A soft-walled inflatable cradle (10) has a seat section (14), a back-support section (16), and a pair of opposed side panel sections (18, 20) extending between respective sides of the back-support and the seat. The cradle is positioned about a patient in an un-inflated condition and inflated to define a self-supporting seat structure. The cradle may be formed in at least two separable parts which can be positioned about a patient and connected together prior to inflation. The cradle may be used in co-operation with apparatus which include rollers over which the inflated cradle is moved. Methods of handling a patient using the cradle are also disclosed.

The knee pillow provides sufficient padding above the knee to provide leg spacing and provides padding at the knee to prevent discomforting contact between the medial epicondyle bones and to provide leg alignment for proper posture. The knee cushion is shaped to prevent discomforting displacement of the knee caps (patella).

A wheelchair assembly that enables an occupant to rotate their self from the seating position to the prone or kneeling prone position so that the occupant may use their arms to better reach and grasp without the aid of another person.

There is described a patient lift apparatus comprising a supporting frame, a boom portion connected to the supporting frame via a pivot joint (PJ1) to allow the boom portion to pivot with respect to the supporting frame about a pivot axis (PA1), a boom actuator to mechanically assist pivotal movement of the boom portion with respect to the supporting frame, and a leg/knee support connected to the supporting frame. The leg/knee support is configured to be selectively releasable from the supporting frame and comprises a manually-operable release mechanism forming an integral part of the leg/knee support, which manually-operable release mechanism is configured to allow selective release of the leg/knee support from the supporting frame. The manually-operable release mechanism comprises a retaining device configured to cooperate with a support mount provided on the supporting frame to secure the leg/knee support onto the supporting frame, and a manually-operable handle cooperating with the retaining device to allow selective release of the retaining device from the support mount and thereby allow removal of the leg/knee support from the supporting frame.

A method of rehabilitating a person using a person lift device, includes the steps of: calculating a first amount of assistance provided by the person lift device to assist a person in moving between a first position and a second position at a first time; comparing the first amount of assistance to a previously determined amount of assistance; and providing a second amount of assistance as a function of the difference between the first amount of assistance and the previous amount of assistance to assist a person in moving between the first position and the second position at a second time.

A lift system comprises a lift assembly and a control system. The lift assembly is configured to assist a person in moving between a first position and a second position. The control system is configured to change the amount of assistance provided by the lift assembly as a function of a change in a characteristic of the person.

A device and method for the lifting and maneuvering of a leg with limited mobility is described. The device includes a lower strap and an upper strap. The lower strap includes at least one first fastener and is configured to wrap around the leg below the knee. The upper strap is coupled to the lower strap and includes at least one second fastener. The upper strap is configured to wrap over the leg above the knee. The lower strap and the upper strap are each configured to provide a handle for lifting the leg. The tension or tightness is adjustable with each strap. Once located along the leg, the user may grasp any portion to maneuver the leg as necessary.

The present inventive subject matter is a device or fixture for positioning, adjusting, and stretching a patient's extremity for surgical procedures where alignment is critical and minute adjustments may be required. The device prevents the patient's extremity to move once the physician has selected the precise position for the elected procedure, using a combination of an articulating and rotating frame or support plates and support rings attached to the extremity surgical positioning system which acts as a limb splint that firmly attached to the surgical table. The support plates are attached to the patient via a series of adjustable straps preventing the extremity from moving independently of the support plate. A locking rack and gear configuration and a myriad of adjustable locking pivot points positioned along and within the outer/inner proximal tube and outer/inner distal tube to either lengthen or rotate various portions of the extremity.

A multi-purpose emergency services strap for facilitating lifting, transporting or carrying an individual has a strap body with a plurality of independent loops formed in the strap body. The independent loops include at least two adjacent, proximal leg loops formed in the strap body on either side of the midline, end loops on each end of the multi-purpose emergency services strap, and a plurality of adjacent handles formed in the strap body positioned distal to each of the at least two adjacent, leg loops and proximal to the end loops. The multi-purpose emergency services strap also includes a back strap and attachment loops that can be variously configured for many rescue and transport applications for humans and animals.

An articulating bed incorporates a support frame with a head end rail, a foot end rail and having side frame rails. An upper body support frame is rotatably connected to a first cross member in the frame. An elevating assembly for the upper body support frame has two angled arms attached to the first cross member with hinges. A first pair of wheels is attached to the angled arms at a vertex and a second pair of wheels attached at an end of the arms distal from the hinges. A first actuator is attached from the head end rail to a cross brace extending between the angled arms. The elevating assembly has a first range of motion in which the first pair of wheels are in contact with longitudinal rails in the upper body support and a second range of motion in which the second pair of wheels are in contact with the longitudinal rails.