is usually applied for 15 to 20 minutes primarily because of the limitation of the equipment and time that patient has for each treatment.
Cervical traction is widely used to relieve the pain in the neck directly by unloading the degenerated and irritated cervical "facet joints" ~~hich are subject to degeneration largely due to cervical discs thinning. Cervical discs thinning or degenerative disc disease, as it is widely known, is a phenomenon that takes place in everyone as we age. The degenerated disc sometimes bulges out, compressing on neural structures of the spinal cord or on the exiting nerve roots. The traction force relieves pressure o~ the cervical discs giving them the opportunity to replenish the fluid. The degree and the onset of degeneration vary from person to person depending on genetics, gender, occupation, and injuries just to name a few factors.
Page 1 of 2 Indirectly the DDD (degenerative disc disease) and subsequent inflammation (irritation) of the facet joints of the cervical spine can produce irritation of the nerve roots (usually inflammatory in nature) which result in so called "referred pain" into the shoulder, elbow or wrist area.
The person is able to place the device on without anyone's assistance and has complete control over the traction force. The device does not use under chin harness unlike some other home traction devices, and thus does not cause unnecessary strain on the TMJ (tempo-mandibular joint); common complaint when using home use over-head neck traction with the strap under the chin is the jaw joint pain.
DESCIZIBTION OF THE DEVICE
The core of the device is two metal tubes (picture #1) either round but better yet of a square profile, one fitting snuggly into the other.
The outside tube has a harness (picture #2) attached to it which is placed on the back in similar fashion as the knapsack. The inner tube is bent (picture #3) and follows the contour of the shoulders and neck. On its upper end it has a strap (picture #4) that is used to secure the device to the forehead, just below is the thermoplastic molded brace (picture #5) that snuggly fits to the sub-occipital area of the patient's neck-head area.
The bottom part of the inner tube ha.s a nut (picture #6) affixed to it. The screw (picture #7) which is sitting in the inside of the outer tube pushes, when turned (picture #8) with the external force (rotation), the inner tube upwards, applying the traction force to the base of the head. The outer tube is by the same force forced downward thus spreading the same force to the shoulders through the shoulder harness. The amount of traction force is directly proportional to the number of turns of the screw in counter clock-wise direction.
The device immobilizes the neck and head and prevents mobility into flexion and extension as well as rotation when delivering traction force to the neck;
however one is able to walk around, sit and use hands and shoulders in a functional manner.
Page 2 of 2

Claims

1. Neck Harness Traction device is manually operable and the only carry-on neck traction device that enables one to apply the traction force and treat neck pain and neuromuscular pain that has resulted from degenerative changes of the spine.

2. Harness Neck Traction device enables one to have neck stretched while sitting or standing; it means that while one has treatment and benefits of neck traction one can be relatively active and thus greatly extend the length of treatment time and increased the benefits of the traction force.

3. None to date neck traction devices have the capability to be carried on shoulders and deliver neck traction while one is reading, writing or typing, working in the kitchen, or plying piano for example but the Harness Neck Traction device which permits one to do all of the above activities while receiving the benefits of the traction force to the neck simultaneously.