Readily adjustable therapeutic traction chair

Abstract

A chair has two parallel posts extending upward from the seat. A pair of housings slide up and down on the posts. Each housing supports a pair of padded arms pivoted on opposed ends of the housing to swing through a horizontal plane. Each arm on the lower housing may be locked against pivoting. Each housing may be locked at a vertical level by a housing locking mechanism. The user is seated on the seat with the posts behind the back. The lower housing is adjusted vertically so that the padded arms engage the upper margin of the pelvis and the arms and lower housing are locked in place. The upper housing is adjusted so that its padded arms engage the armpits and it is locked at that elevation. When the user's arms are forced down on the upper padded arms, the spine is stretched between the upper and lower housing pulling up on the shoulder girdle and holding the pelvic girdle down. Toothed racks mounted on the posts cooperate with locking mechanisms in the housings to lock a housing on both posts simultaneously for ease of operation by the user and the user controls the amount of stretching applied to the spine for treatment of various spinal problems in which traction is required. A unique double-acting ratchet locking mechanism operates automatically to lock the housing.