SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING FOOT LOADING FEEDBACK TO PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS DURING A PERIOD OF PARTIAL WEIGHT BEARING

• US 20130150755A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Kubiak, Erik N., North, Kylee, Petelenz, Tomasz, Hitchcock, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,595,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/592
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0252 Load cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for providing user feedback regarding compliance with a set of partial weight bearing (PWB) criteria are described. A computer system receives force data from a non-compressible force transmitter that is assigned to a user, and accesses the force data received from the non-compressible force transmitter to determine whether the user is within a predefined pressure compliance range. The pressure compliance range specifies a prescribed range of pressure that is to be applied during a PWB period. The computer system then receives a compliance data request from the user or the user'"'"'s physician and communicates compliance data representing the user'"'"'s compliance with the prescribed range of pressure during the PWB period to the user and/or the user'"'"'s physician.

Claims

1. A system for providing user feedback regarding compliance with a set of partial weight bearing (PWB) criteria including a weight range and a prescribed number of steps, the system including:

a receiving module that receives force data from a non-compressible force transmitter that is assigned to a user;

a processing module that accesses the force data received from the non-compressible force transmitter to determine whether the user is within a predefined pressure compliance range, the pressure compliance range specifying a prescribed range of pressure that is to be applied during a PWB period; and

a communications module that, upon receiving a compliance data request, communicates compliance data representing the user'"'"'s compliance with the prescribed range of pressure during the PWB period to at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s physician.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-compressible force transmitter is positioned within a cavity of a housing oriented on the plantar surface of the user'"'"'s foot.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the non-compressible force transmitter is further positioned adjacent to a pressure sensor to transmit pressure within the housing.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to monitor a load profile of the user during a PWB period, said pressure sensor being located at least partially within said cavity.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the non-compressible force transmitter further includes an accelerometer that monitors limb acceleration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications module communicates at least one of raw and processed compliance data to at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s physician in response to the compliance data request.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the raw compliance data is displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes a chart showing the user'"'"'s compliance over a specified period of time.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the chart shows the user'"'"'s level of compliance with the predefined compliance range over a specified period of time.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tracking module that tracks the number of times the user views his or her compliance data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tracking module tracks the number of times each graphical display is viewed by the user.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the compliance data sent to the user'"'"'s physician allows the user'"'"'s physician to make informed decisions regarding the user.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the compliance range is customizable for each user.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s compliance is determined at a specified periodic rate.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the specified periodic rate is provided by the user'"'"'s physician.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the compliance data representing the user'"'"'s compliance with the predefined compliance range is automatically synchronized to the user'"'"'s medical records.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s physician is automatically alerted if the user is outside of the predefined compliance range by a specified threshold amount.

17. At a computer system including at least one processor and a memory, a computer-implemented method for providing user feedback regarding compliance with a set of partial weight bearing (PWB) criteria, the method comprising:

an act of receiving force data from a non-compressible force transmitter that is assigned to a user;

an act of accessing the force data received from the non-compressible force transmitter to determine whether the user is within a predefined pressure compliance range, the pressure compliance range specifying a prescribed range of pressure that is to be applied during a PWB period;

an act of receiving a compliance data request from at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s physician; and

an act of communicating compliance data representing the user'"'"'s compliance with the prescribed range of pressure during the PWB period to at least one of the user and the user'"'"'s physician.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising an act of dynamically generating a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays at least a portion of the accessed compliance data.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising an act of receiving from the user'"'"'s physician a compliance prescription indicating an updated compliance range based on the user'"'"'s activity.

20. A computer system comprising the following:

one or more processors;

system memory;

one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform a method for gathering and storing force data to determine users'"'"' compliance with a predefined pressure compliance range, the method comprising the following;

an act of receiving an indication that a period of partial weight bearing (PWB) has been initiated for a user;

an act of initiating a non-compressible force transmitter that is assigned to the user, the non-compressible force transmitter being positioned both within a cavity of a housing oriented with respect to the user'"'"'s leg and adjacent to a pressure sensor to transmit pressure within the housing;

an act of storing, at specified intervals, one or more portions of force data sensed by the pressure sensor, the force data indicating the user'"'"'s compliance with a prescribed range of pressure that is to be applied during the PWB period; and

upon receiving a request for stored force data, an act of sending the stored force data to the data requester.