BackBar
Spinal Decompression
Device
Back in college , I had an unfortunate trampoline incident where I kinked my spine in a backwards position with considerable force. For months afterward, I had consistent pain and muscle twitching going from my lower back to my knees and calves. Over the years, my symptoms generally subsided except for occasional flareups, which were still difficult to treat once they appeared again. My injury was peculiar in that bending backwards (limbo-like) would bring back the pain/leg twitching almost instantly after months/years of careful stretching and exercise. After experimenting on the couch, I found that if I applied spinal tension while situated on the stomach (with back bent slightly forward), the symptom relief was much more effective. Current decompression devices on the market were ineffective for me as they generally only applied tension when the back was straight or arched backward. Seeing this, I went about designing a device that could help me and anyone else with a injury similar to myself.
The BackBar is a new easy to use portable disc decompression device that gives back pain sufferers more control over their recovery than ever before. Problems with current at home disc decompression devices/exercises on the market include being bulky/heavy, expensive, and most importantly ineffective as they simply cannot apply enough force in the right place to overcome muscle tension and relieve pressure on the spinal discs.
The device performs a more effective disc decompression treatment by tensioning the body, while situated on the stomach instead of the back. This position allows for a more effective stretch and the greatest treatment customizability by giving the user the ability to vary spine curvature, as well as the ability to vary the tension to each leg individually. The device can be used by itself or with any door, which helps apply a more powerful stretch to overcome tight muscles.
To apply tension to the spine, the user straps in their feet, lays down over the device, and pulls their body forward using the hand grip. By using objects like a pillow or exercise ball, users can quickly evaluate different spine curvatures and tensions to determine what brings the most relief. By alternating leaning forward and backward, the user effectively moves the spine in and out of decompression. This pumping action creates a suction effect in the disc, which helps pull in water and promote rehydration/healing.
When the treatment is finished, the device easily collapses to a compact form to be stored away or used on-the-go. By offering the greatest combination of effectiveness, treatment flexibility, and ease of use/portability, the BackBar gives back pain sufferers the highest chance for pain relief.
