U.S. patent application number 11/152619 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor activity.
Invention is credited to Nikolai Ivanovich Afanasenko, Sam Kiderman.
Application Number | 20070004570 11/152619 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21596070 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070004570 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Afanasenko; Nikolai Ivanovich ;
et al. |
January 4, 2007 |
Device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor
activity
Abstract
A device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and
motor activity comprises shoulder, pelvic, knee, pedal, elbow,
hand, and finger supports (1), all of them being interconnected by
fixing elements, which are shaped as elastic tie-members (2) and
placed on the surface of the patient's body in antagonistic pairs
so as to follow anatomical arrangement of skeletal muscles. Each of
the tie-members (2) is connected to two of the supports (1) and
comprises an adjuster (3) of its tension, which is interposed
between the tie-member (2) and one of the supports (1) through a
lock (5).
Inventors: |
Afanasenko; Nikolai Ivanovich;
(Moscow, RU) ; Kiderman; Sam; (Broadview Heights,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Patent, Copyright & Trademark Law Group, LLC;Suite 202
137 South Main Street
Akron
OH
44308
US
|
Family ID: |
21596070 |
Appl. No.: |
11/152619 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10410956 |
Apr 9, 2003 |
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11152619 |
Jun 15, 2005 |
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08646213 |
May 7, 1996 |
6213922 |
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10410956 |
Apr 9, 2003 |
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08196169 |
Feb 15, 1994 |
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PCT/RU92/00247 |
Dec 18, 1992 |
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08646213 |
May 7, 1996 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
482/124 ; 482/51;
601/23; 601/33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F 5/01 20130101; A61F
2005/0179 20130101; A63B 21/055 20130101; A63B 2208/12 20130101;
A63B 21/4025 20151001 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/124 ;
482/051; 601/023; 601/033 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/02 20060101
A63B021/02; A61H 1/00 20060101 A61H001/00 |
Claims
1. A neurological motor therapy suit comprising: a vest removably
secured around the shoulders and chest of a patient, said vest
completely encircling a portion of an upper torso of the patient,
said vest being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a pant garment detachably secured to the patient so that
the pant garment extends around both the hips of the patient as
well as an upper portion of each right thigh of the patient, said
pant garment being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a plurality of elastic bands extending between and
interconnecting said vest and said pant garment; and a pair of knee
supports, one knee support extending between said interconnecting
said pant garment and said knee supports.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a cap
removably secured to the head of the patient, and a plurality of
elastic bands between and interconnecting said cap and said
vest.
3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said cap is
constructed of a non-elastic material.
4. The invention as defined in claim 1 and comprising a pair of
shoe supports, one shoe support being attached to each foot of the
patient, and a plurality of elastic bands extending between and
interconnecting said knee supports and said shoe supports.
5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said vest comprises
a back panel, a front left panel and a front right panel, said vest
having side portions and shoulder portions separated by an arm hole
which side portions and said shoulder portions integrally join said
back panel to said front left panel and said front right panel, and
a fastener which detachably secures said front right panel and said
front left panel together.
6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said fastener
comprises a hook-and-loop fastener.
7. A neurological motor therapy suit comprising: a vest removably
secured around the shoulders and chest of a patient, said vest
completely encircling a portion of an upper torso of the patient,
said vest being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a pant garment detachably secured to the patient so that
the pant garment extends around both the hips of the patient as
well as an upper portion of each right thigh of the patient, said
pant garment being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; and a plurality of elastic bands extending between and
interconnecting said vest and said pant garment; wherein each
elastic band is elongated and includes a plurality of
longitudinally spaced openings, said vest and said pant garment
each having a plurality of hooks secured thereto, wherein said
elastic band is secured between said vest and said pant garment by
positioning said hooks through said openings on said elastic band,
and wherein the tension of each said elastic band is adjustable by
positioning said hooks through different openings in said elastic
band.
8. A neurological motor therapy suit comprising: a vest removably
secured around the shoulders and chest of a patient, said vest
completely encircling a portion of an upper torso of the patient,
said vest being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a pant garment detachably secured to the patient so that
the pant garment extends around both the hips of the patient as
well as an upper portion of each right thigh of the patient, said
pant garment being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a plurality of elastic bands extending between and
interconnecting said vest and said pant garment; and a plurality of
elastic band attachment devices attached to said vest, said
attachment devices being both laterally and longitudinally spaced
along said vest on both a front and rear side thereof.
9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein each said elastic
band attachment device comprises a hook.
10. A neurological motor therapy suit comprising: a vest removably
secured around the shoulders and chest of a patient, said vest
completely encircling a portion of an upper torso of the patient,
said vest being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a pant garment detachably secured to the patient so that
the pant garment extends around both the hips of the patient as
well as an upper portion of each right thigh of the patient, said
pant garment being constructed of a substantially non-elastic
material; a plurality of elastic bands extending between and
interconnecting said vest and said pant garment; and a plurality of
elastic band attachment devices attached to said pant garment, said
attachment devices being both laterally and longitudinally spaced
along said pant garment on both a front and rear side thereof.
11. The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein each said elastic
band attachment device comprises a hook.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of Reissue application
Ser. No. 10/410,956, filed on Apr. 09, 2003 of U.S. Pat. No.
6,213,922 issued on Apr. 10, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to devices for
nonsurgical (conservation) treatment of the locomotor apparatus
(locomotorium) in various neuropathies, and more specifically to a
device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor
activity.
[0004] The invention can find most utility when used for treatment
of infantile cerebral paralysis.
[0005] The invention is likewise applicable in cerebrovascular
accidents involving motor disturbances and traumatic lesions of the
spinal cord.
[0006] Furthermore, the invention can be applied for correction of
patient's posture (attitude), as well as for sports exercises.
[0007] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0008] At present the number of neuropathic patients suffering from
affection of the locomotor functions becomes immense, while
infantile cerebral paralysis, in particular, tends to rise, for a
number of reasons, in many countries throughout the world.
[0009] Treatment of motor functions in infantile cerebral paralysis
patients becomes urgent due to both, the number of patients and
imperfection of the treatment method available.
[0010] The present state of the medical art knows a number of
methods and devices for treatment of patients with disturbed
posture and motor activity.
[0011] One state-of-the-art method for treatment of patients with
disturbed posture and motor activity (cf. "Surgical correction of
posture and walking in infantile cerebral paralysis" by A. M.
Zhuravlev et al., 1986, Aiastan Publishers, Yerevan, pp. 90-91 (in
Russian) is known to comprise stage-by-stage plastering, followed
by rigidly fixing the position of the limb and trunk with an
altered posture. A disadvantage inherent in said method resides in
a restricted motor activity (immobility) of a patient, which might
result in amyotrophy, spastic phenomena, and increased hypertensive
syndrome due to enhanced pathological muscular synergies.
[0012] Furthermore, another disadvantage of said object is a
prolonged treatment period, that is, from 4 to 6 months.
[0013] One state-of-the-art device for treatment of patients with
disturbed posture and motor activity is known (FR, A, 2,120,500) to
appear as overalls into which flexible inflatable tubes are
inserted to impart rigidity thereto.
[0014] A disadvantage inherent in said device is the fact that it
is aimed at maintaining the patient's body in a definite position,
whereby the field of application of said device is extremely
restricted. In addition, said device fails to solve the problem of
muscular exercises of a patient, which might lead to profound
dysfunction of the muscular system.
[0015] Another device for treatment of patients with disturbed
posture and motor activity is known (FR, A, 2,252,836) to comprise
two blades interposed between the patient's thighs, each of said
blades being fixed to a respective thigh, and a mechanical system
connected to the blades.
[0016] The device under discussion suffers from the disadvantage
that it can correct only a wrong position of the thighs, knee
joints, and feet. In addition, said device is bulky and therefore
its application with therapeutic purposes is very questionable.
[0017] One more device for treatment of patients with disturbed
posture and motor activity is known (SU, A, 1,528,483) to comprise
a thoracic, pelvic, and pedal support, and fixing elements to
interconnect the aforesaid supports to one another.
[0018] The fixing elements are shaped are telescopic stands
interconnecting the pedal supports with the pelvic one and with a
bar one of whose ends is rigidly coupled to the pelvic support. The
bar carries a roller reciprocatingly mounted thereon and rigidly
linked to the thoracic support. Two arms are rigidly connected to
the pelvic support, the free ends of said arms being connected to
springs movably mounted on the telescopic stands.
[0019] With the patient's body in the erect position the roller
provides a light reclinating effect produced on the entire
vertebral column, while the thoracis support provides rest for the
upper trunk portion. With an inclined position of the trunk the
roller rides over the bar depending on the angle of inclination so
as to assume an optimum position, and the springs impart an effort
to the bar. Thus, the weight of the inclined trunk portion is
compensated for and the muscular system and vertebral column are
released from load.
[0020] A disadvantage of the abovesaid device consists in that it
is intended for treatment of the vertebral column only by releasing
it from load. In addition, use of said device might result in
restricted mobility of a patient followed by amyotrophy and
affected activity of the antigravity muscles. Above all the
treatment process with the use of said device is too prolonged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] It is an essential object of the present invention to
provide a physiologically normal stereotype of posture and
movements.
[0022] The present invention has for its principal object to
provide a device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture
and motor activity, wherein the fixing elements interconnecting the
supports have such a construction that enables the patient's trunk
and limbs to be fixed in a position approximating normal
physiological parameters, while maintaining a possibility of
performing energy-loaded movements by the patient, with the
amplitude of said movements characteristic of a given patient.
[0023] The foregoing object is accomplished due to the fact that in
a device for treatment of patients with disturbed posture and motor
activity, comprising pelvic and pedal supports placed on patient's
trunk and limbs and interconnected by fixing elements, according to
the invention, the fixing elements are shaped as elastic
tie-members arranged on the patient's body surface so as to follow
anatomical arrangement of the skeletal muscles, each of the
tie-members being connected to two supports.
[0024] The proposed device is instrumental in fixation of joints in
a required position and to establish a moment of force effecting
flexion, extension, rotation, adduction, and abduction of the
patient's limbs and trunk.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
device comprises additional shoulder, knee, elbow, finger and toe
supports.
[0026] Such an embodiment of the invention makes it possible to fix
practically all the joints of patient's trunk and limbs in a preset
position and enables patient to perform energy-loaded movements
with amplitudes attainable by a given patient.
[0027] It is quite reasonable that the device comprises tension
adjusters of the elastic tie-members, each of such adjusters being
interposed between the respective tie-member and one of the
supports.
[0028] Provision of the tension adjusters in the device enables one
to vary and individually select the force of action exerted by the
tie-members on the musculoskeletal system, thus adding to the
efficacy of treatment.
[0029] Use of the proposed device makes it possible to utilize
functional (active) correlation of the pathological positions of
the trunk and limbs instead of static (passive) corrections
thereof, rearrange the previous pathelogic stereotype of the
posture and movements in the central and peripheral nervous
systems, potentiate destruction of the old pathological complex of
reflexes that has been established in the course of the disease,
and create the new control and conduction system through the
intermediary of the defense structures of the brain. In addition,
the effect produced by the device on the patient's organism
consists in that the correction of the locomotorium and energy
loading of movements with the limbs and trunk assuming a new
position result in activation of the brain central structures in
elaborating a new arrangement of the control system of both, the
locomotorium and the motor system of the speech-formation system.
Practical application of the proposed device allows for creation of
the stereotype of posture and movements closely resembling the
physiological one.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will
be understood from the following detailed description of a specific
exemplary embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a front view of a device, according to the
invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1; and
[0033] FIG. 3 is a rear view of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] The device of the invention comprises supports 1 adapted for
being mounted in the region of the patient's shoulders, elbows,
hands, pelvic girdle, knees, feet, fingers, and toes. The supports
1 are interconnected through fixing elements which appear as
elastic tie-members 2 adapted to interconnect both the adjacent and
non-adjacent supports 1. The tie-member 2 are so connected to the
supports 1 that they are arranged on the surface of the patient's
body in antagonistic pairs to follow the anatomical arrangement of
the skeletal muscles.
[0035] Each of the tie-members 2 has an adjuster 3 of its tension,
which connects said tie-member 2 to one of the supports 1.
[0036] Each tension adjuster 3 is in fact a band 4 having one of
its ends connected to the tie-member 2 and the opposite end is held
to a lock 5 which in turn is fastened on one of the supports 1.
[0037] The adjuster 3 may obviously be of any other construction
suitable for performing a similar function.
[0038] The supports 1 can be made of any material featuring a
minimum degree of extensibility, such as fabric, leather, plastics,
and so on.
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the supports can
substantially cover the joint to which they are mounted. For
example, each shoulder support, when properly positioned, can
substantially to fully cover the front, top, and back exterior
surfaces of its respective shoulder joint, by defining a cup-shaped
shoulder harness that contacts, conforms, and covers most, if not
all, of the exterior curvilinear skin surfaces of the shoulder.
Additionally, the supports can closely surround their respective
joints. For example, each knee support, when properly positioned,
can closely surround its respective knee, by defining a cuff-shaped
knee harness that substantially conforms to the anatomy of the
exterior surfaces of the knee by closely contacting, conforming to,
and covering most, if not all, of the curvilinear exterior skin
surfaces of the knee. Thus, when a load is applied to a given
support by any attached tie-member, the load is not transferred to
any other tie-member connected to that support.
[0040] Specifically, the tie-members 2 can be made of rubber,
plastics, or appear as metallic springs.
[0041] The device of the invention functions as follows.
[0042] The proposed device is selected individually for every
patient taking account of his/her state and size of the body. Then
the device is put onto the patient and those tie-members 2 are
tensioned which correct the position of the body parts to be
treated. The tie-members 2 are adjusted for tension with the aid of
the adjuster, whereupon the position thus attained is fixed by the
locks 5. The tie-members 2 are adjusted until a new position of the
trunk and limbs is reestablished, which approximates the normal
physiological one and enables the patient to perform movements with
an amplitude close to a maximum one for a given patient. The
tension of the time-members 2 is increased at least until a load
appears in the group of muscle corresponding to a given movement.
This done, the device is ready for use.
[0043] One end of the band 4 is connected with the respective tie
member 2, while the opposite end of the band 4 is secured in the
lock 5 installed in one of said supports 1.
[0044] When the elastic tie-members are extended, the means for
tensioning the elastic tie members (in the form of the band 4) are
shortened, i.e. the length of a section between the elastic
tie-member 2 and the lock 5 is reduced. The lock is essentially a
conventional buckle comprising a square frame such as buckles used
in safety belts.
[0045] Thus, a dynamic supporting structure (functional corset) is
established with the aid of the present device and the patient is
prepared for performing movements.
[0046] The device is utilized by the patient with due account of
his/her status and individual peculiarities daily for a period of
up to 12 hours a day, a treatment cycle lasting for 15-30 days.
[0047] The tie-members 2 arranged on the surface of the patient's
body in antagonistic pairs to follow the anatomical arrangement of
the skeletal muscles with respect to the joints provide all kinds
of patient's movements in the course of practical application of
the device. In the course of treatment the degree of tension of the
tie-member 2 is gradually increased. As the patient becomes adapted
to the correcting action of the device, the correction force is
increased without affecting the sense of comfort with respect to
the load applied.
[0048] A new stereotype of control of patient's movements is
established in the course of treatment. In addition, the patient's
physiological status becomes predominant, which results in a
reduced amount of pathological muscular synergies and increased
extent of motor activity and allows of correcting the patient's
posture in the cases unamenable to treatment with other correcting
methods.
[0049] The present devices can be additionally furnished with
overalls put onto patients above the device. The overalls are
provided with openings to provide access to the adjusters 3.
EXAMPLE 1
[0050] Male patient B. K., 17. Diagnosis: infantile cerebral
paralysis. The diagnosis has been established since the six-month
age. By the time of treatment with the proposed device the patient
had developed paralysis in the form of spastic diplegia. There
occurred triple flexion in the lower limbs complicated by
contractures in the ankle joints, internal rotation of the thighs,
uncompensated body inclination forwards, difficulties in
locomotion, phatologic gait; talipes equinovalgus in both feet
("rocking foot"), internal rotation of both arms, and difficult
movements of the hands and fingers. The patient's intellect
remained unaffected, as well as phrasal speech. There was noticed
high level of psychologic motivation for therapeutic
rehabilitation. Previously the patient has been treated medicinally
and with the aid physiotherapy, as well as by correction with
plaster bandages and solid plaster bars. However, the treatment
produced but a transient effect.
[0051] The patient passed a treatment course with the proposed
device for one month, by daily sessions of 2-3 hours.
[0052] The load applied was perceived by the patient within the
initial seven days of treatment after which the sensation of load
disappeared and adaptation ensued. However, within the initial five
days the pathological posture of the patient's trunk and limbs
reappeared in two hours after load releasing. On the 10th day of
treatment a stable result of treatment occurred manifested in
complete disappearance of the pathological posture, elimination of
flexural disturbances of the lower limbs, improvement in the gait
pattern, facilitating forward displacement of the thighs and higher
walking pace. After the 10th day of treatment the patient could
walk in the erect position. In addition, by the 10th day of
treatment there were observed a considerable decreasing of the
pronation disturbances in the hands and fingers. The patient was
dismissed in 30 days after admission with a considerable
improvement of motor and static functions.
* * * * *