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Method of electrical muscle stimulation for treatment of scoliosis and other spinal deformities

  • US 4,342,317 A
  • Filed: 04/01/1980
  • Issued: 08/03/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of treating spinal curvature deformities in patients comprising the steps of:

  • (a) locating a reference center on the major curve to be treated;

    (b) locating muscle site pairs surrounding said reference center such that, when one muscle site is stimulated electrically in accordance with a selected pulse pattern, no stimulation of the other muscle site occurs;

    (c) positioning two pairs of electrodes generally symmetrically about said reference center on the convex side of said major curve at a trunk location determined by the type of curve noted for stimulation of said muscle sites;

    (d) repetitively applying a first selected electrical pulse pattern to one pair of said electrodes sufficient to evoke contraction and relaxation of one of said muscle sites; and

    (e) alternatively repetitively applying a second selected electrical pulse pattern to the other pair of said electrodes for contraction and relaxation of the other of said muscle sites whereby one of the muscle sites is always in contraction to thereby apply a constant corrective force on the spinal curvature.

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