Patient operated spine stretcher - has open frame with straps and belts for limbs and pulley gearing operated by patient

摘要

To work on the lumbar spine, the patient lies within the U-frame (2, 3, 9) on rollers or a sliding cushion and fastens the chest and hip belts (16). The chest belt connects directly with the U-frame and the hip belt over three long straps (13, 14, 15) equally spaced round it, to a cross member which slides along the frame. The patient pulls on the cords (36), moving the sliding cross-member (10) and exerting the required amount of tension on his lumbar spine. The cords pass round a pulley (11) which works through gearing (39) to tigthen a rope (12) and compress a spring whose other end moves the cross-member (10). The amount of the spring compression is shown on a tension meter (38).