GB2171914A - Traction bed - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for placing a patient in traction comprises a base 2 having an upper surface inclined to the horizontal. A patient support 5 is supported by rollers 6 for longitudinal movement relative to the base. The support 5 may be locked to the base by locking means 9, when the support is in a higher position on the base. A patient lying on the support 5 secures himself to a foot board 10 of the base by restraining means 11 to 14 and releases the lock 9. The weight of the patient and the support thus acts against the restraining means to place the spine in traction. Fig. 2 shows a device having a base 20, support 32, 33 on rollers 31, a clip locking means 34 and padded rollers 37 and 38 which serve as the anchoring means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Traction bed This invention relates to a device for applying traction to patients.

Traction is a recognised method oftreating spinal and other disorders, and can be particularly effective in the treatment of lower back pain. Various types of traction devices are used in hospitals, and one such device known as a slant board places the patient in a lying position with the head at a lower level than the feet. By holding the feet the spine is stretched.

Treatment by slant boards is, however, very uncomfortable, particularly when the patient has a vascular problem in addition to his back problem. Furthermore, it is not possible for a patient comfortably to position himself on the slant board in orderthat selftreatment may be given.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a traction device on which a patient may comfortably position himself and control the application oftraction.

According to the invention a traction device comprises a base having an upper surface incined to the horizontal, a supportfor a patient in a lying position, means mounting the support on the base to be longitudinally movable relative thereto between a higher position and a lower position, means for releasably locking the support to the base against relative movement when the support is in its higher position, and anchoring means located adjacent to the higher end of the support and designed so that the patient may be restrained by the anchoring means.

Using such apparatus the patient, or a helper, positions the apparatus so the patient may comfortably climb onto it. The support is positioned in its higher position relative to the base and is held there by locking the releasable locking means. The patient then lies on the support and is restrained by the anchoring means. For example, in the treatment of lower back pain the restraint may be byway of an orthopaedic girdle worn around the waist immediately above the pelvis, the girdle being secured to the anchoring means, for example by one or more anchor ropes secured between the girdle and the anchoring means.

In another example the patient may restrain himself by positioning his legs against suitable anchoring means. When the patient is in the lying position and is properly restrained, the releasable locking means is released and the support thus tends to move down the slope presented by the upper surface ofthe base. The lower partofthe body is restrained against this downward movement, and the result is thatthe weight ofthe patient and the supporttends to pull against the restraint, thus placing the patient'sspinein traction.

The simplicity ofthe device, and the possibilities that itaffordsforself-treatmentwill thus be apparent.

Indeed, treatment need not be restricted to hospitals or clinics and a patient with persistenttrouble may readily have a device according to the invention at his home so that traction can be applied whenever required.

Preferably, the base has a buffer device secured thereto atthe end of the base opposite to the anchoring means, the distance between the buffer device and the anchoring means being greaterthan the length ofthe support. The buffer device acts as a stop preventing thesupportfrom accidentally moving offthe base, while the gap that is present between the support and the buffer device is sufficientto allowthe necessary freedom of movement ofthe support on the base.

Obviously it is desirable to reducethefriction between the support and the baseasfaras possible, and it is thus preferred that the support is mounted on the base by way of rollers. However, this does not rule out the possibility of using low friction slides.

In one embodimentthe base may comprise upper and lower base members pivoted together at one end thereof, and jack means at the other end thereof so thatthe inclination of the upper base member may be adjusted, thus, the angle of inclination of the upper surface ofthe base may be adjusted to whatever the patient finds comfortable. The jack means may be manually operated, or it could be electricallyorfluid operated, perhaps underthecontrol of a device accessible to the patient while lying on the support.

In an alternative embodiment, the base may be part of a folding framework that can be folded for storage and unfolded so that legs oftheframework support the base in the required inclined position.

The invention will be better understood from the following description ofspecificembodimentsthere- of, given by way of example only, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Figure lisa schematic elevation of a first embodi mentoftraction device; Figure 2 is a schematic elevation of a second embodiment of traction device; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 2.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises a base made up of a lower base member 1 and an upper base member 2 pivoted to the lower base member about a pivot 3. A manually operated jack 4 is located between the base members at the end opposite to the pivot point and can be used to tilt the upper base member so that its inclined at any required angle Izr to the lower base member.

A bed 5 capable of supporting a patient in a lying position is mounted by rollers 6 on the upper surface ofthe upper base member 2 so that the bed is longitudinally movable relative to the upper base member. The bed has a depending plate 7 at least at one side thereof, the plate 7 being formed with a slot 8.

A knurled wheel 9 is threaded onto a spigot projecting from the side ofthe upper base member and by rotation ofthewheel 9the bed may be locked against, or released for, movement relative to the upper base member.

At the higher end ofthe upper base memberthere is an upstanding foot board l0throughwhich holes 11 are formed. Clamping device,forexample a cam-cleat 12 is associated with each hole, each cam-cleat being capable of being clamped to a rope i3, one designed to iie along each side of the patient.

The ropes 13 are secured to opposite sides of an orthopaedicgirdlel4designedto bewornaroundthe waist of the patient immediately above the pelvis. At theend ofthe upper base member opposite to the foot board 10 is a resilientshock-absorbing buffer 15. The distance between the foot board 10 and the buffer 15 is greaterthan the length ofthe bed 5. The bed may be provided with a duvet or similar cover 16, thefootend ofwhichwill beformedwith holes 17throughwhich the ropes 13 may pass.

Use ofthe device will be readily apparent. The required degree of tilt may be set by the jack 4, and either left as required or reset each time the device is to be used, the jack being lowered when the device is not in use so thatthe upper surface ofthe upper base member lies horizontally. Before placing himself on the bed, the patient loosens the wheel 9 and moves the bed up the slope so thatthe bed lies in a higher position with the foot ofthe bed lying close to the foot board 10. The wheel 9 is then tightened to hold the bed in this position. The cam-cleats are secured to the ropes 13 atthe appropriate positions on the ropes.The patient may then position himself on the bed, lying on the girdle andfastenthe girdle around hiswaist.The wheel 9 is then loosened, so releasing the bed and allowingthisto roll down the upper base member until the ropes are held by the engagement ofthe cam-cleats with thefoot board 10.A restraint is thus applied to the pelvic region ofthe patient, and a componentof the weight ofthe patient plus the bed acts to pull the patientdownwardly againstthat restraint. Thespine isthus placed in traction, the degree oftraction being dependent on the angle . For example, for an angle setat5 degrees the force applied to the patientwill be that due to approximately 20% ofthetotal sliding weight ofthe patient and the bed, minus the friction loss between the bed and the upper base member.

When a session is finished the patient merely tightens the hand wheel 9 so thatthe bed in again locked to the upper base member, and then releases the girdle 14, so freeing him from the device without unwanted movement ofthe bed. The girdle fastening means should be secure, yet rapidly releasable in an emergency, andforexample "Velcro"-type fasteners may be particularly suitable.

Turning now to Figure 2 and 3 thetraction device shown therein comprises a base 20 that is part of a framework also including legs 21 and 22 pivoted to the base at 23,24 respectively at opposite ends ofthe base. The leg 21 comprises a pillar 25 and a floor member26,and leg 22 similarlycomprisesa pillar27 and floor member 28;The pivot means 23,24include stops limiting the respective angles oc and which the pillars make with the base so that when the framework is unfolded as shown in Figures 2and 3the base 20 is supported atthe required degree to the horizontal, usually about 5 .

The base has an upstanding locking bar 29 atthe upper end thereof and a stop member 30 atthe lower end thereof. A plurality of rollers31 are rotatably supported on the base.

A support member comprising a rigidbase 32 and a padded suppersurface 33 may be placed on the rollers to be supporteci thereby so thatthe support member is capable of longitudinal movement relative to the base.

The support member33 has locking clips 34 at one end thereof, the locking clips being movable so thatthey may engage over the locking bar 29 and be disengaged therefrom as required.

The piliar 27 of the leg 22 supports transverse shafts 35 and 36 on which are secured padded members 37, 38 respectively, the padded members desirably being of circular cross-section.

The method of use ofthis embodiment ofthe device is apparentfrom Figure 2. A patient places the support member onto the rollers and engagesthe clips 34 onto the locking bar29. The patientthen lies on the suport member engaging the pads 37 with the backs of the knees and engaging the pads 38 with the fronts of the ankles. The patientthen releases the clips 34whereupon the weight ofthe patientand ofthe support means tends to pull the upper part ofthe body downwardly againstthe restraint applied behind the knees. The spine is thus placed in traction.

Itwill be seen thatthe device illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 may also be used forthe type of exercise known as "sit-ups" wherein the patient moves himself between a lying position and a raised position by bending atthe waist. When usedforsuch exercise the clips 34 are permanently engaged with the locking bar 29.

When not in use it will be apparentthatthe legs 21 and 22 may befoldedto lie parallel to the base so that the device assumes a compactform forstdrage.

Twill be understood thatthe device may be modified from those shown. Thus, in.thefirstform of device, the jack may be electrically or pneumatically operated, or may be omitted altogether, the base then being a simple structure with an inclined upper surface. The means for anchoring the orthopaedic girdle to the higher end ofthe base may be modified from that shown, and if a restraint means otherthan a girdle is used then the anchoring means may be designed accordingly. The means whereby the bed is Iockedtothesupportmayalso be modified.

In the second embodiment ofthe device the leg and base framework maytake differentforms to that shown, the means locking the support memberto the base may be modified, and the anchoring means constituted bythe pads 37,38 may also be changed.

Other embodiments will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

1. Atraction device comprising a base having an upper surface inclined to the horizontai, a supportfora patient in a lying position, means mounting the support on the base to be longitudinally movable relative thereto between a higher position and a lower position, means for releasably locking the supportto the base against relative movementwhen the support is in its higher position, and anchoring means located adjacentto the higher end ofthe support and designed so thatthe patient may be restrained by the anchoring means.

2. Atraction device according to claim 1 in which the base has a buffer device secured thereto atthe end of the base opposite to the anchoring means, the distance between the buffer device and the anchoring means being greaterthan the length ofthe support.

3. Atraction device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the support is mounted on the base byway of rollers.

4. Atraction device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking means is operable to releasably lock the supportto the base both when the support is in a higher position and when the support is in lower positions.

5. A traction device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the base comprises upper and lower base members pivoted together at one end thereof, and jack means at the other end thereof so thatthe inclination of the upper base member may be adjusted.

6. Atraction device according to anyoneofclaims 1 to 4 in which the base is part of a folding framework comprising the base and leg means pivoted to the base, the framework being capable offolding for storage and of being unfolded sothatthe leg means supportthe base in the required inclined position.

7. Atraction device according to claim 6 in which anchoring means comprise padded members engageable behind the knee of the patient and in front of the ankle region of the patient, said anchoring means being secured to said leg means which is pivoted to that part of the base which will be highest when supported in its inclined position.

8. Atraction device substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 ofthe accompanying drawings.

9. Atraction device substantially as herein de scribed with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.