US3167068A

US3167068A - Upright lumbo-sacral traction system

Info

Publication number: US3167068A
Application number: US92100A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Carr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-02-27
Filing date: 1961-02-27
Publication date: 1965-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-26

Description

Jan. 26, 1965 J. w. CARR UPRIGHT LUMBO-SACRAL TRACTION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 INVENTOR c/OAl/V W CAQQ 26, 1965 J. w. CARR 3,167,068

UPRIGHT LUMBO-SACRAL TRACTION SYSTEM Filed Feb. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T '.i g

:E II3 3 Joy/v 14 CAQA? IN V EN TOR United States Patent Office attests Fatentecl Jan. 26, 1965 Fiddles/8 Ull-EHGHT TRAQTJI QN EM .John W. (Carr, 168 Qronin Drive, Santa (Ziara, Caiif. Filed Feb. 27, 196i, Ser. No. 92,1696 7 Chain (tCi. lid-75) This invention relates to traction devices in general, and more particularly to a novel traction system which permits traction or removal of body Weight from the lower lumbo sacral region of the body.

Presently known devices for providing traction or otherwise removing or minimizing compressive forces on the vertebral disks or other cartilage or bone structure in the lumbar, sacral, or pelvic region have the severe disadvantage that they require the patient to be hospitalized or at least confined to a bed or some complicated and/or otherwise restricted device that does not allow the patient sufficient freedom to perform productive functions or other normal activities. Consequently, the recovery period is a tedious and unproductive one and the patient is often tempted to prematurely return to normal activities before recovery is complete. The unfortunate result is that the injured portions are usually unduly strained and the patient is again forced to return to traction.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel and relatively simple and inexpensive traction system for applying traction or removing the body weight from the lower lumbo-sacral region of the body in a manner which permits the patient to be comfortably seated and relatively unrestrained so as to be able to perform productive functions or otherwise engage in normal seated activities.

Another object of this invention is to provide traction apparatus which may be attached to various types of existing commercially available chairs to provide an upright traction system which will achieve the advantages of the traction system of the aforementioned object.

A further object of this invention is to provide a traction system having the advantages of the aforementioned primary object along with the additional advantages that the patient may rapidly and conveniently engage or disengage himself from traction and conveniently adjust th amount of traction provided.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a traction system having the advantages of the aforementioned primary object which can be adjusted for persons of different heights and various traction equirements.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a suspension belt to be worn by a patient for use in an upright traction system which permits the patient to be comfortably placed in traction in an unrestrained seated position, and which in addition permits the patient to be rapidly and conveniently engaged and disengaged from traction.

In a typical embodiment of the invention, a patient is provided with a suspension belt or vest in firm but comfortable contact with his body in the waist and lower chest region, and the belt is urged upward to remove body weight from the lumbo-sacral region of the body by means of a spring-loaded suspension means mounted to a conventional type of padded omce chair. The spring loaded suspension means is pivoted with respect to its connection to the suspension belt so that the patient may vary his forward or lateral movement about the pivot without significantly changing the vertical tension force on his body or introducing undesirable horizontal tension forces.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment of an upright traction system in use on a patient in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary View of a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively outside and inside views of a suspension belt in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the torso of a patient 2% is shown seated in a standard type of padded metal oflice chair It) having a seat 13, a back 14, legs 11, and supporting members 717. For further comfort, the chair 10 may be provided with suitable arm rests (not shown).

Attached to the back legs 11 of the chair lit by means of

brackets

12 and 19 are two sections of tubing 15, ex-

ending in a generaily upward direction beyond the seat 13 of the chair Iii The

brackets

12 and 19 may be suitably constructed in any well known manner so that the tubing 15 can be mounted at any suitable angle with the vertical. For example, the brackets 12 may be provided with a plurality of mounting holes or a sliding groove (not shown) and the brackets 19 on opposite sides of the chair 1% (only one bracket 19 being shown) may be constructed and arranged to pivot about a telescoping member 16 extending across the rear breadth of the chair it). The telescoping member 16 is also used to provide the desired lateral spacing between the tubing 15. For convenience, the tubing 15 and mounting arrangements on both sides of the chair It) are provided in a similar manner. Obviously, a wide variety of constructions are available for arranging the tubing 15 with respect to the chair it) as shown in FIG. 1 and for providing adjustments therefor At the top of each tubing 15 a slidable member 18 is provided which is capable of sliding on the tubing 15 to vary the effective height thereof. Each slidable member it may be maintained at a fixed point on the tubing 15 by various means, such as the use of a knob 23 having a threaded portion 2-4 depending therefrom which is threaded into the wall of the member 18 and bears on the tubing 15 to hold it at a fixed position. Alternatively, the tubing 15 could be provided with suitably spaced holes at the top portion thereof through which the longitudinal portion 24. could pass to maintain a fixed height. Each slidable member 18 also carries a sheave 2h therein extending partially out of the member 18 through a slot 25 as shown.

Within each tubing 15 is a coil spring having one end affixed to a bolt 44 in the lower portion of the tubing 15. The other'end of each spring 40 is afixed to an eyebolt 37 extending from the lower end of a block 38. A rope or cable 27 in each tubing 15 has one end secured to an eye-bolt 39 extending from the upper end of its corresponding block 38 and passes up through the tubing 15 and the member 18 over the sheave 20 and out of the slot 25. The block 38 in each tubing has a screw head 35 which rides in a groove 34 in the tubing and may conveniently be used to indicate the tension of the spring it) by means of a scale 49 provided on each tubing 15.

A turnbuckle 3ft is provided for each rope 27 and has an eyebolt end 2% to which its respective rope 27 is secured as shown. The other end 31 of each turnbuckle 3t terminates in a hook 31a which engages a corresponding ring on a suspension belt worn by the patient.

The rings 55 are located on the suspension belt under the patients armpits and slightly to the rear so that when the turnbuckles 3d are hooked in their corresponding rings 55 by means of the hooks 31a, the body and arms of the patient are substantially clear of abrasion by either the turnbuckles 3% or the ropes 27.

The operation of the traction system of FIG. 1 should now be self evident. The patient 200 secures the suspension belt or vest 60 about his waist, seats himself in the chair 10, engages the hooks 31a in their respective rings 55, and then adjusts the turnbuckles 30 to provide equal tension on both rings 55 of a prescribed amount as indicated by the screw head 35 on the scale 49 of each tubing 15. To disengage himself from traction the patent need merely unhook the hooks 31a from the rings 55 and then he will be completely free to rise and move about. The effective height and angle of the tubing 15 should of course be previously adjusted for the patient.

In order 'to permit the patient to perform normal seated activities it is important that the patient have almost unrestricted mobility in the forward, backward and lateral movements of his upper body, while at the same time substantially maintaining the vertical tension on his body without introducing undesirable horizontal tension forces. In the present invention as illustrated by the embodiment of FIG. 1, these requirements are met in a simple and most satisfactory manner as will now be brought out.

First, it will be noted in FIG. 1 that the pivot point from which the belt 60 is suspended is the radius about which the patient can pivot in moving forward, backward or laterally while seated in the chair It It will be appreciated, therefore, that because of the relatively long radius provided by the embodiment of FIG. 1, the patient will have considerable mobility in all directions without significantly changing the elongation of the spring 4%.

Secondly, in the embodiment of FIG. 1 the length and spring constant of each spring 40 is chosen so that the tension provided by the spring 40 changes by only a relatively small amount with changes in elongation over the ranges of tension to which the spring is to be subjected. Thus, any small change in elongation which may be required in response to body movements will not significantly affect the vertical tension applied to the belt or introduce undesirable horizontal tensions.

The effect of the long radius and proper choice of spring length and constant, therefore, is to permit the patient a high degree of mobility while at the same time maintaining the patient in the desired amount of traction. For typically required suspension tensions of 10 to 30 pounds per spring, each spring 40 may typically have an unstretched length of 12 to 18 inches with spring constants of roughly A1 to /3 inch per pound. Vertical distances from the seat 13 of the chair It) to the sheaves 25) may typically range from 2 /2 to feet depending of course on various factors including the size of the patient.

It is to be understood that the typical values given above are only for purposes of illustration and are not to be considered'as limiting the invention in any way. It will also be understood that the suspension means illustrated in FIG. 1 for applying tension to the belt at is only exemplary and that various modifications and variations may be made in the construction and arrangement thereof without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, instead of providing sheaves 20 and a spring and cable arrangement as shown in FIG. 1, solid upright members 115 could be substituted for the tubings 15 as illustrated in the fragmentary view of FIG. 2. An eyebolt 139 depending from the top of each upright member 115 then serves as the pivot point of the system in an analogous manner to the sheaves 20 in FIG. 1.

To spring-load the modified system of FIG. 2, a spring 140 is arranged in a tube 150 and connected to the eyebolt 139 for each upright member by means of a block 138 and a rope or cable 127 as shown. The block 138 in the tube 150 in FIG. 2 serves the same purpose as the block 38 in FIG. 1 and in a like manner has a screw head 135 which rides in a groove 134 in the tube 159 and may likewise conveniently be used to indicate the tension provided by the spring 140 by means of a scale 149 provided on the tube 150. The other side of the spring 140 and tubing 150 "are cooperatively connected to a turnbuckle 30 which permits convenient adjustment of the tension provided by the system as in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

It should be noted that the spring 140 in FIG. 2 is arranged and operated in the tube 15% in a manner which provides tension to the traction system by compressing the spring IMO-that is, the spring 14% operates as a compression spring. Those skilled in the art will realize that either a tension spring as shown in FIG. 1 or a compression spring as shown in FIG. 2 could be employed in either embodiment of the invention. Construction cost and convenience will usually determine which is used.

Besides the modifications illustrated in FIG. 2 various other modifications and variations are also possible. For example, the chair 10 may be provided with suitable arms (not shown) for increased comfort, or adjustable arms may be suitably attached to tubing 15 for this purpose. Or, the chair 1% could be provided with wheels to permit the chair to be easily rolled about with or without the patient. 0* 161 refinements and variations will no doubt occur to those skilled in the art, and the invention is not to be considered limited to those disclosed herein.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate in detail a particularly desirable suspension belt construction that may advantageously be employed for the belt 60 in the traction system of FIG. 1.

Referring most particularly to FIG. 3 which is an outside view of the belt t it will be seen that the belt 60 includes a body portion 65 having a tapered elastic dart 89 interposed at the middle portion thereof. The body portion 65 may be made of several layers of muslin or duck or of standard surgical corset weave, and the elastic dart 8t may be surgical elastic suitably stitched to the body portion 65.

A strip 62 which may be of surgical webbing is stitched completely along the lower edge of the body portion 65 including the elastic dart 8%) to maintain the lower edge of the belt 60 at a substantially fixed length. The strip 62 continues beyond both ends of the body portion 65 of the belt. One end of the strip 62 terminates in a friction buckle 99 immediately adjacent to the body portion 65, and the other end remains free to cooperate with the buckle 99 in securing the belt 60 to the patient.

Another strip 66 which may also be of surgical webbing is stitched along the upper edge of the body portion as of the belt, but ends at either side of the elastic dart 35) to permit expansion thereof. Like the strip 62, the ends of the strip 66 continue beyond the body portion 65 and terminate in a friction buckle 99 at one end while the other end remains free to cooperate with the buckle in securing the belt 60 to the patient.

Two central strips '64 are also provided for securing the belt 6%) to the patient. These central strips may likewise be of surgical webbing, and are stitched to the body member for a distance which need only be sufficient to achieve ample strength. One end of each of the central strips continues beyond the body portion 65 and terminates in a friction buckle 99, while the corresponding end of each central strip 64 at the other end of the belt 60 remains free to cooperate with its corresponding buckle 99 in securing the belt 60 to the patient. Loops 92 are provided for each of the

strips

62, 64, and 66 to permit the free end of each strip to be neatly tucked, through its corresponding loop after being passed through its corresponding buckle 99.

Three strips 58 are stitched along the width of the belt at each side of the elastic dart for the purpose of sup porting each ring 55 in, a manner which will distribute the suspension forces over relatively large areas or" the belt dd, and thus over relatively large areas of the patients body. The outer strips 58 are stitched so as to form an inverted V, while the middle strip 58 is a double layer with a small portion at the apex 58a remaining unstitched to permit the ring 55 to be passed there-through. The pairs of strips 58 are located so that the rings 55 will come under the patients arms and slightly to the rear when the belt is worn to keep the patients body and arms substantially free of the suspension means, as illustrated:

in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 4 which is an inside view of the suspension belt 66, a removable flexible foamed pad 1% of material such as foam rubber or flexible foam plastic is held in place on the inside of the belt by cloth end pockets 9'5 and spaced straps 91 extending across the width of the belt. The flexible foamed pad Elli may typically have a thickness of the order of A inch.

The pad 1% is not essential, but is valuable in that it does significantly contribute to bodily comfort, particularly if the suspension belt 6% is used by the patient with out a lumbo-sacral corset. The pad 1% is held in place only by the end pockets 95 and straps 91 so as to permit the pad 1% to be easily slipped in or out of the belt when the belt is laundered. The belt can be used with or without the pad lidtl, since the cloth thickness of the pockets 95 and straps 91 can conveniently be chosen sulficiently small to prevent any noticeable concentrated pressure areas against the body when the pad lit-d is not in place.

In using the suspension belt 6%, it is firmly attached to the body by means of the buckles and strips 62, dd, and

s so that the lower strip passes around the patients waist while the upper strip es passes around his lower chest region. The width of the belt is suitably chosen to approximate this positioning of the belt. The elastic dart 8% will then allow freedom of chest expansion during breathing while the continuous lower strip 52 around the waist along with the central strips 65 will prevent the suspension belt from slipping upward. The length of the belt 6% should be sufficient to permit the body portion 65" to pass almost completely around the patients body without overlapping when the belt is tightened.

Like the embodiments of the traction systems illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is to be understood that the embodiment of the suspension belt dd discloses herein is only exemplary and that various modifications and refinements may be made in the construction and arrangement thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising a suspension belt adapted to be worn around the lower thoracic region of a patient, said suspension belt having an elastic insert adapted to lie over the central dorsal region of a patient and first and second traction engaging means adapted to lie respectively under the patients right and left armpits when a patient is being acted upon by the system, said first and second traction engaging means operatively connected respectively to first and second traction adjusting means, first and second elastic members, each said elastic member having first and second opposite ends, said first and second traction adjusting means operatively connected to the first ends of said first and second elastic members, said second opposite ends of said first and second elastic members operatively connected to first and second supporting structural members, each or" said first and second structural mem ers operatively connected to a seating means to apply essentially vertically directed elastic traction forces to said first and second traction engaging means on said suspension belt Worn by a patient when a patient is being acted upon by the system, first and second visual indicating means operatively connected to said first and second elastic members, said first and second visual indicating means cooperating with first and second scale means operatively connected to said first and second structural members to indicate the amount of said elastic traction forces applied respectively at said first and second traction engaging means on said suspension belt when a patient wearing the belt is acted upon by the system.

2. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising a seating means for supporting a patient in a seated position when a patient is being acted upon by the system,

first and second sheaves attached to the upper ends of first and second supporting structural members, each of said supporting structural members operatively connected to said seated means for supporting said sheaves at a vertical distance above and at opposite sides of said seating means, said vertical distance being chosen so that said sheaves are elevated higher than the shoulders of the patient when a patient is seated on said seating means, first and second spring means, the lower end of each said rst and second spring means operatively connected respectively to said first and second supporting structural nembers at a position substantially below the respective sheaves to hang downward therefrom, the lower ends of eratively connected to respective first and second spring means and passing respectively over said first and second sheaves to hand downward therefrom, the lower ends of said first and second rope means being detachably connected to first and second engaging means, a suspension belt adapted to be attached to and to encircle the lower thoracic region of the body or" the patient when a patient wears the belt, each of said first and second engaging means being respectively attached to opposite sides of said suspension belt wherein said first and second spring means apply upward spring tensions to said suspension belt to remove weight from the lower lumbo-sacral and pelvic regions ot a patient when a patient is being acted upon by the system.

3. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising a pair of calibrated spring controlled traction members and a suspension belt, said spring controlled traction members operatively connected to first and second connecting members operatively connected to said belt, each of said first and second connecting members being adapted to be located on opposite sides and under the armpits of a patient when a patient is being acted upon by the system, said suspension belt adapted to pass around the patient in the lower thoracic region and each of said spring controlled traction members being supported by essentially vertically directed structural members which are attachable to seating means, each of said traction members respectively connected to said structural members, each of said structural members including pivot means for pivoting each of said traction members at locations vertically above the patients shoulders when a patient is being acted upon by the system, each of said pivot means also located laterally outward from and to the rear of the respective first and second connecting members operatively connected to said belt, each of said traction members adapted to apply forces respectively to said first and second connecting members such that the horizontal components of reactive tension forces transmitted through the first and second connecting members to the suspension belt are directed respectively laterally and dorsally outward from the region enclosed by the suspension belt when a patient is being acted upon by the system so as not to restrict the lugs or abdomen during normal breathing and so that the patient has no restrictions to movements of the head, shoulders, arms, legs and trunk in carrying out normal seated occupational ctivities.

4. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising a seating means for supporting a patient in. a seated position, first and second. sheaves respectively attached to the upper ends of first and second supporting members, said first and second supporting members mounted to said seating means for supporting said sheaves at a vertical distance above said seating means with said sheaves spaced at opposite sides thereof, said vertical distance being such that said sheaves are at a higher elevation than the shoulders of a patient when a patient is seated on said seating means, first and second spring means operatively connected respectively to said first and second supporting members, first and second indicating means respectively attached to said first and second spring means, first and second scales on each respective said first and a,1er,oes

second supporting member cooperating respectively with each said first and second indicating means to indicate the tension transmitted by each said spring means, first and second rope means respectively connected to said first and second spring means and passing over said respective first and second sheaves to hang downward therefrom on opposite sides of said seating means, first and second adjustment means operatively attached to each respective said first and second rope means to vary the length thereof, a suspension belt to encircle the lower thoracic region of the body when the belt is worn by a patient, attaching means for affirting said belt peripherally to the lower thoracic region of a patient, first and second belt engaging means adapted to lie respectively under the patients right and left arm pits when the belt is worn by the patient, first and second engaging means operatively attached to said first and second rope adjustment means, said first and second engaging means detachably connected respectively to said first and second belt engaging means to apply vertical tension to said suspension belt when a patient is being acted upon by the system thereby removing body weight from the lower lumbosacral and pelvic regions of the body.

5. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system attachable to a conventional seating means for supporting a patient in a seated position, first and second sheaves, right and left respectively, operatively mounted on first and second structurally supporting members, first and second spring means operatively connected respectively to said first and second supporting members, said first and second supporting members attachable to said seating means for supporting said first and second sheaves at a vertical elevation higher than the crests of the patients shoulders and back of the crests of the patients shoulders and laterally outward from the patients armpits when a patient is being acted upon by the system, first and second rope means respectively operatively attached to said first and second spring means and passing respectively over said first and second sheaves to hang downward therefrom, a suspension belt, first and second engaging means respectively on the ends of said first and second rope means detachably connected to corresponding first and second belt engaging means on first and second respectively right and left upper edges of said suspension belt, each said first and second belt engaging means adapted to lie respectively under the patients right and left armpits when the belt is worn by a patient, said suspension belt being elastically loaded in its central region and having means for operatively attaching it around a patients body in the lower chest and abdominal region.

6. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising a suspension belt adapted to surround the lower thoracic region of a patient, said suspension belt having an elastic insert in the mid-section of the belt, said elastic insert in said mid-section of said belt adapted to lie over a patients central back region when a patient wears the belt, means for securing said belt to a patients lower chest and abdominal region, said belt having first and second belt engaging means on its upper portions respectively lying to the right and to the left of said elastic insert such that when a patient wears the belt, said first and second belt engaging means lie respectively under the patients right and left armpits, first and second traction engagement means detachably connected to said first and second belt engaging means, said first and second traction engagement means operatively attached to first and second traction adjustment means, said traction adjustment means operatively connected to first and second ropes, said first and second ropes passing upward and over first and second sheaves, said first and second sheaves adapted to be situated at a higher elevation than the crests of a seated patients shoulders and rearward from the crests of a seated patients shoulders and laterally outward from a seated patients armpits, said first and second sheaves operatively attached to the upward portions of essentially vertically directed first and second hollow tubular structural members, said first and second ropes passing over said first and second sheaves and downward into said first and second hollow tubular members, said first and second ropes respectively connected to first and second indicating means, said first and second indicating means respectively connected to first and second tension spring means, the lower ends of said first and second tension spring means operatively connected respectively to said first and second tubular members, said first and second tubular members adjustably attached to a seating means, first and second longitudinal slots in the walls of said respective first and second tubular members, first and second scales cooperating respectively with said first and second slots and said first and second indicating means to serve as a continuous indication of the amount of traction applied to said belt engaging means when a patient is being acted upon by the system.

7. An upright lumbo-sacral traction system comprising seating means for supporting a patient in a seated position, first and second sheaves, right and left respectively, operatively attached to first and second tubular supporting members, said tubular supporting members operatively attached to the sides of said seating means for supporting said first and second sheaves at a vertical distance above said seating means and at opposite sides thereof, the position of said first and second sheaves being adapted to be higher in elevation than the crest of a patients shoulders when a patient is seated on said seating means, first and second spring means operatively mounted respectively within said first and second tubular supporting members, first and second indicating means disposed respectively in said first and second tubular supporting members and operatively attached respectively to said first and second spring means, first and second scale on said respective first and second tubular supporting members cooperating respectively with said first and second indicating means to indicate the tensions transmitted re spectively by said first and second spring means, first and second rope means each operatively connected respectively to said first and second spring means and passing upward and over respective said first and second sheaves to hang downward therefrom, said first and second rope means having adjustment means to vary the length thereof, and first and second rope engaging means operatively connected to the ends respectively of said first and second rope means, a suspension belt, said first and second rope engaging means operatively connected respectively to first and second belt engaging means, said first and second beit engaging means respectively connected to the right and left sides of said suspension belt which is adapted to be worn by a patient when a patient is being acted upon by the system, said first and second belt engaging means adapted to lie respectively under the right and left armpits of a patient, said belt being provided with means for affixing it securely to the patient so that it encircles the patients lower thoracic region, such that when a patient is being acted upon by the system, traction forces are applied to said first and second belt engaging means predominantly in the vertical direction with minor horizontal forces in the outward lateral and rear directions from said first and second belt engaging means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,638,091 5/53 Varco 128-75 2,808,049 10/57 Graham 128-75 3,003,498 10/61 Hotas 128-75 FOREIGN PATENTS 150,948 9/20 Great Britain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, RICHARD J. HOFFMAN,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 5, 167 ,068 January 26 1965 John W. Carr It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent req'iiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 5, line 6, for "patent" read patient column 5, line 37 for "discloses" read disclosed column 6, lin l3 and 14, strike out "sheaves to hang downward therefrom, the lower ends of eratively" and insert instead sheave attaching position, first and second rope means operatively line 16 for "hand" read hang same column 6, line 56, for "lugs" read lungs 7 Signed and sealed this 6th day of July 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Aitosting ()fficer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. AN UPRIGHT LUMBO-SACRAL TRACTION SYSTEM COMPRISING A SUSPENSION BELT ADAPTED TO BE WORN AROUND THE LOWER THORACIC REGION OF A PATIENT, SAID SUSPENSION BELT HAVING AN ELASTIC INSERT ADAPTED TO LIE OVER THE CENTRAL DORSAL REGION OF A PATIENT AND FIRST AND SECOND TRACTION ENGAGING MEANS ADAPTED TO LIE RESPECTIVELY UNDER THE PATIENT''S RIGHT AND LEFT ARMPITS WHEN A PATIENT IS BEING ACTED UPON BY THE SYSTEM, SAID FIRST AND SECOND TRACTION ENGAGING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO FIRST AND SECOND TRACTION ADJUSTING MEANS, FIRST AND SECOND ELASTIC MEMBERS, EACH SAID ELASTIC MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSITE ENDS, SAID FIRST SECOND TRACTION ADJUSTING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE FIRST ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELASTIC MEMBERS, SAID SECOND OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELASTIC MEMBERS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO FIRST AND SECOND SUPPORTING STRUCTURAL MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A SEATING MEANS TO APPLY ESSENTIALLY VERTICALLY DIRECTED ELASTIC TRACTION FORCES TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND TRACTION ENGAGING MEANS ON SAID SUSPENSION BELT WORN BY A PATIENT WHEN A PATIENT IS BEING ACTED UPON BY THE SYSTEM, FIRST AND SECOND VISUAL INDICATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELASTIC MEMBERS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND VISUAL INDICATING MEANS COOPERATING WITH FIRST AND SECOND SCALE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND STRUCTURAL MEMBERS TO INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF SAID ELASTIC TRACTION FORCES APPLIED RESPECTIVELY AT SAID FIRST AND SECOND TRACTION ENGAGING MEANS ON SAID SUSPENSION BELT WHEN A PATIENT WEARING THE BELT IS ACTED UPON BY THE SYSTEM.