Gravity traction vest

Claim 1

A gravity traction vest for secure attachment to a patient, the patient having a torso with a rib cage having a plurality of ribs including a lowest rib, said vest adapted to be secured to the patient and attached to a support structure whereby the patient is suspended from the support structure with the head of the patient in an upward direction, said vest comprising: (a) a torso surrounding member having upper and lower edges and inner and outer surfaces for encircling the torso and rib cage of the patient; (b) support means cooperatively connected to said member and adapted to be attached to the support structure for suspending said member from the support structure and applying a uniform force on said member in said upward direction; (c) attachment means for securing said member to the patient; and (d) a flexible cushion insert means extending along at least a portion of said lower edge of said inner surface of said member and protruding inwardly toward the patient for engagement below the lowest rib, wherein when said vest is attached about the patient's rib cage, substantially said entire insert means is positioned below the lowest rib and said insert means is urged inwardly toward the patient to a position wherein said insert means will restrain movement of said member caused by said force applied by said support means.

Claim 7

A method of suspending a patient being treated by gravity lumbar reduction therapy, said method including the steps of encircling the rib cage and a portion of the torso therebelow of the patient, with a vest having a cushion insert extending inwardly toward the patient from a lower edge of the vest and having a cincture over the insert and positioning the vest along the patient's torso so that substantially the entire insert is disposed immediately below the lowermost rib of the patient and engages a bottom surface of the rib, securing the vest about the rib cage by tightening the cincture over the insert, suspensing the patient from a support structure with the head of the patient in an upward direction by suspensing the vest from the support structure wherein upward movement of the vest relative to the torso of the patient is restrained by said insert.

Claim 8

A method of suspending a patient being treated by gravity lumbar reduction therapy, said method including the steps of encircling the rib cage and a portion of the torso therebelow of the patient, with a vest having a cushion insert extending inwardly toward the patient from a lower edge of the vest and having a cincture over the insert and positioning the vest along the patient's torso so that substantially the entire insert is disposed immediately below the lowermost rib of the patient and engages a bottom surface of the rib, securing the vest about the rib cage by tightening the cincture over the insert, suspensing the patient from a support structure with the head of the patient in an upward direction by suspensing the vest from the support structure wherein upward movement of the vest relative to the torso of the patient is restrained by said insert.