Patent Application
20200253809
The present disclosure and the embodiments thereof are in the field of harnesses for providing support to a patient. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a modular harness used in a locomotor training process for patients with post-neurologic injury.
Locomotor training is a therapeutic intervention promoting neuromuscular recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) and other neurological disorders. The therapy was developed from knowledge and understanding of walking and activity-dependent neuroplasticity of the central nervous system, in particular, the spinal cord. For patients with SCI, the aim of the therapy is to activate the neuromuscular recovery below and across the level of the lesion through intense practice and repetition of the task of walking and standing. Known benefits of locomotor training for adults with SCI include improved standing, walking, balance, endurance, and walking speed. Other physiological benefits have been reported and have improved the quality of life for adults. To conduct a locomotor training, the retraining of the neuromuscular system occurs during training on a treadmill with the patient wearing a harness and provided with partial body weight support (BWS) to an overhead support system. Computer-controlled equipment can be used to monitor, control and record the patients' body weight support throughout training, while manual trainers promote a task-specific sensorimotor experience.
However, the therapeutic intervention program has not been extended to the pediatric population with SCI. For example, the current treadmill system, which is integrated with a BWS system and a harness for adults, is designed for use with patients weighting over 100 lbs, while children aged from 1-12 years mostly weigh 22-80 lbs. The adult system is neither suitable for the pediatric population nor suitable for the physical therapist and trainers providing therapy to the pediatric population.
Accordingly, there exists a need for providing a recovery system that suits the needs of the pediatric population, while still being usable by adults, and the physical therapists or trainers providing therapy.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a harness used for a locomotor training of a patient is provided. The harness provides support during standing and stepping activities on or off the treadmill in the clinic or in the home setting. The harness includes a pelvic band in order to best “purchase” the harness to the patient, a bottom strap which may comprise two adjustable straps attached to the pelvic band, anterior and posterior, that serve to maintain the pelvic band in place. The strap lengths may be adjusted anteriorly, and the straps move across the buttocks, lying flat on the inner thigh, and attach at the anterior pelvis. The bottom strap, e.g. two leg straps, are releasably connected to the pelvic band. The pelvic band is adjustable via anterior and posterior adjustments. The harness further includes a plurality of lifting straps connected to the pelvic band. The lifting straps are manipulatable to provide partial weight support to the patient.
In some embodiments, the harness further comprises a plurality of handles provided to the pelvic band, for allowing a trainer of the locomotor training to guide the hips of the patient during the therapeutic activity of ‘locomotor training’. In some embodiments, the bottom strap comprises at least one bottom strap having a front end and a rear end, the rear end fixed to the pelvic band and the front end releasably connected to the pelvic band through a buckle, and wherein the front end of the bottom strap is adjustable to tighten the bottom strap. In some embodiments, the bottom strap further comprises a soft padding releasably wrapped around the at least one bottom strap.
In further embodiments, the pelvic band comprises a first end and a second end connected to each other through a middle buckle, wherein the distance between the first end and the second end of the pelvic band is adjustable to tighten the pelvic band.
In further embodiments, the harness comprises an upper body support system for guiding the upper torso of the patient during the locomotor training. In some embodiments, the upper body support system comprises an adjustable upper trunk support above the pelvic band, for maintaining the upper trunk the patient in a correct posture during the locomotor training. In some embodiments, the harness further comprises a plurality of strap holders connected to the adjustable upper trunk support, wherein a respective lifting strap passes through a respective strap holder. In some embodiments, the upper body support system comprises an adjustable shoulder strap for maintaining the shoulders of the patient in a correct posture during the locomotor training; an adjustable upper trunk support below the shoulder strap, for maintaining the upper trunk the patient in a correct posture during the locomotor training; and a front piece below the adjustable upper trunk support and between two front lifting straps.
In further embodiments, the pelvic band is in the form of a belt and the length of the pelvic band is adjustable laterally. In some embodiments, the harness further comprises a plurality of strap holders connected to the pelvic band, wherein a respective lifting strap passes through a respective strap holder and the bottom strap. In some embodiments, the bottom strap and the pelvic band are formed as one piece.
Another aspect of the present disclosure, provides methods of using a harness as described herein, e.g. for locomotor training.
The present disclosure will now be described in greater detail by referring to the following discussion and drawings that accompany the present disclosure. It is noted that the drawings of the present disclosure are provided for illustrative purposes only and, as such, the drawings are not drawn to scale. It is also noted that like and corresponding elements are referred to by like reference numerals.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as particular structures, components, materials, dimensions, processing steps and techniques, in order to provide an understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the various embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures or processing steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.
The bottom strap 120 can include an external soft padding and an internal core surrounded by the soft padding. The external soft padding provides comfort and protection to a patient, while the internal core secures the pelvic band and maintains its purchase on the patient. While certain conventional harnesses for supporting weight are designed to support a patient when the patient (or user) is in a seated position, the bottom strap 120 of the harness 100 allows for comfortable support to the patient when the patient is in a standing position and thus, allows the patient to step. The bottom strap 120 is designed as a modular element. As a result, the bottom strap can be removed and reattached to the other components of the harness, which allows the bottom strap 120 to be cleaned and sterilized to promote good hygiene and also allows multiple pads of different sizes to be retrofitable to the harness to accommodate the needs of different patients.
For example, a pair of bottom straps 122, which extends through the bottom strap 120, can be provided for allowing the bottom strap 120 to slide with respect to the bottom straps 122 to be removed from and reattached to the harness 100. The rear ends of the bottom straps 122 can be fixed to the pelvic band 140 and the front ends of the bottom straps 122 can be releasably connected to the pelvic band 140 through a fastening element such as a pair of buckles 124, respectively, which allows a therapist or trainer to fasten the harness 100 on the patient while the patient lays down. The buckles 124 are provided on the outside of the pelvic band 140 for comfort and to allow better movement of the legs of the patient. In addition, the position of the front ends of the bottom straps 122 can be adjusted to tighten the inseam drop distance for a secure and comfortable fit. Alternative fastening elements that are compatible with the disclosure, include but are not limited to, hook-and-loop (e.g. Velcro®), snaps, and buttons.
The pelvic band 140 has a first end 141, a second end 143 and a middle fastening element, such as a buckle 142 for releasably connecting the first end 141 and the second end 143. The distance between the first end 141 and the second end 143 can be adjusted by manipulating the position of the first end 141 and/or the position of the second end 143 with respect to the middle buckle 142. The pelvic band 140 allows the therapist or trainer to fasten the harness 100 on the patient while the patient lays down, which eliminates the need for the patient to be able to sit or stand while putting on the harness. The harness though can also be applied in the standing position.
A plurality of handles 144 are provided along the pelvic band 140 for allowing the therapist or trainer to guide the hips of the patient during standing or stepping activities 100. The handles 144 are ergonomic and suitable for releasing the strain on the therapist or trainer's hands and wrists. The handles 144 can be made of any suitable material, such as a plastic material. The handles 144 may also include a foam padding for comfort. There may be an inner and outer handle allowing for variability in the trainer's hand and wrist sizes and greater comfort and fit afforded.
The plurality of lifting straps 160 are connected to the pelvic band 140 in a fixed or releasable manner. In the shown embodiment, the lifting straps 160 include two front straps and two rear straps. A front strap can be connected to a respective rear strap through a fastening element such as a buckle or carabiner. As shown in
As shown in
Different colors can be applied to the harnesses as described above to promote individuality and good morale. Furthermore, the harnesses can be color coded to be representative of different ages of the patients.
Tables 1 and 2 provide exemplary materials and associated dimensions that may be used in a harness according to some embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the reference numerals used in
In some embodiments, a harness of the disclosure is used for children age 1-12 years. In some embodiments, a harness of the disclosure is used for adolescents age 12-18 years. In some embodiments, a harness of the disclosure is used for adults age 18 or older.
In some embodiments, a harness of the disclosure is worn by the subject and interfaces with a “hanger” on a body weight support system to suspend and provide partial support to the subject. The harness system may accommodate variations in size/weight of children, adolescents, or adults, the sizes and shapes of the torso as the subject develops, and may also allow for progression. “Progression” refers to the improvements in control of the trunk, legs, and arms across therapy sessions. The harness is thus a dynamic component that works in synergy with the scientific principles guiding locomotor training. Support may be varied depending upon the subject's physical capacity and needs relative and specific to postural control.
In some embodiments, a harness of the disclosure is modified to accommodate the size of the patient, e.g. different dimensions relative to females (e.g. breasts) vs. males (e.g. abdominal extension). As shown in
In some embodiments, the harness is used directly with a body weight support/treadmill unit. In other embodiments, the harness is used with devices “off” the treadmill, such as a reverse walker with an overhead support. The harness may also be used in the home to provide support and safety to a child while standing and playing with over head support systems.
A harness comprising circumferential bands within vertical strap supports allows the flexibility to meet a subject's specific trunk control needs. The bands may be easily removed and added according to the degree of trunk control capacity. This addresses the need for a device to promote therapeutic progress in trunk control and thus becomes a dynamic harness (allowing for change in a subject's capacity and abilities) as opposed to a static harness (without such capacity for change). A reduction in the weight of the harness, static contact points between the harness and the patient, and the adaptability in level of trunk support provided adds to the harness' therapeutic value.
While the present application has been particularly shown and described with respect to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in forms and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. It is therefore intended that the present application not be limited to the exact forms and details described and illustrated, but fall within the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/804,985 filed Feb. 13, 2019. The complete contents thereof are herein incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62804985 | Feb 2019 | US |
