Rehabilitation patient positioning method

• US 5,163,451 A
• Filed: 01/24/1992
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sutter Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sutter Corporation
• Inventors: Grellas, Demosthenes
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): DVORAK, LINDA C
• Application Number:
  US07/826,305
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 128/25 R, 128/25 B, 128/26, 128/898, 297/188, 297/217, 297/170-172, 297/423
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0274 for the upper limbs

Abstract

Patient support and positioning system for continuous passive motion (CPM) machines comprising a fully adjustable chair to which is attached a horizontal telescoping arm having a coupling member for fastening the vertical stand of a CPM machine thereto. The chair has full adjustment in all axes; rotation around a vertical center axis; vertical height adjustment; fully adjustable seat back, both fore-and-aft and vertically for proper lumbar support; and tilt of the seat. The telescoping arm is lockably adjustable in length to provide proper center-to-center distance between the center post of the chair and the CPM machine support. The arm further includes a downward vertical step member at its outboard CPM machine connecting end to permit proper vertical alignment of the CPM machine for users having a short torso. The arm also provides a support for a CPM power supply/control unit, and has means for securing the power cord out of the way off the floor. The invention permits support of the patient with a full range of adjustment so that the patient can have proper positioning for selected exercise of the selected extremity in flexion/extension, forward flexion/extension internal/external rotation, supination/pronation and the like.

Claims

1. Method of positioning a patient or user with respect to an upper extremity continuous passive motion machine to efficiently achieve the benefits of the rehabilitative exercise associated with the use thereof, which comprises in operative sequence the steps of:

a) providing a chair having a base assembly, a seat support, a height adjustable seat, and an adjustable lumbar support for seating and supporting the patient or user in a correct posture position with minimal spinal rotation;

b) providing an arm assembly connected to said chair having means for retainingly engaging said continuous passive motion machine at a proper exercise position including a vertical height from the floor and a lateral distance from said chair to enable a patient or user to utilize said continuous passive motion machine for selected exercise of elbow flexion and extension, shoulder forward flexion and extension, internal and external shoulder rotation, or wrist supination and pronation; and

c) providing said arm assembly with means for adjustably securing the lateral distance of said continuous passive motion machine to said chair to permit biomechanically correct continuous passive motion machine exercise by individual different patient or users having differing arm lengths and torso sizes.

2. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 which includes the step of:

a) providing said chair with means for lockable rotation about its axial center to permit use of said continuous passive motion machine by either the right or left arm of a patient or user and to permit a wide range of fore and aft exercise positions of the upper arm and shoulder area with respect to the patient or user'"'"'s torso.

3. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 which includes the step of:

a) providing said chair with a plurality of lockable casters disposed adjacent a bottom portion of said base member to provide rolling movement of said chair.

4. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 2 which includes the step of:

a) providing said chair with a plurality of lockable casters disposed adjacent a bottom portion of said base member to provide rolling movement of said chair.

5. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 wherein said step of providing a height adjustable seat includes providing a gas lift adjustment cylinder disposed internal of said seat support.

6. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 wherein said step of providing an arm assembly includes connecting said arm to said chair base assembly.

7. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 5 wherein said step of providing an arm assembly includes connecting said arm to said chair base assembly.

8. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 which includes the step of:

a) providing said base member with a plurality of radially extending, equal spaced legs arranged in a spider configuration; and

b) providing said arm adjusting means connected to said seat support adjacent the juncture between said seat support and said spider leg base member.

9. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 8 wherein said step of providing said arm assembly includes providing a lock to secure a selected lateral distance adjustment of said arm assembly.

10. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 1 which includes the step of:

a) providing a continuous passive motion machine for exercising the upper extremity of said patient or user.

11. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 10 which includes the steps of:

a) adjusting an upper extremity cradle support of said continuous passive motion machine for proper vertical height to fit a patient or user; and

b) adjusting the lateral extension of said arm assembly to fit an individual patient or user.

12. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 11 which includes the step of:

a) adjusting the height of said chair seat to fit an individual patient or user.

13. Method of positioning a patient or user on a continuous passive motion machine as in claim 11 which includes the step of:

a) providing a continuous passive motion control box mounted on said arm assembly.