TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention pertains to a device intended to produce assisted, active, and resisted motion of a joint or extremity. The device is intended to be used in physical and functional rehabilitation of a patient's joint or extremity, specifically intended to be used for bending, stretching, and/or strengthening a patient's lower extremity.

BACKGROUND

Physical and functional treatment of extremities frequently involves mobilizing, bending, and stretching of joints. Currently, this treatment is provided manually by physical therapists or by Continuous Passive Motion machines, frequently referred to by the abbreviation “CPM.”

The CPM machine is a motorized device that passively flexes and extends the effected joint. Research on the effectiveness of the CPM machine has shown that long term range of motion following total knee arthroplasty surgery is no different between patients who used the CPM machine and patients who did not. Furthermore, use of a CPM machine is associated with a longer length of stay and higher patient and hospital and/or rehabilitation center cost. CPM machines are also heavy and are a common cause of employee injury leading to further costs for the hospital and/or rehabilitation center.

Despite the lack of effectiveness and increased cost associate with the CPM machine, many surgeons and patients request the use of a CPM machine to ensure that the effected joint is exposed to increasing range of motion. In many cases, patients request additional physical therapy visits for range of motion, because they cannot perform range of motion on their own secondary to pain, weakness, inflammation, and/or decreased sensation.

The purpose of the invention is to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages by providing a lightweight, easy-to-use device to improve a patient's knee joint range of motion and lower extremity function, without the assistance of a physical therapist or the bulk and expense of the CPM machine. In addition, the device can be used throughout the rehabilitation process as resistance bands can be added and altered to progress or regress the resistance or assistance to the intended movement.

SUMMARY

According to this invention, the device designed to provide assisted, active, and resisted motion for mobilizing, bending, stretching, and strengthening the lower extremity, is characterized by the fact that it consists of a upper leg support that moves about a transverse axis to allow elevating and lowering of the upper leg and a footplate for securing the foot and ankle into the device and moving along longitudinal tracks. Modifications to assistance or resistance to the intended movement can be made by altering the resistance bands that can attach to the sides of the foot plate and to either end of the longitudinal tracks.

