Pelvic and lumbar spine support

Abstract

A pelvic embracing support device ( 1 ) which permits a user to sit comfortably for prolonged periods of time with less fatigue and discomfort including a pair of spaced apart flexible cushioned members ( 4 ) dimensioned to engage the trochanteric region ( 2 ) of the user's pelvis and a double-ended length adjustable strap ( 6 ) affixed to the support members ( 4 ) and including left and right loops ( 10 ) and ( 11 ) which are looped around the respective knees of the user so as to selectively pressure the support ( 1 ) medially against the illi ( 5 ) of the user's pelvis to compress and support the sacro-iliac joints ( 3 ) of the pelvis and anteriorly into the pelvis to tilt the user's pelvis into extension and reflexly produce lordosis of the lumbar spine so as to reduce shear forces on the pelvis and compressive forces on the spinal soft tissues while permitting free motion of the lumbar spine.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A pelvic support device comprising:
 a support member, wherein the support member comprises a size and a shape designed to substantially span a trochanteric region of a pelvis of an associated user;   an elongated strap member, wherein the elongated strap member is secured to the support member and comprises a first end that extends longitudinally from a first distal end of the support member and a second end that extends longitudinally away from a second distal end of the pelvic support member;   a first loop member extending from the first end of the strap member;   a second loop member extending from the second end of the strap member,   wherein the first loop member and the second loop member are sized to engage the respective knees of the associated user when the associated user comprises a seated posture and the engagement of the knees of the associated user provides a tension that pulls the support member medially and anteriorly against the pelvis to simultaneously compress and support a sacro-iliac and a pubic joint of the pelvis and produce a variable anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis causing a reflexive amount of lordosis of a lumbar spine of the associated user.   
     
     
         14 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises:
 a pair of double-ended members, wherein the elongated strap member is secured to the pair of double-ended members and retains the medial ends of the pair of double-ended members in a spaced relation to each other on the elongated strap to provide a void over a sacral region of the pelvis.   
     
     
         15 . The pelvic support device of  claim 14 , wherein the elongated strap member comprises a single strap member and extends through a hollow formed through the pair of double-ended members. 
     
     
         16 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises:
 a pair of double-ended members, wherein each of the double-ended members comprises a flexible member having a substantially rectangular shape.   
     
     
         17 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises an extruded foam, a polyethylene, or a polypropylene material. 
     
     
         18 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises a flexible member formed from a rubber, a plastic, a fabric, or a foam material. 
     
     
         19 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second loop members each comprise:
 an adjustment means that allow for the selective adjustment of the effective length of the first and second loop members to vary the amount of anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis and the reflexive amount of lordosis of the lumbar spine.   
     
     
         20 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second strap member, wherein the second strap member can be selectively secured along the length of the medial aspects of the first and second loop members and allows the associated user to selectively connect the first and second loop members to maintain the first and second knees in an adducted posture.   
     
     
         21 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a retainer belt comprising a first portion having a first and a second end, a second portion having a first and a second end, and a fastener means, wherein the first portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the first loop member, the second portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the second loop member, and the fastener means allows for the selective coupling of the second ends of the first and second portion for securing the pelvic support device about the trochanteric region of the associated user.   
     
     
         22 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member and the elongated belt member comprise an integrally formed member having free ends forming the first and second loop members. 
     
     
         23 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises a wedge, an oval, or a contoured shape. 
     
     
         24 . The pelvic support device of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated strap member comprises an elastic member. 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a pelvic support device comprising a support member and an elongated strap member, wherein the elongated strap member is secured to the support member and comprises a first end that extends longitudinally from a first distal end of the support member and a second end that extends longitudinally away from a second distal end of the pelvic support member;   (b) placing the support member against a trochanteric region of a pelvis of an associated user;   (c) engaging a first knee of the associated user with a first loop and engaging a second knee of the associated user with a second loop, wherein the first loop extends from the first end of the elongated strap member and the second loop extends from the second end of the elongated strap member and the engagement of the first and second knees of the associated user provides a tension that pulls the support member medially and anteriorly against the pelvis to simultaneously compress and support a sacro-iliac and a pubic joint of the pelvis and produce a variable anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis causing a reflexive amount of lordosis of a lumbar spine of the associated user when the associated user is in a seated position.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of:
 adjusting the effective length of the first or second loop member to vary the amount of anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis and the reflexive amount of lordosis of the lumbar spine.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising the step of:
 coupling a second end of a first portion of a retainer belt to a second end of a second portion of the retainer belt, wherein the first portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the first loop member, the second portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the second loop member, and the coupling of the second ends of the first and second portion secures the pelvic support device about the trochanteric region of the associated user.   
     
     
         28 . A pelvic support device providing compression support of a sacro-iliac and a pubic joint of a pelvic region of an associated user and providing a variable anterior pelvic tilt causing a reflexive amount of lordosis of a lumbar spine of the associated user in a seated position comprising:
 a support member, wherein the support member comprises a pair of double-ended members and comprises a size and a shape designed to substantially span a trochanteric region of a pelvis of the associated user;   an elongated strap member comprising a first end and a second end that extend longitudinally from the distal ends of the support member, wherein the elongated strap member is secured to the support member and retains the medial ends of the pair of double-ended members in a spaced relation to each other on the elongated strap to provide a void over a sacral region of the pelvis;   a first loop member extending from the first end of the strap member;   a second loop member extending from the second end of the strap member, wherein the first loop member and the second loop member are sized to engage the respective knees of the associated user when the associated user comprises a seated posture and the engagement of the knees of the associated user provides a tension that pulls the support member medially and anteriorly against the pelvis to simultaneously compress and support the sacro-iliac and a pubic joint of the pelvis and produce a variable anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis causing a reflexive amount of lordosis of the lumbar spine of the associated user; and,   an adjustment means coupled to the elongated strap member for selectively adjusting the effective length of the first or second loop members, wherein the selective adjustment of the first or second loop members varies the amount of anterior pelvic tilt of the pelvis and reflexive amount of lordosis of the lumbar spine.   
     
     
         29 . The pelvic support device of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a second strap member, wherein the second strap member can be selectively secured along the length of the medial aspects of the first and second loop members and allows the associated user to selectively connect the first and second loop members to maintain the first and second knees in an adducted posture.   
     
     
         30 . The pelvic support device of  claim 28 , wherein the support member and the elongated strap member comprise an integrally formed member having first and second free ends forming the first and second loop members respectively. 
     
     
         31 . The pelvic support device of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a coupling means, wherein the coupling means is selectively mountable to medial aspects of the first and second loop members and permits the associated user to selectively couple the first and second loop members to maintain the first and second knees in an adducted posture.   
     
     
         32 . The pelvic support device of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a retainer belt comprising a first portion having a first and a second end, a second portion having a first and a second end, and a fastener means, wherein the first portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the first loop member, the second portion comprises a first end affixed to the elongated strap member intermediate the second loop member, and the fastener means allows for the selective coupling of the second ends of the first and second portion for securing the pelvic support device about the trochanteric region of the associated user.   
     
     
         33 . The pelvic support device of  claim 28 , wherein the support member comprises a rectangular, a wedge, an oval, or a contoured shape.