An upper torso orthotic device having multiple adjustment mechanisms configured to enable adaptation to a wide variety of body shapes, sizes and augmentation needs. The upper torso orthotic device including a body worn support frame member configured to dynamically distribute a weight of the upper torso orthotic device across the chest, shoulder and back of a user, and a limb augmentation member configured to augment a native strength of an arm of the user by overcoming the effects of gravity, the limb augmentation member including an adjustable shoulder assembly including at least one of a leveling mechanism, a clavicle retraction/protraction angle adjustment mechanism, a shoulder abduction angle adjustment mechanism, and a shoulder width adjustment mechanism.

The present invention relates to a rehabilitation device adapted for rehabilitating and/or exercising the shoulder region of a user, as well as to the use of such a rehabilitation device. The device enables an upright position of the upper body during the exercise, and shoulder supports holding the shoulder position of the user stationary during the exercise, in order to direct the muscle activation precisely into the small muscles of the shoulder region.

Implementations involve a shoulder exoskeleton having a spherical parallel manipulator with a plurality of parallel linear actuators connected to a base coupled to a user's arm. A passive slip mechanism is operatively coupled to the spherical parallel manipulator as well as being coupled to the user's arm. The slip mechanism increases system mobility and prevents joint misalignment caused by the translational motion of the user's glenohumeral joint from introducing mechanical interference.

An upper arm module of a wearable muscular strength assisting apparatus is provided. The upper arm module includes a base part configured to be connected to a wearer's body, and an upper arm part having a first end thereof coupled to the base part to be rotatable about a fixed point. The upper arm part is coupled to the wearer's upper arm to apply a torque thereto. The upper arm module further includes an elastic body having a first end thereof fixedly coupled to the upper arm part and generating an elastic force by deformation. In particular, the upper arm module also includes a first link having a first end thereof rotatably coupled to the base part at a point of application, and a second link rotatably coupled to the second end of the first link at a first point.

A shoulder brace can be fitted to a patient having an externally injured shoulder in the initial stage of treatment and which enables the patient to make motions in directions suitable for early rehabilitation exercises for the injured shoulder. The shoulder brace is fitted to the patient having the externally injured shoulder in a physiological reference position where the elbow joint of the patient is flexed by an angle of 90 in the frontward direction and the shoulder is internally rotated by an angle of 30.

An exercise assistance device may include: a proximal support part for supporting a proximal portion of a user; a distal support part for supporting a distal portion of the user; an actuator, which is connected to the proximal support part and generates power; a driving frame for transmitting the power from the actuator to the distal support part; a slider housing, which is connected to the distal support part and has a sliding space; a slider that is slidable in the sliding space; a connector for connecting the slider and the driving frame; and a plurality of balls, which are accommodated in the slider, can rotate by at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the slider, and can make point-contact with the slider housing.

A shoulder orthosis includes a shoulder therapy device adapted to provide treatment to a shoulder joint of a person, and a flexion/extension device. The flexion/extension device positions the shoulder joint in at least one of greater than 0 degrees of flexion and greater than 0 degrees of extension concurrently with the shoulder therapy device providing the treatment to the shoulder joint. In one example, the shoulder therapy device may be an abduction/adduction device and/or an internal/external rotation device.

An assist apparatus includes: a shoulder harness; an actuator; a power transmission member connected to the actuator; a pulley support portion; a leg-side pulley; a knees-linking member; a left knee harness to be fitted to a left knee region of the wearer, the left knee harness being connected to a first end of the knees-linking member; a right knee harness to be fitted to a right knee region of the wearer, the right knee harness being connected to a second end of the knees-linking member; a posture detection device that detects a posture of the wearer; and a control device that controls the actuator based on information of the posture of the wearer, the posture being detected by the posture detection device.

An orthosis includes dynamic tensioning elements, recreating and/or improving on the load sharing typically provided by soft tissue, such as ligaments, tendons, muscle and a capsule at a joint of a patient or wearer, thereby providing support and preventing further injury from joint instability and/or joint laxity. The orthosis can support a glenohumeral joint of the shoulder brace and can prevent additional injury from various shoulder instabilities, for example, anterior, inferior, posterior and/or multidirectional instabilities. This can be accomplished by dynamically tensioning posterior, anterior and/or humeral head straps of the orthosis. The straps can be primarily adjustable only in tension forces stored there within, rather in orientation relative to the shoulder. This can simplify setup and use, and can ensure the orthosis has a low profile. Related methods of use also are provided.

An apparatus (10) for the rehabilitation, assistance and/or augmentation of arm strength in a user (U) comprises a support arrangement (12) for supporting the apparatus (10) on the user (U), a linkage arrangement (14) coupled to the support arrangement (12) and for coupling to an arm (A) of the user (U), and an actuation arrangement (16) for operating the linkage arrangement (14) and thereby manipulating the user's arm (A) in response to a user input signal.