FR2661602A1 - "Multi-position" cervicothoracic medical cushion - Google Patents

Abstract

Device consisting of a combination of "multi-position" cervicothoracic medical cushions for performing a massage of the cervical/dorsal/scapular region, the patient lying face down. The invention relates to a device consisting of cushions which are characterised by the combination of two differentiated supports, one under the forehead of the patient, the other under the clavicular/thoracic region, by means of two independent cushions, which can be arranged differently (note that there is one forehead cushion (1) and two clavicular/thoracic cushions (2) or (3)). The device consisting of a combination of "multi-position" cervicothoracic cushions according to the invention is intended for placing the patient directly in an antalgic and comfortable position for the purpose of administering a therapeutic massage in kinesitherapy.

Description

DESCRIPTION
DEVICE OF "MULTI-POSITION" CERVICO-THORACIC COUPLING CUSHIONS
The present invention relates to a medical cushion device
comprising three independent elements which can be paired in pairs
in different ways to provide massage in physiotherapy
cervico-dorsal and scapular (shoulders) regions when the patient is
lying face down.

The "horseshoe" cushions provide support at the level of the
face allowing the patient's head to be raised slightly so that
this one does not have the flattened nose on the massage table, but they
have three disadvantages. First, the pressure of the weight of the head
is done at the forehead, but also partly at the eye level,
cheekbones and cheeks which produces an unpleasant sensation
"imprisonment" for the patient. On the other hand, the head being raised
independently of the trunk, causes an accentuation of the lordosis
physiological cervical (posterior cervical arch) which can be
very badly supported by a patient already suffering from this region. Finally
and above all, the "closed" shape of this cushion prevents any circulation
of air, and quickly causes the patient to feel warm and
suffocation.

Rail-shaped cushions offer bilateral support
on the other side of the face and therefore allow better air circulation
at the patient's nose but have two similar disadvantages
to the previous ones, insofar as the bilateral pressure of the face
exercises in part on the patient's wishes, on his cheekbones, and on his
cheeks giving an unpleasant feeling of imprisonment and crushing
on the face.

On the other hand, the disadvantage of raising the head only, is the
same as for the cushions called "horseshoe".

Do not put a cushion at all gives the patient lying flat
belly two positioning possibilities.

Unable to keep the head facing the massage table, at
cause of the nose being crushed by the weight of the head, the patient is
forced to turn it either on one side or the other, and for a region
painful cervical, this is neither comfortable nor advisable. Furthermore,
this asymmetrical position in rotation is not very desirable for a
effective massage.

 Another possibility, to keep the head facing and to avoid the crushing of the nose, the patient places his two hands, one on the other and his forehead on the overlapping hands.

 This has two disadvantages: the weight of the head on the hands can quickly become painful on sensitive hands, or already painful themselves.

 On the other hand, the flexibility of the shoulders necessary to take this position is not always present in the patient, either because of pre-existing stiffness, or because of pain often associated with cervical pathology.

 The "multi-position" cervico-thoracic cushion system, made up of two separate elements, provides support at the patient's forehead, and another at the clavicular and upper thoracic level.

 The frontal support, being made on a slightly curved part follows the shape of the patient's forehead and gives the patient a pleasant feeling of comfort and freedom, the rest of the face remaining free, the nose not being crushed, and the air circulating freely between the face and the massage table.

 The adapted and comfortable claviculo-thoracic support bringing a reassuring contact, allows to slightly raise the base of the cervical spine, and level it, in correspondence with the height of the frontal support. This maintains a normal physiological lordosis for the patient, which can only go in the direction of indolence, a desirable situation for the patient and favoring the administration of an effective massage of the cervico-dorsal region, but also shoulders then being themselves in slight "suspension" (that is to say detached from the table).

 In addition, the patient can at leisure place his arms in the position he wishes either along the body, either on either side of the table or laterally forward on the table, depending on his possibilities, personal comfort, and therapeutic requirements for massage.

 The device of "multi-position" cervico-thoracic cushions thus intended to place the cervico-scapular region, in an ideal physiological and painless position, requires a conformity adaptable to the different morphology of each patient as well as to his personal perception of comfort .

 This is why the element constituting the front support has two different height levels.

 So. the claviculo-thoracic element, by virtue of its cutout, can be placed either on a face offering a "high" position, or by turning it over on the other face, will offer a lower position.

 In addition, to complete this universal morphological adaptation, there will be a second claviculo-thoracic element lower than the "low" position of the first, narrower and shorter.

FIG. 1 represents the front element of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device
FIG. 2 represents the first claviculo-thoracic element of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device
FIG. 3 represents the second claviculo-thoracic element of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device
FIG. 4 shows diagrammatically in profile view, the positioning of two elements of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device for a high position both for the frontal support, and for the claviculo-thoracic support with the first claviculo-thoracic element shown in Figure 2.

 FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically in profile view, the positioning of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device for a lower position for the frontal support and the claviculo-thoracic support, simply by reversing the position of the element frontal and by turning over the claviculo-thoracic element previously quoted while preserving him the same anteroposterior direction.

 FIG. 6 also shows diagrammatically in profile view, the positioning of the “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushion device for an even lower position than in the case of the previous figure, involving the low position for the front element, associated with the second claviculo-thoracic element of figure 3.

 Figure 7 shows schematically a patient lying on his stomach without cushion, and placing his hands one on the other and the forehead on his superimposed hands.

 FIG. 8 shows diagrammatically the function of the “multi-position” cervical cushions device in the “high” position according to FIG. 4 for a patient lying on his stomach.

 The dimensions quoted below are possibly slightly approximate but the overall shape and the principle of design and use remain the same.

 The "multi-position" cervico-thoracic cushions will consist of relatively firm density "Bultex" covered with skal.

 Figure 1: the front element (1) has on the upper face, two horizontal planes of the same dimensions concave downwards and offset by 2 cm in the direction of the height.

The lower plane (4), from the bottom of the concavity to the base of the cushion is 6 cm high.

 The upper plane (5), under the same conditions, is raised by 8 cm.

 The upper opening of the concavities is approximately 15.5 cm, their width (6) 9.5 cm.

 The depth of the concavities is 3 cm.

 The total width (7) of the element is 21 cm, its length (8) 19 cm.

 The two quadrangular claviculo-thoracic elements have a partly bevelled shape to match the anatomical conformities.

 Figure 2: The first claviculo-thoracic element (2) in its position offering the highest clavicular support, consists on its upper face of a horizontal anterior plane (9) 7 cm long (that is to say say from front to back) followed by a posterior inclined plane (10) 19 cm long.

 The horizontal "V" notch (11) vertically engages the middle part of the anterior edge of the element over its entire height, allowing the patient's chin to be released for better comfort and flexibility of use, and at 5 cm deep and an anterior opening of about 11 cm.

 The anterior plane (12) is vertical in its upper half, 6.5 cm in height, then it is beveled towards the rear joining the base of the cushion slightly below its median part.

 This beveling (13) makes it possible, when the cushion is turned over on itself, retaining the same direction, that is to say the notch (11) in front, to find the new cushion on the upper face of the cushion thus placed. anterior horizontal plane (13), of 9 cm, indented in the middle, but lower in relation to the base of the cushion, than in its previous position, also followed by a posterior inclined plane (14) of 14 cm.

 The width of the first claviculo-thoracic element (15) from right to left is 36 cm, its length from front to back is 21 cm.

 The height of the front horizontal part (9) relative to the base according to the "high" position, described first, is 12 cm. That of the horizontal part (13) when the cushion is turned over on itself is then 9 cm.

 Figure 3: The second claviculo-thoracic element (3) is similar in shape but smaller. It does not have the particularity of being able to be used on its two faces because of the reduced height (16) between the horizontal front part (17) and the base of the cushion, which is 5 cm.

 The front plane of the cushion is slightly inclined forward, and has at its median part a horizontal “V” notch chin (18), cut vertically over the entire height of the cushion with an opening of 9 cm, and a depth of 5 cm. .

 The upper plane therefore comprises an anterior horizontal part (17) 5 cm long, followed by a posterior inclined plane (19) 10 cm long.

 The dimensions at the base of the cushion are: width from right to left of 21 cm, length from front to back of 17 cm.

 Figure 4: Profile view of the two front elements (1) and claviculo-thoracic first element (2) according to its "high" position, allowing to visualize the correspondence of the heights, between the horizontal plane of the clavicular support (9) and the bottom of the concavity of the upper plane (5) of the front element (1).

 Figure 5: Representation similar to the previous figure, but with the "low" position of the claviculo-thoracic element (2) turned over on itself where the horizontal plane (13) is in correspondence of height with the bottom of the concavity of the lower plane (4) of the front element (1).

Figure 6: Profile view of the second claviculothoracic element (3) whose anterior horizontal plane (17) is in correspondence with the bottom of the concavity of the lower plane (4) of the front element (1)
Figure 7: shows the patient lying flat on his stomach, the forehead resting on the overlapping hands, presenting a slight accentuation of the cervical lordosis (20). This accentuation would be further aggravated by the isolated elevation of the head in the use of the cushions existing previously.

 Figure 8: The "multi-position" cervico-thoracic cushions device in "high position" function according to Figure 4, provides comfortable and balanced support for the head (21) and the upper thoracic region (22) resulting in an analgesic reduction of the cervical lordosis (23) and allowing complete freedom of position for the arms and hands (24).

 The “multipositions” cervico-thoracic cushions device finds its application for cervico-dorsoscapular massages, in particular in physiotherapy.

Claims (4)

 1 / Device for coupling medical, cervico-thoracic "multi-position" cushions used when the patient is lying on his stomach to give him a massage of the cervical, dorsal or scapular region (relating to the shoulders), characterized in that it comprises three independent cushions, one (1) intended to be placed under the patient's forehead, of rectangular base, comprising on its upper face, two front bearing surfaces (4) and (5) concave downwards, offset by 2 cm in the height direction. The others (2) and (3), intended to be placed under the upper claviculo-thoracic region, have on their upper faces, for the cushion (2) which is reversible: a flat and horizontal front surface (9) or (13) according to its arrangement (comprising in the middle of its front edge a "V" notch (11)), followed at the rear part, by an "inclined plane" (10) or (14) according to its provision; for the smaller cushion (3): a flat and horizontal front surface (17) (having in the middle of its front edge a "V" notch (18)) followed at the rear by an "inclined plane" ( 19)  2 / Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the front cushion (1) has on its upper face two levels of different support height (4) of 6 cm and (5) of 8 cm, and that the claviculo cushions thoracic (2) or (3) offer with the first (2), a "high" position of 12 cm or "medium" of 9 cm according to its arrangement, and with the second (3) a "low" position of 5 cm .  3 / Device according to claim 1 and 2 characterized in that the dimensions which may be slightly approximate are for the front element (1) at the base: length (anteroposterior) 19 cm, width (from right to left) 21 cm; for the claviculo-thoracic element (2): length of the "projection on the ground" 21 cm, width 36 cm; for the claviculo-thoracic element (3) at the base: length 17 cm, width 21 cm.  4 / Application of the device in coupling of “multi-position” cervico-thoracic cushions, according to any one of the preceding claims, for the correction of cervical lordosis and for cervico-dorso-scapular massage.