Rehabilitative orthoses

• US 7,416,537 B1
• Filed: 06/23/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IZEX Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stark, John G., Oyen, Duane, Mowery, Blair P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Steven O
• Application Number:
  US09/339,071
• Time in Patent Office: 3,352 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/16, 602/19, 602 20- 22, 602/23, 602/36, 602/27, 482/44, 482/100, 482115-117, 482/139, 482/4, 482/5, 482/3, 482 7- 8, 482/900, 600 8- 9, 600/5, 600/595, 600/587
• US Class Current: 602/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6812 Orthopaedic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0134 with two orthogonal pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/016 in standing position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0167 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0125 the device articulating around a single pivot-point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

Instrumented orthoses with more sophisticated structures provide for coordinated support and rehabilitation of complex joints and multiple injured joints. Improved instrumented orthoses can include hinges that can rotate in multiple different planes. Particularly preferred embodiments include a shoulder brace with a hand hold and a lower extremities brace. Preferably, a control unit monitors the output of transducers used to instrument the brace. A patient can be prompted by the control unit for the performance of a variety of different monitored exercises.

Claims

1. An instrumented orthosis comprising:

an ambulatory support that fits around a joint of a patient, the support comprising a hinge that can rotate in several different planes supporting the respective body portions connected at the joint, wherein the support is configured to brace the joint when placed on the patient;

position sensing elements operably connected to the hinge, wherein the position sensing elements measure rotational motions in different planes about the joint; and

an ambulatory control unit operably connected to the position sensing element to receive signals related to the position of the hinge, the control unit comprising a microprocessor and a display, wherein the control unit is programmed to automatically select a target range of motion from a set of a target range of motion designated by a health care professional and prompt the patient to perform the selected target range of motion under certain circumstances based on an analysis of the patient'"'"'s circumstances, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to compare the actual range of motion about the joint performed by the patient with the target range of motion for the joint and stores data points from measurements of the signals, wherein the microprocessor provides output to the display in which the display shows at prescribed times the difference between the actual range of motion about the joint and the target range of motion for the joint.

2. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the support fits around the shoulder of a patient.

3. The orthosis of claim 2 wherein a hinge provides for the motion of an arm generally in a plane defined by the patient'"'"'s torso.

4. The orthosis of claim 2 wherein a hinge provides or the motion of an arm generally from the front of the patient to the back of the patient.

5. The orthosis of claim 2 wherein a hinge provides for the motion of an arm involving rotation of the fore arm relative to the shoulder.

6. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the support fits around the hip of a patient.

7. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the support fits around the thumb of a patient.

8. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the hinge that can move in several different planes comprises a plurality of hinges that can move separate planes, where each hinge is on a lever am of the other hinge.

9. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the hinge is lockable hinge such that application of the lock prevents motion in all planes.

10. The orthosis of claim 1 further comprising strain gauges connected to the support such that the strain within the support is measured by the strain gauge.

11. The orthosis of claim 1 wherein the position sensing elements comprises a variable resistor, wherein the resistance varies with the orientation of the hinge.

12. A method of rehabilitating a joint that has a range of motion in a plurality of planes, the method comprising exercising with an orthosis of claim 1.

16. The instrumented orthosis of claim 1 wherein the control unit has a port for downloading the stored signals.

17. The instrumented orthosis of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a radio transmitter.

18. The instrumented orthosis of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a radio receiver.

19. The instrumented orthosis of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a program that can perform a data analysis on the signals.

13. An orthosis comprising:

an ambulatory support that fits around a plurality of joints of a patient, the support comprising a plurality of hinges such that motions about separate hinges correspond to motions about different joints with the support supporting the respective body portions connected at the individual joints;

position sensors operably connected with the hinges such that motion can be measured about different joints; and

a control unit operably connected to the position sensors to receive signals related to the position of the hinges, the control unit comprising a microprocessor and a display, wherein the control unit is programmed to automatically select a target range of motion from a set of a target range of motion designated by a health care professional and prompt the patient to perform the selected target range of motion under certain circumstances based on an analysis of the patient'"'"'s circumstances, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to compare the actual range of motion performed by the patient about a particular joint with the target range of motion for the joint and stores data points from measurements of the signals and wherein the microprocessor provides output to the display in which the display shows at prescribed times the difference between the range of motion about the particular joint and the target range of motion for the joint.

14. The orthosis of claim 13 wherein the support further comprises an additional hinge such that a plurality of hinges respond to separate rotational motions about a single joint.

15. The orthosis of claim 13 wherein the support comprises a full leg brace and a shoulder brace.

20. The instrumented orthosis of claim 13 wherein the control unit has a port for downloading the stored signals.

21. The instrumented orthosis of claim 13 wherein the control unit comprises a radio transmitter.

22. The instrumented orthosis of claim 13 wherein the control unit comprises a radio receiver.

23. The instrumented orthosis of claim 13 wherein the wherein the control unit comprises a program that can perform a data analysis on the signals.