Device to restore pelvic integrity and to strengthen the pelvic floor and antevert the pelvic region in seated posture and prevent crossed legs

Abstract

A seat cushion for improvement of sitting posture and relief from back and leg pain has a seat portion tapering down from a back end toward a narrow front or forward end. The front end is provided with a vertical projection in the nature of a pommel. The pommel or post is sufficiently large to prevent a user from comfortably crossing his or her legs.

Claims

1. A method comprising: providing a seat cushion comprising a body of resiliently compressible material having an upper side and a lower side, said body having a wedge-shaped front end portion and a wedge-shaped rear end portion, said front end portion and said rear end portion being continuous and unitary with one another, said front end portion having parallel opposed planar sidewalls and a uniform first width between said parallel opposed planar sidewalls and a first height varying from a maximum proximate a free end of said front end portion opposite said rear end portion to a minimum proximate an end of said front end portion joined to and continuous with said rear end portion, said rear end portion having mutually angled opposed planar sidewalls and a second width between said mutually angled opposed planar sidewalls and a second height, said second width varying from a minimum at an end of said rear end portion joined to and contiguous with said front end portion to a maximum at an end of said rear end portion opposite said front end portion, said first width being substantially smaller than the maximum of said second width, said rear end portion having a planar lower surface and a planar upper surface both substantially coextensive with said rear end portion, said planar upper surface being inclined at an angle to said planar lower surface, said rear end portion being engageable with only a portion of a user's buttocks, said rear end portion being sufficiently small so that undersides of the user's thighs and peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with said seat cushion upon the sitting of the user on said rear end portion, said first width being sufficiently small so that said front end portion is insertable between a user's thighs adjacent the user's pelvis; placing the seat cushion on a horizontal support surface; and sitting on said rear end portion with said front end portion located between the user's thighs so that said rear end portion is in supportive contact with ischial tuberosities or sit bones of the user and so that peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are out of contact with said rear end portion.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said rear end portion being defined on an upper side by two straight or linear opposed outermost edges extending from said front end portion to said rear end of said rear end portion, said two straight or linear opposed outermost edges being oriented at an acute angle to one another, said second width subtending between said straight or linear opposed outermost edges increasing in a direction from said front end portion to said rear end of said rear end portion.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said body has a pommel or post at an end of said front end portion opposite said rear end portion, said pommel or post being part of said front end portion.

4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein said parallel opposed planar side walls extend from said rear end portion and define opposed sides of said pommel or post, said mutually angled opposed planar side walls extending from said front end portion and being bounded on an upper side by respective ones of said two straight or linear opposed outermost edges, each of said parallel opposed planar side walls being joined to or continuous with a respective one of said mutually angled opposed planar side walls.

5. The method defined in claim 4 wherein said pommel or post has a convexly arcuate upper surface oriented perpendicularly to said parallel opposed planar side walls and is defined in part by a pair of parallel edges each continuous at a rear side with a respective one of said two straight or linear opposed outermost edges.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said front end portion has a lower surface coextensive with said front end portion and rectangular on three sides, said rear end portion having a lower surface coextensive with said rear end portion and in the form of a truncated triangle.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein said front end portion has a first respective upper surface sloping downwardly towards said rear end portion, said planar upper surface sloping downwardly towards said front end portion.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein said body has a pommel or post at an end of said front end portion opposite said second end portion, said pommel or post being part of said front end portion, said pommel or post having a convexly arcuate upper surface that is continuous with said planar upper surface and is defined in part by a pair of parallel edges each continuous at a rear side with a respective one of two opposed edges of said planar upper surface.

9. A method comprising: providing seat cushion comprising a body of resiliently compressible material, said body having a first end portion and a second end portion unitary and contiguous with one another, said first end portion being planar on a lower side and having on said lower side an outermost boundary formed on three sides by three edges of a rectangle and on a fourth side by said second end portion, said second end portion being planar on a lower side with an outermost boundary formed on three sides by three contiguous edges of a truncated triangle and on a fourth side by said first end portion, said truncated triangle being wider than said rectangle, said first end portion having opposed planar side or lateral surfaces extending from said lower side of said first end portion to an upper side thereof and oriented perpendicularly to said lower side of said first end portion, said opposed planar side or lateral surfaces each having an enlarged free end opposite said second end portion, said opposed planar side or lateral surfaces of said first end portion having a height tapering down from said enlarged head toward said first end portion, said second end portion being engageable with only a portion of a user's buttocks, said second end portion being sufficiently small so that undersides of a user's thighs and peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with said seat cushion upon the sitting of the user on said second end portion, said first end portion being insertable between a user's thighs adjacent the user's pelvis; and placing the lower side of the seat cushion on a horizontal support surface; and sitting on said second end portion so that ischial tuberosities or sit bones of the user engage said second end portion while peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with said second end portion and so that said first end portion is located between the user's thighs and proximate the user's pelvic bone or crotch area.

10. A method of sitting, comprising: providing a seat cushion with a rear end portion at one end and a pommel portion at an opposite end, said rear end portion having a planar lower surface and a planar upper surface both substantially coextensive with said rear end portion, said rear end portion having opposed planar lateral side surfaces each extending from one end of said rear end portion to an opposite end thereof, said upper surface being inclined at a first angle to said lower surface and said planar lateral surfaces being oriented at a second angle to one another, at least a segment of said rear end portion being sufficiently wide to engage ischial tuberosities or sit bones of the user and sufficiently narrow so that undersides of the user's thighs and peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with said seat cushion upon the sitting of the user on said rear end portion, said rear end portion of said seat cushion being devoid of thigh support; placing the seat cushion on a horizontal support surface; sitting on said rear end portion so that said rear end portion is in supportive contact with ischial tuberosities or sit bones of a user and so that peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with said rear end portion; and positioning said pommel portion between the user's thighs and proximate the user's pelvic bone or crotch area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sitting device in accordance with the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sitting device of FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an ancillary sitting device utilizable in conjunction with the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the ancillary sitting device of FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another sitting device in accordance with the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the sitting device of FIG. 5.

(7) FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the sitting device of FIGS. 5 and 6, showing the sitting device as part of a kit including an ancillary rectangular cushion (in phantom lines).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a device 10 for facilitating better seated posture comprises an elongate body 12 with a front pommel type portion 14 that is similar to what is used in a horse riding saddles. Device 10 designed for use while sitting in order to provide long term benefits as to reducing back pain, hip pain, and/or sciatica.

(9) Device 10 comprises a block or body of resiliently compressible material, for instance of polymeric (e.g., PVA) foam material, with a forward end 16 that has a first width w1 and a first height h1 and a back end 18 that has a second width w2 and a second height h2. The first width w1 is substantially less that the second width w2, while the first height h1 is substantially greater than the second height h2. Height h1 is exemplarily between 3 and 5 inches, whereas height h2 need be no larger than one inch. Width w1 is typically between 3 inches and 5 inches, whereas width w2 is between five inches and 12 inches.

(10) In the plan view of FIG. 1, device 10 has a tapered configuration, fanning out from the narrow forward end 16 to the wide back end 18. In the side elevational view of FIG. 2, device 10 exhibits pommel or rounded post 14 at the forward end 16. The rear end 18 is low, but may have a gentle rise towards a back edge 22. Between the pommel or rounded post 14 at the forward end 16 and the rear edge 22, device 10 is characterized by an upper surface 24 that includes a long gently concave depression 25, a sculpted support surface.

(11) In use the pommel or rounded post 14 is a vertical projection that is disposed between the thighs and adjacent the pelvis. Pommel or post 14 extends fully across width w1 and has a uniform transverse cross-section, shown in FIG. 2, taken along all longitudinal planes between forward end 16 and back end 18. Pommel or post 14 is sufficiently high and wide to render leg crossing by the user uncomfortable. The user's buttocks are supported on a rearward platform portion 27. Rear platform portion 27 may exhibit a slight increase in height or thickness in a rearward direction from a middle region of device 10 towards back edge 22. Thus, rear platform portion 27 is engageable with only a portion of a user's buttocks, being devoid of thigh support and havin a width sufficiently small so that undersides of the user's thighs and peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with seat cushion 10 upon the sitting of the user on rear platform portion 27.

(12) Body 12 has a substantially planar (or slightly convex) bottom surface 34, pommel or post 14 projecting from a side of body 12 opposite bottom surface 34. Body 12 has two planar side walls 30 and 32 extending from forward end 16 to back end 18.

(13) Device 10 will prevent the user's body from degrading owing to poor posture. The improvement in posture results in better support for the internal pelvic organs. The improved posture prevents a tucked pelvisthe typical seated position. Tucking the pelvis puts too much pressure on the Kegel muscle during prolonged sitting which can lead to organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in women.

(14) Device 10 may be included in a two-element kit also including a wedge 26 depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. Lie device 10, wedge 26 is exemplarily made of a polymeric foam material such as polyethylene (PE) or EVA foam. During combined use of device 10 and wedge 26, wedge 26 is disposed on top of the platform area 24 of device 10, to antevert the user's pelvic region, with a narrow end 36 of the wedge facing pommel 14 and a wide end 38 facing toward rear edge 22. The wedge 26, if used, is preferably introduced gradually, being inserted beneath the buttocks, narrow end 36 forward. The more forward the wedge 26 is disposed, the greater the anteversion of the pelvis. A gradually increasing degree of insertion, over many sessions or days of use, enables the user to become accustomed to the tilt forward.

(15) As depicted in FIGS. 5-7, a seat cushion or sitting-posture improvement sitting device 100 comprises a body (not separately designated) of resiliently compressible material such as a polymeric closed cell or open cell foam material. Seat or cushion body 100 has a first end 102 and a second end 104, where the first end has a first width W1 and a first height H1 and the second end has a second width W2 and a second height H2, the first width W1 being substantially smaller than the second width W2. Preferably, but not necessarily, the first height H1, at the front end 102 of the sitting device 100, is greater than the second height H2, at the rear end 104. The second width W2 is sufficiently large so that a wedge-shaped rear end portion 108 of the seat or cushion body 100 including the second end 104 is engageable with a user's buttocks (and particularly with the sit bones thereof), while the first width W1 is sufficiently small so that a wedge-shaped front end portion 106 of the seat or cushion body 100 including the first end 102 is insertable between a user's thighs adjacent the user's pelvis. The first width W1 and the first height H1 are sufficiently large to prevent the user from comfortably crossing the user's legs when the user is sitting on the rear end portion 108 with the front end portion 106 inserted between the user's thighs adjacent the user's pelvis. Front end portion 106 and rear end portion 108 are unitary and contiguous with one another.

(16) Rear end portion 108 of the seat body or cushion 100 has a tapered wedge-shaped configuration, tapering down from rear end 104 towards front end portion 106 that permits the user to adjust the position of the seat cushion or sitting device 100 relative to the user's buttocks so that the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are disposed on or in contact with the rear end portion 108 while peripheral regions or outer sides of the user's buttocks, outwardly lateral of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones, are less compressed inasmuch as they rest on an underlying seat or other horizontal surface rather than on the seat cushion or sitting device 100. Thus, rear end portion 108 is engageable with only a portion of a user's buttocks. Rear end portion 108 is devoid of thigh support and has a width sufficiently small so that undersides of the user's thighs and peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with seat cushion 100 upon the sitting of the user on rear end portion 108.

(17) More particularly, rear end portion 108 of the seat cushion or sitting-posture improvement device 100 has two opposed upper edges 110 and 112 extending from second end 104 (particularly from an upper edge 111 thereof) towards front end portion 106 and oriented at an acute angle to one another. Concomitantly, rear end portion 108 has a width dimension WW extending between the two opposed upper edges 110 and 112 that decreases in a direction from second end 104 toward front end portion 106. This tapered design enables users who have different distances between their ischial tuberosities or sit bones to position their buttocks on the sitting device 100 near edges 110 and 112 of rear end portion 108, while allowing the outer or lateral portions of the buttocks to rest relatively uncompressed on the underlying support surface. Most of the user's weight is transferred from the ischial tuberosities or sit bones through the cushion or sitting device 100 to an underlying chair seat.

(18) Front end portion 106 of seat cushion or sitting-posture improvement device 100 is contiguous, and continuous or integral, with rear end portion 108 on one side and terminates at first end 102 on an opposite side. Front end portion has a lower or bottom surface 114 that is rectangular on three sides or edges 114a, 114b, 114c. Also, rear end portion 108 is contiguous, and continuous or integral, with front end portion 106 on one side and terminates at second or rear end 104 on an opposite side. Rear end portion 108 has a planar lower or bottom surface 116 that has a truncated triangular shape with three peripheral edges or sides 116a, 116b, 116c. It is contemplated that the lower or bottom surface 114, 116 of seat cushion body or sitting device 100 is configured for engagement with a chair seat surface.

(19) Where front end portion 106 has an upper surface 106u and the rear end portion 108 has a planar upper surface 108u, upper surface 106u preferably slopes downwardly, at an acute angle relative to lower surface 116, from a point proximate the first end 102 towards rear end portion 108, while upper surface 108u slopes downwardly from end 104 (or edge 111) towards front end portion 106. Upper surfaces 106u and 108u join to one another via a smoothly continuous bight section 118 to form a single continuous upper surface (not separately designated).

(20) Seat cushion body or sitting device 100 has a pommel or post 120 at first end 102, the pommel or post being an enlarged part of front end portion 106 at an end thereof opposite rear end portion 108. Height 1 is of the pommel or post 120.

(21) Front end portion 106 including pommel or post 120 has two first planar side walls or lateral surfaces 122, 124 extending from first end 102 toward rear end portion 108. Preferably, planar side walls 122, 124 extend in parallel relation to one another. Rear end portion 108 has two planar side walls 126, 128 extending from rear end 104 towards front end portion 106, with these two planar sidewalls 126, 128 being oriented at an acute angle to one another. Thus rear end portion 108 has a tapered width dimension WW that decreases in a direction from end 104 towards front end portion 106.

(22) Upper surface 108u of rear end portion 108 may be substantially flat or planar and inclined downwardly in a direction from end 104 towards the front end portion 106.

(23) Pommel or post 120 may have a convexly arcuate upper surface 132 that is continuous with the sloping upper surface 106u of front end portion 106 of seat cushion or sitting device 100.

(24) A kit 134 (FIG. 7) may be provided that includes the seat cushion or posture-improvement sitting device 100 described above and additionally includes one or more auxiliary cushions 136 adapted to engage and support a user's buttocks in the regions of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones while not supporting the user's buttocks in peripheral regions to the outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones. Cushion or device 136 is smaller than cushion and more easily transportable for use on different chair seats and is preferably in the shape of a wedge identical or similar to wedge 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) but may take other forms, such as a right rectangular prism. Kit 34 may include several auxiliary cushions of the same or different geometric shapes.

(25) A method utilizing the seat cushion or posture-improvement sitting device 100 comprises placing the seat cushion on a horizontal support surface and sitting on the rear end portion 108 so that ischial tuberosities or sit bones of the user engage the rear end portion while peripheral regions of the user's buttocks to outer sides of the ischial tuberosities or sit bones are not in contact with rear end portion 108 and so that front end portion 106 is located between the user's thighs and proximate the user's pelvic bone or crotch area.

(26) Preferably seat cushion or sitting device 100 is 19 long, with width W1 of pommel 120 at the front being 3 inches, and width W2 at rear end 104 being 7 inches. Wedges 26 and 136 are seven inches square.

(27) A user may sit on one or two wedges 26 or 136, when sitting device 10 or 100 is not available, in order to maintain the postural benefits the user is developing with device 10, 100. In addition, a wedge 26 or 136 may be placed between the user's back and a seat back (not shown) at the low or mid back, for further support. A wedge 26 or 136 may be inserted between the user's head and a high seat back to encourage correct spinal alignment and comfort.

(28) Rear end portion 108 at its widest point (end 104) is only 7 inches wide and supports the user's bony skeleton, lifting the sit bones which are spaced 3-6 inches apart depending on gendercloser in menand body typeand allows the soft tissue which is muscle & fascia & fatto relax, which enables reduced tension in the area. Sitting device 10, 100 allows soft tissue to relax but also fits anyone regardless of buttocks size.

(29) By lifting only the sitz bones (the ischial tuberosities or sit bones), seat cushion or sitting device 10, 100 makes the user feel as if there is more air space so the lower back can relax morethe normal compression in the back area is relieved and you get the picture. Also seat cushion or sitting device 10, 100 can accommodate any human backsideeven a huge or wide one.

(30) It is to be noted that wedges 26, 136 are optional or extras that may be used for comfort in place of SmartSeat. Wedges 26, 136 are small enough to carry in a purse or briefcase. It is preferable not place a wedge 26, 136 on sitting device 10, 100 as the tilt would be too great and the user would feel as if he or she would fall forward.

(31) Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. For instance, instead of the trapezoidal shape in the plan view of FIG. 1, device 10 might have a more organic form, rearward platform portion 27 exemplarily exhibiting a shape of a silhouette of an apple or peach. Pommel portion 14 (120) has an edge on each side where its upper surface (132) intersects with planar side surfaces 30 and 32 (122, 124). Those edges, as well as other edges of device 10 (100) may be rounded or beveled. In some cases, depending on the sensitivity and proclivities of the user and the dimensions and particular geometry of the device 10, the edges may provide a noticeable, even irritating, sensory input to the thighs, which may result in a conditioning effect whereby the user learns not to cross her or her legs even when not using the device 10 (100).

(32) Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.