Patent Application
20110078861
The present invention relates to sacro-iliac joint, pubic joint and lumbar spine support devices useful for improving spinal alignment and comfort of the seated posture. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for bracing and tilting the pelvic region of a seated person so as to compress and stabilize the sacro-iliac and pubic joints of the pelvic girdle, produce a anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis and cause a reflexive accommodation of lordosis of the lumbar spine so as to prevent adverse shearing and compression loading of the sacro-iliac and pubic joints of the pelvis and of the soft tissues of the lumbar spine, while permitting the user unrestricted range of motion of the lumbar spine to promote circulation in the region and thereby reduce muscular fatigue and onset of pain.
It is well documented that prolonged periods of the seated posture, wherein the lumbar spine is substantially flexed, referred to as alordosis, causes increased compressive forces to the soft tissue structures of the spine and more particularly to the discs of the lumbar spine. Further, restricting motion of the lumbar spinal joints hampers circulation of blood to the soft tissue structures of the region, particularly the musculature, thereby leading to early fatigue and pain.
Extended periods of sitting is also recognized as a causative factor in sacro-iliac and pubic joint irritation. In the erect standing posture the body's weight is directed caudally through the spine into the pelvis and cephalically through the lower limb and obliquely through the femur heads of the hip into the pelvis thus effectively dissipating the load bearing forces within the pelvic girdle. However, in the seated posture the body's weight is directed cephalically through the ischial tuberosities of the illi of the pelvis and caudally through the spine creating destructive shear forces through the sacro-iliac and pubic joints of the pelvis causing pain and pre-mature muscular and ligamentous fatigue.
It is also well known that in both the standing and seated postures the optimal spinal alignment is achieved with moderate extension of the lumbar spine, commonly referred to as lordosis. Anatomically, the degree of lordosis is directly influenced by the degree of forward tilting of the pelvis, referred to as anterior pelvic tilt. Typically, the seated posture produces posterior pelvic tilt causing a reactive loss of lordosis, referred to as alordosis or flexion, of the lumbar spine. Alordosis of the lumbar spine shifts the body's weight anteriorly towards the spinal disc structures and thus substantially elevates compression forces on the disc structures of the lumbar spine. Lordosis of the lumbar spine shifts the body's weight posterior toward the weight bearing facet joints of the lumbar spine thus reducing compression forces on the disc structures of the lumbar spine.
Alordosis of the lumbar spine contributes to premature muscle fatigue since the weight-bearing facet joints of the lumbar spine are rendered less effective in bearing the body's weight. Alordotic posture requires increased muscular effort to maintain the body erect. Increased muscular effort, especially when combined with restricted motion of the lumbar spine, hampers circulation in the region leading to accumulation of pain inducing waste products.
Since the onset of the industrial revolution, and more recently the advent of the computer, our society has become increasingly sedentary and as a consequence back pain has become a pandemic problem. Each year, back pain accounts for massive expense in both treatment costs and expenses related to days of work lost. It is estimated that 8 in every 10 persons have, or will suffer from, back pain at some point in their lives. The correlation of seated posture and back pain is well documented and thus there is a need created for a simple, cost effective device which will provide an individual with effective pelvic and spinal support while seated to work or play and which does not restrict movement of the spine and thereby adversely affect circulation in the spinal or pelvic regions.
Review of the prior art shows back supports and sacro-iliac joint supports. For example, a back support is shown in the expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,106 to Toso and a sacro-iliac support is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,154. to Hyman et al. These two prior art examples teach the relevance of lumbar support and sacro-iliac support, respectively. However, no prior art has been identified that address both the pelvic and the lumbar spine biomechanical components associated with elevated compressive and shearing forces generated in the sacro-iliac joints and lumbar spine when an individual adopts the seated posture.
Toso's patents, both expired and active, teach a means of lumbar spine support whereby the lumbar spine is supported directly and is rigidly forced into lordosis by a flexible rectangular lumbar support which is strapped to the user's knees by straps having loops. Supporting the lumbar spine directly, as taught by the Toso, restricts the user from moving his or her lumbar spine through a full range of motion thus hampering circulation in the regions. Toso's teachings also exclude the importance of controlling the shearing and compression stressors generated in the pubic and sacro-iliac joints of the pelvis in the seated posture.
Hymen et al. addresses the problem of sacro-iliac stability but fails to address the problem of compression forces generated in the lumbar spine by alordosis of lumbar spine associated with the seated posture.
No prior art teaches a wearable means of addressing the two mechanical forces namely, compression stress and shear stress, in both the pelvic and spinal regions, associated with back pain related to the seated posture.
The present invention provides a means to control both compression and shear stress forces in a seated individual by cradling the pelvis to compress and support the sacro-iliac and pubic joints of the pelvis, simultaneously, creating a anterior pelvic tilt creating a reflexive natural accommodating lumbar lordosis. Since the present invention supports the lumbar spine through pelvic tilt orientation the lumbar spine is unrestricted and free to move thus promoting circulation and affording the user improved stamina and comfort while seated.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of soft flexible pelvic support members dimensioned to encircle the trochanteric region of the pelvis of a user. A double-ended strap is affixed to the pelvic support members and extends longitudinally from the distal ends of the pelvic support members terminating in a left loop and a right loop which are dimensioned to engage the respective knees of the user in the seated posture. The strap includes a pair of adjustment means which permits lengthening or shortening of the loops of the strap to fit the device to various sized users. The pelvic support members are retained on the strap by stitching, riveting or other suitable means so as to maintain the support members in a spaced apart configuration providing a void of the support members over the sacral region of the pelvis to improve comfort to the user and facilitate folding of the device for improved storage and shipping. However, a single support member extruded, molded or otherwise fabricated from a soft flexible material and excluding the void of the support members over the sacral region of the pelvis of the user would also provide the function of the present invention and fall within the scope of the present invention.
Enhancements to the embodiment of the present invention includes, for convenience, a pelvic encircling cinch-able belt affixed to the double-ended strap intermediate distal ends of the strap and having a fastening means to permit retention of the present invention about the user's pelvis when the user is not sitting or when the device is not in use.
For enhanced comfort the invention may also include a pair of knee pads slidingly mounted on respective loops of the strap.
For enhanced stamina in sitting the invention may also include a connecting means, such as a buckle or second strap, interconnecting the medial aspects of both loops of the strap and holding the user's knees together, in adduction, without requiring muscular effort from the user.
For enhanced storage the invention may include a pocket or elastic strap integrally formed or affixed to the support member or members, depending upon the embodiment of the invention, whereby the loops of the double ended strap may be stored easily for enhancing portability of the invention, the pocket or strap may also serve to store personal articles of the user such as a wallet, money or other personal belongings of the user.
The general object of the invention is to provide a seated posture support device, adapted to be worn about the trochanteric portion of a individual's pelvis, providing a optimal load bearing spinal posture while permitting unrestricted motion of the user's lumbar spine to promote circulation in the regions of the pelvis and lumbar spine to reduce onset of muscular fatigue and pain, thereby providing the user with improved comfort while seated.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide a pelvic support device which compresses and supports the sacro-iliac joints of the pelvis, tilts the pelvis anterior and produces a automatic reflexive lordosis of the lumbar spine without restricting motion of the lumbar spine, thereby promoting circulation and the removal of waste by-products related to muscular effort and thus permitting a individual to sit comfortably for prolonged periods of time in a chair, stool, bench or on the ground.
It is still another object to provide a pelvic support which improves overall spinal posture while sitting and which is adjustable to fit various sized users and which is easily transportable and inexpensive to manufacture.
In accordance with the present invention a pelvic support device for selectively compressing and supporting the sacro-iliac and pubic joints of the pelvic region, providing anterior pelvic tilt thereby creating a reflexive natural lordosis of a lumbar spine, while permitting free motion of the lumbar spine of a user while in a seated position.
The strap 6 is preferably formed of a flexible material of sufficient strength to withstand the body forces when used.
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Other modifications and alterations to the preferred embodiment of the present invention (not shown) may be made without altering the scope of the invention; for example the members 4 may be shaped or molded in a contour, oval or wedge shape to enhance the comfort or performance of the present invention.
Still other modifications to the scope of the present invention may be made without altering the scope of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. For example member 4′ and/or strap 6 may be formed of an elastic material to promote easier fitting of the present invention to the user.
