SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR MONITORING AN UNDER FOOT LOAD PROFILE OF A PATIENT DURING A PERIOD OF PARTIAL WEIGHT BEARING

• US 20120010535A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Kubiak, Erik N., Hitchcock, Robert W., North, Kylee
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/592
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/45 For evaluating or diagnosing the musculoskeletal system or teeth A61B5/1036, A61B5/1074, A61B7/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6812 Orthopaedic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/01 Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for measuring an under foot load profile of a patient during a period of partial weight bearing are described. The system may include a walking boot cast. A housing, including an inner surface and an upper surface that cooperate to define an inner cavity, may be oriented with respect to a patient'"'"'s leg. The upper surface may be slidably received within the inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration or may be otherwise configured. The system may include a pressure sensor configured to monitor the load profile of a patient during the desired period of partial weight bearing. The pressure sensor may be located below the upper surface. The system may include a noncompressible force transmitter positioned within the inner cavity and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of the pressure sensor to transmit pressure within the housing to the pressure sensor.

Claims

1. A system for measuring an under foot load profile of a patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the system comprising:

a housing oriented with respect to the patient'"'"'s leg, said housing defining a cavity;

a pressure sensor configured to monitor the load profile of the patient during the desired period of partial weight bearing, said pressure sensor being located at least partially within said cavity; and

a non-compressible force transmitter positioned within said cavity and adjacent said pressure sensor to transmit pressure within said housing.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor is fully encapsulated within said non-compressible force transmitter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor is a piezoresistive Wheatstone bridge pressure sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said non-compressible force transmitter is a silicone gel.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a movable piston connected to said non-compressible force transmitter, wherein movement of said movable piston is configured to correspond to a pressure applied to, or transmitted from, said pressure sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lower-leg immobilizer, wherein said housing is located in a heel region or ball region of said lower-leg immobilizer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said housing defines an aperture providing a reference pressure for determining the load profile.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor is a reference absolute pressure sensor configured to use absolute pressure and determine the load profile as a relative pressure differential.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure sensor is configured for wireless communication with a storage device configured to receive the measured load profile from said pressure sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said housing is configured as an insole insert.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said insole insert configured housing comprises a heel bed and a heel ridge.

12. A method for measuring an under foot load profile of a patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the method comprising:

orienting a housing with respect to the patient'"'"'s leg, said housing defining a cavity, wherein a non-compressible force transmitter is positioned within the cavity;

applying a load to said housing, said load being transmitted as a pressure to said non-compressible force transmitter; and

monitoring the load profile generated by applying said load to said housing, using a pressure sensor adjacent said non-compressible force transmitter.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the monitored load profile from said pressure sensor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring the load profile comprises monitoring said pressure applied by said non-compressible force transmitter to said pressure sensor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said pressure sensor adjacent said non-compressible force transmitter is fully encapsulated within said non-compressible force transmitter.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring the load profile comprises monitoring the load profile over a first period of time.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first period of time is selected from a group consisting of about one hour, about one day, about one week, about two weeks, and about four weeks.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the load profile over the first period of time further comprises continuously monitoring the load profile over the first period of time.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the load profile over the first period of time further comprises periodically monitoring the load profile for a second period of time within the first period of time.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising substantially immobilizing a bone of a bone fracture patient.

21. A method for treating a patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the method comprising:

applying a load to a housing defining a cavity and having a flexible, non-compressible force transmitter within the cavity; and

monitoring the load profile generated by applying the load to the housing, wherein monitoring the load profile includes using a pressure sensor linked to the flexible, non-compressible force transmitter, such that the load is transmitted to define a pressure within the non-compressible force transmitter that is transmitted to the pressure sensor.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising adjusting the period of partial weight bearing based on the monitored load profile.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the period of partial weight bearing is increased or reduced based on the monitored load profile.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring of the load profile is done without recalibration after first applying the load to the housing.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising substantially immobilizing a bone of a bone fracture patient.