Isometric leg muscle ergometer
First Claim
1. An ergometer engageable with the leg of a patient for exercising a leg muscle comprising:
- an upper leg restraint positionable on the upper leg;
a lower leg restraint positionable on the lower leg;
a crossbar rigidly connecting said upper leg restraint and said lower leg restraint;
a bolster positionable at the popliteal surface and connected to said upper and lower leg restraints; and
measuring means operatively positioned on said ergometer to measure a force applied to said ergometer across the leg of the patient by contraction of the leg muscle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is an ergometer for isometrically exercising one or more leg muscles of a patient undergoing rehabilitation of the knee joint following knee ligament surgery. The ergometer has an upper leg restraint and a lower leg restraint which are positioned on the leg above and below the knee respectively. The leg restrains are maintained in a fixed position relative to the leg by a rigid crossbar and a bolster positioned behind the knee. Exercise of the hamstring or quadriceps muscles is performed by isometrically contracting the desired muscles while the knee is at an extension angle which does not stress the ligament under repair. Muscle contraction can be artifically induced by an electrical stimulator, which in concert with a closed-loop control system, effectively regulates the exercise level.
119 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An ergometer engageable with the leg of a patient for exercising a leg muscle comprising:
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an upper leg restraint positionable on the upper leg; a lower leg restraint positionable on the lower leg; a crossbar rigidly connecting said upper leg restraint and said lower leg restraint; a bolster positionable at the popliteal surface and connected to said upper and lower leg restraints; and measuring means operatively positioned on said ergometer to measure a force applied to said ergometer across the leg of the patient by contraction of the leg muscle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An ergometer engageable with the leg of a patient for indicating contraction of a leg muscle which comprises:
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orienting means engageable with the upper leg and the lower leg to fixably orient the knee at a predetermined extension angle; support means connectable with said orienting means to stationarily support the back of the knee at said predetermined extension angle; and measuring means operatively mounted on said orienting means to measure a force applied to said orienting means across the leg of the patient by contraction of the quadriceps. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An ergometer engageable with the leg of a patient for exercising a leg muscle comprising:
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an upper leg restraint secured to the upper leg; a lower leg restraint secured to the lower leg; a cross bar rigidly connecting said upper leg restraint and said lower leg restraint, said cross bar comprising a proximal arm extending from said upper leg restraint, a distal arm extending from said lower leg restraint and a torque member engaging said proximal and distal arms, said torque member maintaining said proximal and distal arms in a fixed relationship; a bolster positionable at the popliteal surface to stationarily support the back of the knee at a predetermined extension angle; and means operatively positioned on said torque member to measure a force applied to said ergometer across the leg of the patient by contraction of the leg muscle.
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14. A method for determining the exercise level of a leg muscle of a patient comprising:
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providing an ergometer having an orienting means, a support means connected to said orienting means and a measuring means mounted on said orienting means; positioning said orienting means to engage the upper leg and the lower leg thereby straddling the knee; positioning said support means at the popliteal surface to maintain the knee at a fixed predetermined extension angle; contracting the leg muscle to apply a force from the lower leg against said orienting means without substantially changing said extension angle; and determining the response of said measuring means to the force applied against said orienting means as a measurement of the exercise level of the leg muscle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification