DESCRIPTION Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device with four specific distinctive features: 1 ) for decompression and diastase, both of the lumbar tract and of the thoracic medium-low one, depending upon the prevention and/or treatment of all pathologies due to compression and functional overload and not of the backbone inherent to degenerations or disc protrusions, or disc herniations, or syndromes of facet joints, or stenosis of conjugation channels, etc. the greater symptomatic expressions thereof are represented by backaches, ischialgias, lumbo-ischialgias;

2) for stretching and physiological re-harmonization of the whole "Posterior Kinetic Chain" as optimization of the already well-known "Global Lengthening" technique by Francoise Mezieres;

3) for drainage and unloading of Lower Limbs inherent to all pathologies due to both venous and lymphatic stasis and stagnation;

4) for trophism and toning, at sport level, of all muscles of the abdominal walls for high-level athletes.

However, the object of the present invention mainly remains that of providing a device solving the disadvantages of the lumber antalgic positioners of the known art already on the market.

State of art

The Back Pain is a ubiquitarian pathology affecting about 90%-93% of world population. The causes determining the "back pain" by now suffer from "inflation" as people have spoken about it for years at all levels, from Internet, to newspapers, books, mass media, sometimes by creating much confusion and often even unjustified alarm isms. In fact, apart from "certain causes" of Back Pain which can always be ascribed to "traumatic" problems, such as accidents, contusions, impacts, falls, or other, the "idiopathic causes" are always based upon an enormous quantity of probable and percentage possibilities such as for example that of the ascending syndrome starting from feet, or the descending syndrome starting from TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint), or that of hypoconvergence depending from eyes, or that due to the adhesions determined by "Scars", or that of visceral or craniosacral origin or other. In each case the correlation between Posture and Back Pain is very close. In fact a "Poor Posture", that is a posture which does not meet the perfect and precise parameters of the human joint physiology, inborn in the "Correct Posture" instead, the discover of the altered genesis thereof is left to the study of persons skilled in the art, is the main and most important cause of the onset of Back Pain. Unfortunately, as if this were not enough, such negative "Postural Decompensation" has a "boomerang" effect as the "Poor Posture" producing the Back Pain is worsened by the pain felt by the patient and this, in turn, is increased by the additional negative alteration of the posture itself, by producing an endless vicious cycle therefrom it results to be very difficult to go out!

It is necessary further to highlight that arthrosis is not a real pathology, as the human being is destined physiologically, in the inexorable course of time, to become "arthrosic", depending upon the fact that the joint cartilages are destined, with age, to wear out as they are neither vascularised, nor they have the possibility of being repaired and then once worn out they determine a proliferative response by the underneath bone cells (osteoblasts) which in this way create the notorious "osteophytic beaks". Therefore, it is fundamental to understand that a joint which has been subjected mainly to the physiological loads therefor it has been devised, will tend to wear out in functional and biological way by meeting the physiological time which will be synchronous to the age of the person at issue. Then, such joint will keep functionally and structurally more integral, more functional and in a better antalgic health state than the one which instead will have been subjected to not anti-physiological and functional excessive loads wherein indeed the wear of the joint cartilages will take place in relatively shorter time, directly proportionally to the entity of such loads, by making to originate the so feared and painful arthrosic processes in advance. Not by chance the "Magnetic Resonance Imaging" (X-ray - NMR - CAT) of most part of adult patients, especially at the level of the Backbone, almost always highlights pathologic levels of arthrosis which do not reflect at all the chronological age of the subject, but those of a significantly older person. This depends upon the fact that this column tract, or joint, due to the excessive and anti-physiological load thereto it has been subjected during the years, in relation to the "Poor Posture", is as if it had already "lived" a certain amount of years more than a subject being of such age, but with a "Correct Posture"! In fact a "Correct Posture" determines a physiologic, functional and balanced load of all cartilages of the joints of the Locomotor System, and consequently a progressive physiological wear thereof, especially at the level of the Backbone, by virtue of the ideal load therefor each single joint has been devised by nature! With such statement it is deduced what, on the contrary, results to be the main negativeness of the "Poor Posture": that is a not physiological and excessive load on some structures of the locomotor system which in this way alter and wear out in advance by firstly starting to suffer and by determining inexorably the onset of the algic symptomatology which can be more or less intense and at one or more levels: joint, muscle, vascular, nervous, tendinous, ligamentous, capsular. Then the following postulate can surely be confirmed:

Correct Posture: Antalgic (Without Pains) - Poor Posture Algic (with pains).

From such axiom it is deduced that the most deleterious problem of the "Poor Posture", in relation to the portion(s) of the body wherein such "compensations" unload, is the shifting and the concentration of an excessive and degenerative, structural and functional, hyperload, on body compartments which have not been devised by nature to bear such huge burdens. Now in order to understand the extent of the "Back Pain" problem, it is sufficient to think that only one of the simplest and most frequent (80%) postural alterations which is to be found in the population is the one which sees indeed most part of the subjects in the standing position with a "side tilting" of the body which, even if it is unbalanced by only few degrees, involves a very huge homo-lateral shifting of the ponderal load, thus by making heavier all structures of the Locomotor System, especially of the Backbone, of the same side, which over a period of time surely leads to an "Algic Posture" due to compression of the involved structure(s)! Among other things it is just sufficient to think that the "Lumbar" tract of our Backbone is one of the body portions of all which already in itself is physiologically predisposed to the risk of "Back Pain" depending upon the fact that thereon as much as 4 negative physiological parameters rest:

1 ) it is the Backbone portion which is most subjected to functional load, being the lowest one;

2) it rests on a sacral plate (S1 ) which is physiologically tilted forwards by 30° - 32°, thus determining a cut carrying force predisposing L5 at the front sliding;

3) exactly on such segment (L5 - S1 ) of Backbone, PLL (Posterior Longitudinal Ligament) thins more and more, by determining a less covering, both functional and structural, resistance of the lumbar tract itself;

4) at last the PLL thinning progressively leaves the related intervertebral discs less and less covered and protected on the rear side, by increasing exponentially the risks of creating protrusions and herniated discs.

Such parameters allow us to understand the reason of a so widespread diffusion of backaches, ischialgias and lumbo-ischialgias! Then it results clear that the two most important parameters to contain any "Poor Posture", both at preventive and curative level, are the restoring of: "unloading and body symmetry".

In the state of art some devices have been described which are useful to unload the Backbone such as L.A.P. (Lumbar Antalgic Positioner) and the Reverse Bench, which however show several disadvantages.

In fact with L.A.P. it is not possible to perform the exercise on one's own as the intervention of another person is required who has to manoeuver the device. Furthermore, it has the following additional disadvantages: - it determines compression at level of the popliteal fossa and then the properly so called hypoxia of legs with, in a short time, numbing and/or paresthesia sensation of such body segments and tingling and numbing sensation in feet; - the exerciser is very heavy and cumbersome;

- the cost is quite high.

On the contrary, the REVERSE BENCH has the following disadvantages:

- the Backbone unloading is generalized and the level whereon it intervenes cannot be customized;

- this exerciser cannot be used by everyone (old people, whoever suffers from vertigo, people who are very overweight, people who are afraid of emptiness, etc . );

- even this exerciser is quite heavy and very cumbersome; - and it is quite expensive too.

The International patent application, publication number WO2014141248, describes a device for treating or preventing lumbar pain having a leg rest, a leg rest support shaft and a foldable mechanism coupling the support shaft to the leg rest. Summary of the invention

The technical problem placed and solved by the present invention is then to provide a device for vertebrae decompression and diastasis, both of the lumbar tract and the medium-low dorsal one, which has not the above-mentioned drawbacks. Such problem is solved by a device according to claim 1 , the preferred features of the present invention are set forth in the depending claims.

By means of the device of the present invention the two above-described parameters can be implemented at best: unloading and symmetry of the Backbone, plus lengthening and re-harmonization of the "Posterior Kinetic Chain". The device of the present invention can be mainly used in a "preventive" point of view, that is before the onset of the "back pain" as the fact of "unloading" the Backbone at least on the evening for 10' - 15' - 20' after a relational-work-sport day, however still with functional load in the standing and/or seated position, is equivalent to:

1 ) re-opening specifically the "intervertebral spaces" according to the physiological parameters decreased during the day;

2) creating a negative pressure inside the involved, and not involved, intervertebral discs which tends to bring the water, moved to periphery, back towards the centre of the "pulpy nucleus";

3) re-opening physiologically the insulting "conjugation channels", to decompress the nerveroots passing inside thereof, which during compression tend to become inflamed and to propagate pain along the nerve passing therein and to the respective innervation muscle areas (ex.: ischialgia);

4) lengthening physiologically the "paravertebral musculature" which during the whole day is always in a contraction, and then shortening, state; 5) relaxing physiologically the above musculature, which involves a better vascularization and oxygenation of such tissues, which during the day, in the standing and seated position, under permanent contraction, cannot take place in the best way;

6) moreover the use of the device of the present invention determines a physiological "stretching" of the whole "Posterior Kinetic Chain" according to the notorious Mezieres Global Technique which comprises the musculature of ST. (Surale Triceps), of I.P.T. (Ischium-Peroneal-Tibial) and of the whole paravertebral musculature of rachis, from occiput to sacrum, subjected to extreme contracting stresses, too, throughout the day; 7) all this is also equivalent to keeping the involved bone tract in an "Antigravity Unloading" state which results to be panacea for decreasing algic syndromes, depending upon the fact that exactly the negative "Force of Gravity" represents the worst enemy of our back. In short, the use of the device of the present invention has the following advantages:

- a perfectly customized unloading of Backbone depending upon the pathology level: sacral, lumbar, medium-low dorsal; - the exercise can be performed and managed perfectly on one's own, without the intervention of any other person;

- it determines the lengthening of the whole posterior kinetic chain according to Mezieres Technique;

- it determines an "antigravity unloading" of the involved column tract; - it has no contraindications, then everyone can use it;

- it is safe from the stability and functionality point of view;

- it does not determine any compression on any body structure;

- since it does not position the body upside down, it does not cause vertigo and emptiness; - it is extremely light;

- it is space-saving (it can be placed below the bed or behind a door);

- it can be managed in an extremely easy way;

- it is cheap;

- it is very useful for reducing inflammation and treating inflamed nerveroots and then for decreasing pain;

- it is necessary for preventing Back Pain, by moving away the risk of acute and abrupt attacks. Other advantages and features of the use modes of the present invention will result evident from the following detailed description of some embodiments, shown by way of example and not for limitative purposes.

Brief description of figures The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to:

^■ Figure 1 , is a perspective and general representation of the device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

^■ Figure 2 is an exploded representation of the movable tubular body of the device of Figure 1 ; ■ Figure 3 is a perspective and general representation of the automated moving system of the device of Figure 1 ;

^■ Figure 4 is a representation of the device during use according to another preferred embodiment.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments By firstly referring to Figure 1 , a device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is designated as a whole with 1 .

The device comprises a support base designated as a whole in figures with number 2 the function thereof is to keep stable the equipment during use. There are no particular implementing constraints, apart from the one of implementing a base with real stability.

According to an embodiment the support base is constituted by a set of profiles having squared section with side 60 mm and thickness 2 mm. Profiles having squared section, made of steel, of 60X60 mm and with thickness of 2 millimetres, minimum length of 1400 mm, could be used. The support base could be implemented by cross-cutting the three implementation portions and a rectangular recess in the central profile. According to an embodiment a recess will be implemented having a width of exactly 10 mm so that it could receive the rear pin of the motor, whereas the length of the recess can be adapted to the working requirements or to the operator skills, without jeopardizing the mechanical resistance of the central section of the profile too much.

The device comprises a stationary tubular body designated in the figures as a whole with number 3. According to an embodiment the stationary tubular body is a tubular profile having outer diameter of 58 mm and thickness of 2 mm with minimum length of 712 mm made of steel for hydraulic ducts. The tubular profile will be inserted at the rectangular recess in the central profile of the support base.

The device comprises a mobile tubular body designated as a whole with number 4 in figure 1. By making reference to figure 2 this shows an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the mobile tubular body comprising a vertical support 7, a horizontal support 6 and an anti-fall end 8, it will further comprise a reduction for bushing and a bushing. Such vertical support 7 and horizontal support 6 are arranged so as to form a T. All herein described tubular bodies could advantageously be made of steel for hydraulic ducts. The reduction for bushing for example will be mounted together with the bushing made of bronze inside the vertical support, whereas the bushing, for example a bushing made of threaded bronze, will be housed inside the reducer for bushing and constrained thereto. The device further comprises an automated moving system of the movable tubular body in the figures designated as a whole with number 5 and actuating means such as for example a remote control of the moving system. The automated moving system shown in figure 3 shows a motor unit 10, a threaded bar 1 1 , a motor-locking ring 9. Such system will be connected to the stationary tubular body, for example by means of screws. The system will comprise an electric motor 10 and a threaded bar 1 1 fixed to the electric motor in rotation, and the vertical portion 7 of the movable tubular body 4 comprises thereinside an element for connecting to said threaded bar, preferably a bushing, configured to slide along the bar when the bar is in rotation, the direction of the sliding will be determined by the rotation direction of the motor.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the present device during use. The figure shows a subject who on his own, through suitable means, in particular antigravity ankle bands, connects his legs to the mobile tubular body of the device, in particular his ankles. The mobile tubular body of the device 4 will comprise a portion so that during use of the device, a subject's ankles are coupled on said portion, in particular by means of suitable means. By means of a remote control he actuates the moving system. The overall configuration of the device is so that the stationary tubular body 3 implements a guide for the sliding of the movable tubular body 4, the sliding controlled by the automated moving system is comprised between two limit positions, respectively a first position of minimum extraction of the stationary tubular body, wherein the horizontal portion 6 is abutted on a terminal end of the stationary tubular body, and a second position of maximum extraction of the stationary tubular body. According to an embodiment the distance between the first position of minimum extraction and the second position of maximum extraction is comprised between 0 and 60 cm, between 0 and 40 preferably between 20 and 60 cm, more preferably between 20 and 40 cm. Through the remote control the subject who uses the device then could bring the device from the first to the second position and viceversa.

According to an embodiment the stationary tubular body 3 will be connected to the support base 2 so as to form an angle ranging from 45 to 90° relative to the trampling floor, such angle could be adjusted, for examples with width differences of 5°.

According to an embodiment the device will be devised so as to be wholly disassemblable and foldable so as to be bulky as little as possible during not use. An object of the present invention is also a kit comprising a device according to anyone of the herein described embodiments and means for coupling a subject's ankles to the mobile tubular body 4, in particular said means for coupling the ankles being antigravity ankle bands.

According to a preferred embodiment the proposed ankle bands are constituted by two shaped cheeks made of aluminium or steel covered inside by a layer or neoprene. On the outer surface made of metal two hooks made of aluminium are placed, by welding, capable of supporting the user to the mobile tubular body 4. During use the subjects wears the two cheeks made of metal by resting them respectively on the two sides of the malleolus and by constraining them to his ankle by means of two bands made of velcro like a usual orthopaedic brace. These proposed ankle bands are better than the simple antigravity ankle bands since they minimize the twist stress thereto the ankle and foot are subjected during treatment.

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The present invention has been sofar described with reference to some preferred embodiments. It is to be meant that other embodiments may exist belonging to the same inventive core, as defined by the protection scope of the here below reported claims.