System and methods to overcome gravity-induced dysfunction in extremity paresis

• US 7,252,644 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LAM Design Management LLC, Northwestern University, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Tenet Healthcare Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LAM Design Management LLC, Northwestern University, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Tenet Healthcare Corporation)
• Inventors: Dewald, Julius P. A., Lam, Wilhelmus J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; Quang D.
• Application Number:
  US11/239,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 601/5, 601/23, 601/27, 601/33, 601/34, 601/26, 602/5, 602/23, 602/26, 607 48- 49, 482/8, 482901-902, 482/9
• US Class Current: 601/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0229 by reducing gravity forces normally applied to the body, e.g. by lifting or hanging the body or part of it
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0237 for the lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/024 Knee A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0244 Hip A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0266 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0274 for the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0281 Shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0285 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0296 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1638 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1659 Free spatial automatic movement of interface within a working area, e.g. Robot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 : Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 : wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/0431 : in 90°/90°-position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/08 : Other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 : of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0094 : for active rehabilitation, e.g. slow motion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/009 : the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled in synchronism with visualising systems, e.g. hill slope
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 : using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0018 : for wheelchair users
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0638 : Displaying moving images of recorded environment, e.g. virtual environment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 : Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00178 : for active exercising, the apparatus being also usable for passive exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 : comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0023 : for isometric exercising, i.e. substantial force variation without substantial muscle motion
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0058 : using motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 : using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 : to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 : for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 : Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 : driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0204 : Standing on the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0233 : in 90/90 position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/004 : with electrotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 : Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 : Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/025 : for the head or the neck
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 : For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 : A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0482 : primarily by articulating the hip joints A63B23/0211, A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0494 : primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/08 : for ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 : for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 : for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease. The system can overcome gravity-induced dysfunction in extremity paresis following stroke or other neurological disorders.

Claims

1. A method for measuring, treating, and self-rehabilitating an individual having a neurological condition, the method comprising:

i) providing a system comprising mechanical means, at least one computer, display means, and interconnecting means, the mechanical means further comprising an interacting instrumented member that interacts with the body or a part thereof of the individual, a force sensor, a force generator, at least one moveable non-compliant linkage, and a base, the force sensor further being attachedly connected by the linkage to the force generator, the linkage having at least three degrees of freedom, the computer further comprising an interactive software program, and the base supporting at least one of the above;

ii) securing a body or part thereof of the individual to the interacting instrumented member;

iii) permitting the individual to move the body or part thereof to a desired position;

iv) sensing the force required to move the body or part thereof using the force sensor;

v) producing force input data using the sensed force;

vi) transmitting the force input data from the force sensor to the computer;

vii) processing the force input data using the interactive software program;

viii) transmitting the processed data to the display means whereby the display shows a virtual environment;

ix) processing the data to produce force output data;

x) transmitting the force output data to the force generator and the linkage thereby generating a force upon the interacting instrumented member and the body or part thereof, the resulting generated force upon the body or part thereof causing the muscles and nerves in the body or part thereof to be stimulated, the stimulation resulting in regaining muscle coactivation patterns and associated joint torques patterns for the individual;

thereby measuring, treating, and self-rehabilitating the individual.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body or part thereof is selected from the group consisting of a whole body, a trunk, a shoulder, a neck, a head, an arm, an elbow, a wrist, a hand, a hip, a leg, a knee, an ankle, and a foot.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the interconnecting means provide radio communicating signals, electrical communicating signals, photonic communicating signals, or a combination thereof, between the mechanical means, the computer, and the display means.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the force generator is an actuator selected from the group consisting of a rotary hydraulic motor, a linear hydraulic motor, a pneumatic motor, and an electric motor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of attaching at least one position measurement device, the position measurement device being placed on a predetermined position selected from the group consisting of an end effector, a linkage, a force sensor, a force generator, a shoulder, a hip, a neck, and a head.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated force compensates for the force due to gravity on the body or part thereof and wherein the generated force is equivalent in magnitude to between about −

1 times and about +4 times the force of gravity upon the body or part thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated force is essentially equivalent to a force required for manipulating joint abduction torques of the individual, the joint selected from the group consisting of the shoulder and the hip.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the interacting instrumented member further comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a force sensor, a position sensor, and a motion sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the interacting instrumented member further comprises an electrical stimulator, the electrical stimulator being further releasably connected to an extremity of the body or part thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the electrical stimulator stimulates movement in the extremity of the body, the extremity being selected from the group consisting of a finger, a thumb, a hand, an elbow, a shoulder, a wrist, a toe, a foot, an ankle, a knee, and a hip.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the interacting instrumented member comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a splint, a limb support, a hand support, a foot support, and a force-sensing treadmill.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the stimulated movement results in a propriosensory effect in the individual.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the stimulated movement results in a dermal tactile sensory effect in the individual.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the stimulated movement results in a muscle sensory effect in the individual.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the neurological condition is selected from the group consisting of hemiparetic stroke, cerebral palsy, head trauma, and multiple sclerosis.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the neurological condition results in a loss of independent joint control in the body or part thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises an end effector articulatedly attached between an appendage attaching member and the force generator.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of determining a position of an appendage attaching member to generate a position data and providing the position data to the computer and the display means.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer further comprises memory means for storing the force input data, the virtual environment, a position data, and the force output data.