Systems, devices, and methods for monitoring an under foot load profile of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing
First Claim
1. A system for measuring an under foot load profile of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the system comprising:
- a walking boot cast including a foot bed;
a housing configured to be oriented with respect to the patient'"'"'s tibia, said housing having an inner surface and an upper plate, said upper plate being aligned with respect to said foot bed, said inner surface and said upper surface plate cooperating to define an inner cavity, said inner surface being rigid, said upper surface plate being sized to be slidably received within said inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration with said upper plate acting as the piston and said inner surface acting as the cylinder, said upper plate being rigid;
a pressure sensor configured to monitor the load profile of a patient during the desired period of partial weight bearing, said pressure sensor located below said upper plate; and
a noncompressible gel positioned within said inner cavity of said housing and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of said pressure sensor to transmit pressure within said housing to said pressure sensor.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods for measuring an under foot load profile of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing are described. The system may include a walking boot cast. A housing, including an inner surface and an upper surface that cooperate to define an inner cavity, may be oriented with respect to a patient'"'"'s tibia. The upper surface is slidably received within the inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration. The system may include a pressure sensor configured to monitor the load profile of a patient during the desired period of partial weight bearing. The pressure sensor may be located below the upper surface. The system may include a noncompressible force transmitter positioned within the inner cavity and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of the pressure sensor to transmit pressure within the housing to the pressure sensor.
17 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for measuring an under foot load profile of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the system comprising:
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a walking boot cast including a foot bed; a housing configured to be oriented with respect to the patient'"'"'s tibia, said housing having an inner surface and an upper plate, said upper plate being aligned with respect to said foot bed, said inner surface and said upper surface plate cooperating to define an inner cavity, said inner surface being rigid, said upper surface plate being sized to be slidably received within said inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration with said upper plate acting as the piston and said inner surface acting as the cylinder, said upper plate being rigid; a pressure sensor configured to monitor the load profile of a patient during the desired period of partial weight bearing, said pressure sensor located below said upper plate; and a noncompressible gel positioned within said inner cavity of said housing and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of said pressure sensor to transmit pressure within said housing to said pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for measuring an under foot load profile of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the method comprising:
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orienting a housing with respect to a patient'"'"'s tibia, said housing having an inner surface and an upper surface, said inner surface and said upper surface cooperating to define an inner cavity, said inner surface being rigid, said upper surface being sized to be slidably received within said inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration with said upper surface acting as the piston and said inner surface acting as the cylinder, said upper surface being rigid; applying a load to said upper surface of said housing; transmitting pressure from the load applied to said upper surface of said housing using a noncompressible gel, the noncompressible gel positioned within said inner cavity of said housing and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of a pressure sensor to transmit pressure within said housing to said pressure sensor; and using a processor, monitoring the load profile generated by applying the load to said upper surface of said housing using said pressure sensor located below said upper surface and within a lower portion of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for monitoring compliance of a tibial fracture patient during a period of partial weight bearing, the method comprising:
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applying a load to an upper surface of a housing having an inner surface and the upper surface, the inner surface and the upper surface defining an inner cavity, the inner surface and the upper surface being rigid, the upper surface being sized to be slidably received within the inner cavity in a piston and cylinder configuration with said upper surface acting as the piston and said inner surface acting as the cylinder; transmitting pressure from the load applied to said upper surface of said housing using a noncompressible gel, the noncompressible gel positioned within said inner cavity of said housing and at least partially encapsulating an upper portion of a pressure sensor to transmit pressure within said housing to said pressure sensor; using a processor, monitoring the load profile generated by applying the load to the upper surface of the housing using said pressure sensor located below the upper surface and within the inner cavity of the housing; and monitoring treatment of the patient based on at least a portion of the monitored load profile. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification