Portable cushion device for improving posture

Abstract

A cushion designed to alleviate or counteract the so-called forward head posture and / or its effects has a region sized and shaped to fit between a user's shoulder blades when the user lies in a supine position on a bed, a table or floor and the cushion is placed under the user's thoracic spine, especially upper thoracic spine. The height and / or firmness of the cushion is selected to cause the head and shoulders of the user to sag towards the substrate, thus counteracting the so called forward head posture and its effects, as well as opening the user's chest for improved wellness. And a therapeutic method for helping user reverse forward head posture and relieve its effects such pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

Description

[0001]This application is a formal application claiming the priority of provisional U.S. patent application No. 61 / 219,130, filed Jun. 22, 2009, the specification of which is incorporated by reference herewith in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to cushions or pillows for improved personal wellness, especially to counteract the so-called forward head posture (FHP) and / or its effects. The device will hereinafter be referred to as a “cushion” or “cushion device”.DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART[0003]Modern lifestyle leads to the prevalence of forward head posture (or anterior head translation, or anterior head carriage) in our society. A person with such posture carries the head forward of the shoulders or of the gravitational center line of the upper body, as viewed from the side. Forward head posture places excessive strain on the spinal column and related muscles in the neck and shoulder, and often causes pain in the neck and shoulder area as well as a headache. O...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a cushion device which is devoid of head support, shoulder joint support and essentially shoulder blade support, the cushion device comprising an interscapular region shaped and sized to fit between the vertebral borders of a user's shoulder blades when the user lies in a supine position on a relatively flat support. The upper end of the interscapular region may extend from the user's upper thoracic spine (approximately T3) to upper cervical spine (approximately C2). The lower end of the interscapular region may extend from the user's upper thoracic spine (approximately T2) to lower thoracic spine (approximately T10). The height of the cushion, when in use, should be such as to lift the thoracic spine, especially the upper thoracic spine, of the user from said relatively flat support thus causing the head and the shoulders to sag. The head sagging, with the proper thickness or height of the cushion, should counteract, relieve or eliminate the forward-head-posture and / or its effects, while the sagging of the shoulders and shoulder blades should open the chest of the user.

[0010]The cushion may have a hollow, flexible and enclosed shell having upper and lower sides, and being capable of containing fluid without substantial leakage.

[0013]The shell may include spacing means for maintaining the structural integrity of the shell and allow easy inflation with gas and easy flow of the gas inside the shell. The spacing means may be substantially two-dimensional, made of a polymeric material by a technology such as, but not limited to, injection molding, extrusion, stamping, etc.

Problems solved by technology

Forward head posture places excessive strain on the spinal column and related muscles in the neck and shoulder, and often causes pain in the neck and shoulder area as well as a headache.

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