A buoyancy-based cervical traction system has a floatation and a head rest supported by the flotation system. The head rest is adapted to support a person's head above the neck and apply traction to the neck when the person is in a body of liquid. The system has a position adjustment system adapted to allow selective adjustment of the position at which the person's head rest will be relative to an upper surface of the liquid when the person and the cervical traction system are in the liquid, the person's head is supported by the head rest, and the cervical traction system and person are floating in the liquid at equilibrium.

A buoyancy-based cervical traction system has a floatation and a head rest supported by the flotation system. The head rest is adapted to support a person's head above the neck and apply traction to the neck when the person is in a body of liquid. The system has a position adjustment system adapted to allow selective adjustment of the position at which the person's head rest will be relative to an upper surface of the liquid when the person and the cervical traction system are in the liquid, the person's head is supported by the head rest, and the cervical traction system and person are floating in the liquid at equilibrium.

Usage of the Original Device Broken Down: The original device was created to stabilize a unilateral (one leg) closed mid shaft femur fracture by the use of held in place mechanical traction. The device has parallel telescoping rails, made from the frame itself, these rails allow the device to be adjusted and size appropriate for all heights of patients requiring this device. These rails lock in the position the medical provider deems correct. To start the application process, a medically trained individual must first apply an ankle brace (if no ankle fracture is present) to the injured leg, this brace has a loop attached to the bottom of it (this loop is used later), the provider will then pull manual traction using the ankle of the injured leg in a directional manner meant to realign the broken femur to its normal position prior to the break. The goal is to stretch the shortened injured leg until it meets the length of the non-injured leg. The force needed to reach this position is then matched by the devices mechanical ability to recreate the same amount of force the provider used to hold the leg in proper place. The original device then uses a strap that wraps around the whole upper portion of the injured leg (ischium/groin/thigh area), this strap secures the upper leg to the device and now becomes the anchor point the device will use to pull traction against. After this groin strap is secured, the device has a ratchet strap that can now be attached to the ankle brace loop mentioned above. Traction is now applied by pulling the leg taught until it matches the manual force applied by the provider; this is done by using a hand turned dial located on the device end. Once the desired outcome is reached, the device is then secured in place to inhibit any further movement until further medical care is required.

Usage of the Modified BTSD Broken Down: The BTSD will serve the same function as the original, being a tool that is specific for a unilateral closed mid shaft femur fracture; but will also come optional to be outfitted with two fixed in place ratchet assemblies for treating a bilateral femur fracture. The key differences the BTSD will have over the original will be (1) better overall stabilization to the injured leg, (2) the BTSD design change to the original frame offers a simpler and a more practical application which now allows the uninjured leg to be part of stabilization process, (3) the BTSD offers a less painful, more effective and overall safer means of traction being applied, (4) the BTSD ratchet assembly housing will come optional with one ratchet strap housing assembly being able to slide and lock into grooved/notched positions found on

Usage of the Original Device Broken Down: The original device was created to stabilize a unilateral (one leg) closed mid shaft femur fracture by the use of held in place mechanical traction. The device has parallel telescoping rails, made from the frame itself, these rails allow the device to be adjusted and size appropriate for all heights of patients requiring this device. These rails lock in the position the medical provider deems correct. To start the application process, a medically trained individual must first apply an ankle brace (if no ankle fracture is present) to the injured leg, this brace has a loop attached to the bottom of it (this loop is used later), the provider will then pull manual traction using the ankle of the injured leg in a directional manner meant to realign the broken femur to its normal position prior to the break. The goal is to stretch the shortened injured leg until it meets the length of the non-injured leg. The force needed to reach this position is then matched by the devices mechanical ability to recreate the same amount of force the provider used to hold the leg in proper place. The original device then uses a strap that wraps around the whole upper portion of the injured leg (ischium/groin/thigh area), this strap secures the upper leg to the device and now becomes the anchor point the device will use to pull traction against. After this groin strap is secured, the device has a ratchet strap that can now be attached to the ankle brace loop mentioned above. Traction is now applied by pulling the leg taught until it matches the manual force applied by the provider; this is done by using a hand turned dial located on the device end. Once the desired outcome is reached, the device is then secured in place to inhibit any further movement until further medical care is required.

Usage of the Modified BTSD Broken Down: The BTSD will serve the same function as the original, being a tool that is specific for a unilateral closed mid shaft femur fracture; but will also come optional to be outfitted with two fixed in place ratchet assemblies for treating a bilateral femur fracture. The key differences the BTSD will have over the original will be (1) better overall stabilization to the injured leg, (2) the BTSD design change to the original frame offers a simpler and a more practical application which now allows the uninjured leg to be part of stabilization process, (3) the BTSD offers a less painful, more effective and overall safer means of traction being applied, (4) the BTSD ratchet assembly housing will come optional with one ratchet strap housing assembly being able to slide and lock into grooved/notched positions found on

consists of (1) a thoracic top belt (2) a waist bottom belt, each belt having provision of independent tightening (3) an elastic band connecting both belts, thus making a single vest and (b) a plurality of one to two turn-buckles used in two different embodiments.

The turn buckle integrally but detachably positioned against the top belt and bottom belt provides upward lifting force to the thorax via the top belt and the downward force to the lumbar via the bottom belt, providing the decompression and traction to the spine,

consists of (1) a thoracic top belt (2) a waist bottom belt, each belt having provision of independent tightening (3) an elastic band connecting both belts, thus making a single vest and (b) a plurality of one to two turn-buckles used in two different embodiments.

The turn buckle integrally but detachably positioned against the top belt and bottom belt provides upward lifting force to the thorax via the top belt and the downward force to the lumbar via the bottom belt, providing the decompression and traction to the spine,

Apparatus and methods are provided for cervical traction of a subject. In an example, a cervical traction device can include a traction base, an anterior strap configured to apply pressure to a frontal bone of a subject's head and to couple to the traction base, and a posterior strap configured to engage an occipital bone of the subject and to couple to the traction base, wherein the posterior strap includes a tubular portion configured to engage the occipital bone.

Apparatus and methods are provided for cervical traction of a subject. In an example, a cervical traction device can include a traction base, an anterior strap configured to apply pressure to a frontal bone of a subject's head and to couple to the traction base, and a posterior strap configured to engage an occipital bone of the subject and to couple to the traction base, wherein the posterior strap includes a tubular portion configured to engage the occipital bone.

An orthopedic walking boot includes a housing configured to encompass at least a user's foot, a mechanically adjustable ramp insert including a ramp surface and disposed in the housing, an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust an elevation angle of the ramp surface, and a mechanically adjustable lift configured to cause the mechanically adjustable ramp insert to descend within the housing as the ramp surface is elevated such that vertical displacement of the user's foot caused by elevation of the ramp surface is substantially attenuated. Related methods are also provided.

An orthopedic walking boot includes a housing configured to encompass at least a user's foot, a mechanically adjustable ramp insert including a ramp surface and disposed in the housing, an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust an elevation angle of the ramp surface, and a mechanically adjustable lift configured to cause the mechanically adjustable ramp insert to descend within the housing as the ramp surface is elevated such that vertical displacement of the user's foot caused by elevation of the ramp surface is substantially attenuated. Related methods are also provided.