Ultrasonic plantar fasciitis therapy: apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method of non-invasively therapeutically treating plantar fasciitis in a foot locale in a living body, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an ultrasound transducer fed by an ultrasound pulser;
(b) providing an ultrasound fixture to receive a foot of said living body and hold it next to said transducer, (c) reproducibly positioning said ultrasound transducer at said ultrasound fixture and acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to skin overlying said foot locale of said living body in such a way that a major portion of a plantar fascia including a portion thereof adjacent to calcaneus is exposed to ultrasound energy; and
(d) energizing said ultrasound pulser for a prescribed time duration, to thereby produce an ultrasound signal within said plantar fascia for said prescribed time duration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Non-invasive therapeutic treatment of plantar fasciitis in vivo using ultrasound is performed by subjecting a foot locale to an ultrasound signal supplied to an ultrasound transducer placed on the skin, and involving a repetitive finite duration signal consisting of plural frequencies that are in the ultrasonic range to 10 MHz. The ultrasound transducer is reproducibly positioned using an ultrasound fixture. The ultrasound signal is applied daily at least twice per day for 40 minutes per treatment, and has a power intensity (SATA) of 18 mW/cm2. In an alternative embodiment, an orthotic device holds the foot in dorsiflexion concomitant with ultrasound treatment.
153 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of non-invasively therapeutically treating plantar fasciitis in a foot locale in a living body, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an ultrasound transducer fed by an ultrasound pulser;
(b) providing an ultrasound fixture to receive a foot of said living body and hold it next to said transducer, (c) reproducibly positioning said ultrasound transducer at said ultrasound fixture and acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to skin overlying said foot locale of said living body in such a way that a major portion of a plantar fascia including a portion thereof adjacent to calcaneus is exposed to ultrasound energy; and
(d) energizing said ultrasound pulser for a prescribed time duration, to thereby produce an ultrasound signal within said plantar fascia for said prescribed time duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for non-invasively therapeutically treating plantar fasciitis in a locale of a foot in a living body, using an ultrasound transducer, an ultrasound pulser, and an orthotic device, which method comprises the steps of:
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(a) applying said orthotic device to said foot to hold said foot in dorsiflexion;
(b) acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to skin overlying said locale of said foot of said living body;
(c) connecting said ultrasound transducer to said ultrasound pulser; and
(d) energizing said ultrasound pulser for a prescribed time duration, and producing an ultrasound signal within said locale of said foot for said prescribed time duration. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of non-invasively therapeutically treating heel pain in a foot locale in a living body, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an ultrasound transducer fed by an ultrasound pulser;
(b) providing an ultrasound fixture to receive a foot of said living body and hold it next to said transducer, (c) reproducibly positioning said ultrasound transducer at said ultrasound fixture and acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to skin overlying said foot locale of said living body; and
(d) energizing said ultrasound pulser for a prescribed time duration, to thereby produce an ultrasound signal directed to a heel area for said prescribed time duration.
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Specification