Adjustable orthosis
First Claim
1. A method of moving a joint to stretch tissue around the joint comprising the steps of connecting a flexible force transmitting element with a first portion of a limb disposed on a first side of the joint, connecting the flexible force transmitting element with a second portion of a limb disposed on a second side of the joint, and pulling on the flexible force transmitting element to cause relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb, the joint and first and second portions of the limb define on one side of the joint an inner sector which decreases in angle as the joint is flexed and define on the opposite side of the joint an outer sector which decreases in angle as the joint is extended, and wherein said step of pulling on the flexible force transmitting element includes pulling on the flexible force transmitting element at a location in the outer sector.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An adjustable orthosis for stretching tissue by moving a joint between first and second relatively pivotable body portions includes a first arm with a cuff at its outer end for releasably attaching the first arm to the first body portion, and a second arm with a cuff at its outer end for releasably attaching the second arm to the second body portion. The arms are pivotally connected at their inner ends. An actuator is connected to the arms for applying force to the arms to pivot them relative to each other to move the Joint. The actuator includes flexible force transmitting element connected with at least one of the arms, and a drive assembly for applying force to the flexible force transmitting means to move the first and second arms relative to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible force transmitting element is a rope or cable and the drive assembly is a manually actuatable winch for winding the rope or cable. The drive assembly located at a distance from the pivotal connection of the first and second arms. The orthosis is adjustable while on the limb to a plurality of different positions including at least a first position in which the Joint is flexed to a relatively greater degree and a second position in which the joint is extended to a relatively greater degree. The orthosis can also be used to flex.
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Citations
67 Claims
- 1. A method of moving a joint to stretch tissue around the joint comprising the steps of connecting a flexible force transmitting element with a first portion of a limb disposed on a first side of the joint, connecting the flexible force transmitting element with a second portion of a limb disposed on a second side of the joint, and pulling on the flexible force transmitting element to cause relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb, the joint and first and second portions of the limb define on one side of the joint an inner sector which decreases in angle as the joint is flexed and define on the opposite side of the joint an outer sector which decreases in angle as the joint is extended, and wherein said step of pulling on the flexible force transmitting element includes pulling on the flexible force transmitting element at a location in the outer sector.
- 3. A method of flexing a joint between first and second portions of a limb, wherein the joint and first and second portions of a limb define on one side of the joint an inner sector which decreases in angle as the joint is flexed and define on the opposite side of the joint an outer sector which decreases in angle as the joint is extended, comprising the steps of applying a force to the first portion of the limb urging the first portion of the limb toward the second portion of the limb, and applying a force to the second portion of the limb urging the second portion of the limb toward the first portion of the limb, said steps of applying force to the first and second portions of the limb including pulling on a flexible element connected with the limb, said steps of pulling on the flexible element including applying force to the flexible element at a location in the outer sector.
- 5. A method of moving a joint between first and second portions of a limb, wherein the joint and the first and second portions of the limb define on one side of the joint an inner sector which decreases in angle as the joint is flexed and define on the opposite side of the joint an outer sector which decreases in angle as the joint is extended, said method comprising the step of flexing the joint by applying force to the first and second portions of the limb, said step of applying force to the first and second portions of the limb to flex the joint including applying force to a force transmitting element connected with the first portion of the limb, said step of applying force to a force transmitting element including applying force to a portion of the force transmitting element disposed in the outer sector and transmitting force through the force transmitting element to the first portion of the limb.
- 20. A method of moving a joint between first and second portions of a limb, said method comprising the steps of connecting a first rigid member with the first portion of the limb, connecting a second rigid member with the second portion of the limb with the first and second rigid members pivotally interconnected adjacent to the joint, and applying force to the first and second rigid members to effect relative movement between the first and second rigid members and relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb, said step of applying force to the first and second rigid members including conducting fluid flow relative to a fluid motor to operate the fluid motor to vary the extent of the fluid motor along an axis extending through the joint.
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25. A method of moving a joint between two limb portions to stretch tissue around the joint, comprising the steps of attaching a first arm to a first limb portion at a location spaced apart from the joint, attaching a second arm to the second limb portion at a location spaced apart from the joint, the first and second arms being pivotally connected with each other at a location adjacent the joint, and pulling on a flexible force transmitting element connected with the first and second arms to pivot the first and second arms relative to each other to move the joint, the joint and the first and second limb portions define on one side of the joint an inner sector which decreases in angle as the joint is flexed and define on the opposite side of the joint an outer sector which decreases in angle as the joint is extended, said step of pulling includes applying force to the flexible force transmitting element at a location in the outer sector.
- 26. A method of moving a joint comprising the steps of connecting a flexible force transmitting element with a first portion of a limb disposed on a first side of the joint, connecting the flexible force transmitting element with a second portion of the limb disposed on a second side of the joint, and moving the first portion of the limb relative to the second portion of the limb by applying force to the flexible force transmitting element to decrease the length of a portion of the flexible force transmitting element extending between the first and second portions of the limb.
- 35. A method of moving a joint between a first and second portions of a limb, said method comprising the steps of connecting a first rigid member with the first portion of the limb, connecting a second rigid member with the second portion of the limb with the first and second rigid members pivotally interconnected adjacent to the joint at first end portions of the first and second rigid members, connecting a flexible force transmitting element with second end portions of the first and second rigid members, said step of connecting a flexible force transmitting element with second end portions of the first and second members including fixedly connecting the flexible force transmitting element to the second end portion of the second rigid member, and applying force to the flexible force transmitting element to transmit force to the first and second rigid members to effect relative movement between the first and second rigid members and relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb under the influence of force applied to the flexible force transmitting element.
- 46. A method of moving a joint to stretch tissue around the joint comprising the steps of connecting a flexible force transmitting element with a first portion of a limb disposed on a first side of the joint, connecting the flexible force transmitting element with a second portion of the limb disposed on a second side of the joint, and causing relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb by changing the overall length of a fluid motor to apply force to the flexible force transmitting element.
- 50. A method of moving a joint between first and second portions of a limb, said method comprising the steps of providing first and second rigid members which are pivotally interconnected at first end portions of the rigid members, connecting a second end portion of the first rigid member with the first portion of the limb at a location spaced from the joint, connecting a second end portion of the second rigid member with the second portion of the limb at a location spaced from the joint, said steps of connecting second end portions of the first and second rigid members with the first and second portions of the limb including positioning the pivotal interconnection between the first end portions of the first and second rigid members adjacent to the joint, and, thereafter, moving the joint under the influence of force transmitted to the second end portions of the first and second rigid members through a flexible force transmitting element which extends between the second end portions of the first and second rigid members.
- 60. A method of moving a joint between first and second portions of a limb, said method comprising the steps of connecting a first rigid member with the first portion of the limb, connecting a second rigid member with the second portion of the limb, said steps of connecting the first and second rigid members with the first and second portions of the limb including positioning a pivotal interconnection between the first and second rigid members adjacent to the joint, and, thereafter, applying force to the first and second rigid members to effect relative movement between the first and second rigid members and relative movement between the first and second portions of the limb, said step of applying force to the first and second rigid members including manually operating a fluid pump to effect operation of a fluid motor connected with the first and second rigid members.
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64. A method of moving a joint between first and second portions of a limb, said method comprising the steps of connecting a first rigid member with the first portion of the limb, connecting a second rigid member with the second portion of the limb, said steps of connecting the first and second rigid members with the first and second portions of the limb including positioning a pivotal interconnection between the first and second rigid members adjacent to the joint, and applying force to the first and second rigid members through a flexible force transmitting element which is connected with the first and second rigid members, said step of applying force to the first and second rigid members through the flexible force transmitting element including applying force to the flexible force transmitting element by manually operating a fluid pump to effect operation of a fluid motor.
Specification