Patent Application
20070037670
The present invention relates to orthotic devices for use in therapeutic environments and more particularly to an orthotic device for use in aquatic therapeutic environments.
Orthotic devices are essentially braces used in various configurations and are intended to offer stability to individuals suffering from various disorders, such as neuromuscular disorders such as seen in cerebral palsy or acquired disorders such as seen after a traumatic event. They are used in a multitude of environments. Frequently, they are employed in therapeutic environments to assist in, for example, gait, flexibility and strength training.
Most times therapy is provided in a land based environment. There are many devices employed by health care professionals to assist patients in the land based therapeutic environment, including orthotics that provide the necessary stability and control necessary to offer therapeutic advantages .
Increasingly however, aquatic based therapies are seen as the treatment of choice for patients. Aquatic therapy provides a partial weight-bearing environment that enables increasing ambulating, flexibility and strength, and decreasing pain that land based therapy cannot provide. Therapists using aquatic therapy for their patients, until now, have had to place their hands around a patient's waist or hold onto their hands to offer the patient stability and guidance. This has limited the potential for patient outcomes since it often difficult, if not impossible, for a therapist to hold a patient safely, guide the patient, and at the same time position the patient for good body mechanics.
Therapists try to use various tools, such as kick boards or “noodles” but these devices only offer a partial solution: they offer buoyancy but not stability. Traditional ground based therapy orthotic devices are too bulky, heavy and their material absorbs water (read: will not float) to be used in aquatic therapy.
Accordingly, many therapists who would otherwise use aquatic therapy with their patients turn away from the therapy. There is need, therefore, for an orthotic device that can be safely and effectively used in aquatic therapy environments. The device should offer ease of use, be lightweight and buoyant, provide patient stability, and enable the therapist to guide the patient and simultaneously provide good body mechanics. The present invention provides such a solution.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an orthotic apparatus for use in an aquatic environment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an aquatic based orthotic device that can be safely and effectively used in aquatic therapy environments.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an aquatic stabilizing apparatus that is buoyant.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an aquatic stabilizing apparatus that offer stability to a patient while in the water.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an aquatic stabilizing apparatus that provides good body mechanic opportunities for the patient.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an aquatic stabilizing apparatus that enables a therapist to guide a patient while the patient is in the water.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an aquatic stabilizer apparatus that enables flexibility in sizing to a patient and customization for body mechanic purposes.
It is an advantage of the present invention that therapists and patients can use aquatic therapy modalities more safely and efficiently, thereby offering the opportunity for increased use of such modalities and better patient outcomes, which all leads to a better patient quality of life. The above objects and advantages are provided for in the present inventive aquatic stabilizer apparatus.
The above objects and advantages are provided for the present inventive aquatic stabilizer apparatus. According to the invention, an orthotic device for use in aquatic therapy treatment is presented. The apparatus has a waistband made, preferable, of a lightweight, semi-rigid, buoyant material. The waistband should be of a size and configuration that it fits comfortably around a patient's waist. In the preferred embodiment, the waistband is made of molded plastic and is fitted with adjustment features for sizing to a particular patient. The adjustment features may include the use of pads made of water suitable material, such as neoprene. The waistband is held in place around a patient's waist via a releasable closure, such as Velcro®.
Affixed to the outer sides of the waistband is at least one upper leg rod. The upper leg rod has a first end and a second end. The first end is affixed to the waistband in, preferably, a rotatable manner so that it can be adjusted to the needs of the patient. The upper leg rod extents from the waistband to the knee. Near the knee is found the second end of the upper leg rod which has affixed to it a knee attachment member for reversibly attaching the upper leg rod to the knee. The second end further has an upper leg rod adjustment zone for sizing the upper leg length of the patient in relation to the knee attachment member and also to aid in the positioning of the patient's extremity for improved body mechanics.
The upper leg rod is preferably made of a rigid, bendable, lightweight material. In the preferred embodiment, aluminum is contemplated. In the preferred embodiment, the upper leg rod can be molded to a shape and angle, either in the factory or at the time of therapy, to improve body mechanics of a patient. Doing so assists in the muscle memory training process and can prevent the patient from “scissoring” his or her legs, as is often seen in certain disorders, such as cerebral palsy.
The inventors also contemplate at least one lower leg extension rod that can be used in appropriate treatments. The lower leg extension rod is similar to the upper leg rod but extends from the knee to mid calf or ankle. The lower leg extension rod has a lower leg extension rod adjustment zone at its second end for fitting to a patient and an ankle attachment member for reversibly affixing the lower leg extension rod to the patient' lower leg.
In the preferred embodiment, a handle is affixed to the waistband for aiding in the control and stability of a patient.
While in most cases a patient will have need for use of upper leg rods and, in appropriate circumstance, lower leg extension rods bilaterally, there may be instances in which there is need for use of a rod on only one side. The inventors contemplate that in these circumstances, the unneeded rods can be removed.
There has been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the invention.
For non-limiting example, the upper and lower leg rods can be made of plastic or there may be times in which there is no need for a handle, which can then be removed or eliminated.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions in so far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the abstract is to enable the US patent and trademark office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with the patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from what cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present invention in any way.
These together with other objects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Before explaining the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Turning to
Waistband 22 is secured about a patient' waist via releasable waist securing means 38. In the preferred embodiment, waistband 22 is held in place around a patient's waist via a releasable waist securing means 38 material such as Velcro®.
Affixed to the outer sides of the waistband are upper leg rods 40, 42. Upper leg rods 40, 42 are mirror images of one another. Unless noted otherwise, throughout this disclosure reference to a single upper leg rod is meant to include both upper leg rods 40, 42. Upper leg rods 40, 42 each have a first end 44 and a second end. Turning to
Upper leg rods 40, 42 extend from waistband 22 to the knee of the patient. At the knee, second end 46 of upper leg rods 40, 42 each have an adjustment zone 48. As seen in
Again referring to
As seen in
Upper leg rods 40, 42 are preferably made of a rigid, bendable, lightweight material. In the preferred embodiment, aluminum is contemplated. In the preferred embodiment, the upper leg rod can be molded or bent, either in the factory or at the time of therapy, to improve body mechanics of a patient. Doing so assists in the muscle memory training process and can prevent the patient from “scissoring” his or her legs, as is often seen in certain disorders, such as cerebral palsy.
As seen in
While in most cases a patient will have need for use of upper leg rods and, in appropriate circumstance, lower leg extension rods bilaterally, there are instances in which there is need for use of a rod on only one side. The inventors contemplate that in these circumstances, one unneeded rods can be removed.
In the preferred embodiment, a handle 92 is affixed to the waistband 22 and is used for aiding in the control and stability of a patient.
Referring to
Therapist A then can guide patient B by means of handle 92 through a series of exercises, leaving a free hand to assist the therapy. If needed, lower leg extension rods 54, 56 could be placed into position, if necessary.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the preferred and alternative embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
