Rehabilitation device and its use for exercising the shoulder region

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rehabilitation device adapted for rehabilitating and/or exercising the shoulder region, as well as to the use of such a rehabilitation device. The rehabilitation device has support elements (3, 4, 5) enabling the upright position of the upper body during the exercise, two motion shafts (2) guiding the motion in a pre-defined direction of motion, and two handleless arm supports (1) attached to the end of each motion shaft and arranged to support the arms of the user, preventing activation of the muscles carrying the arm.

Claims

1. A rehabilitation device adapted for rehabilitating a shoulder region of a user, the rehabilitation device comprising: a frame; support elements coupled to the frame and configured to enable an upright position of an upper body of the user during a rehabilitation exercise; two motion shafts configured to guide motion of an arm of a user in a pre-defined direction, and wherein the motion shafts are arranged such that an axis of each motion shaft is arranged to tilt inwards toward a plane (Y) passing through a centerline of the rehabilitating device; two handleless arm supports attached to an end of each motion shaft, configured to carry arms of a user, and configured to support the arms of a user; wherein the device is configured so that at the beginning of a rehabilitation exercise, each arm of a user is in a position straightened forward in front of the user at a 80 to 90 degree angle from the body of the user; and wherein the device is configured so that at an end position of the rehabilitation exercise each arm of a user has been moved to a position wherein the arm forms a 120 to 130 degree angle with a plane travelling through a vertical midline of the device.

2. A rehabilitation device according to claim 1, wherein the arm supports of the motion shafts are arranged to be suitable for various models and sizes of arms.

3. A rehabilitation device according to claim 2, wherein the arm supports of the motion shafts are articulated to the motion shafts such that the arm supports are movable in order to suit various models and sizes of arms.

4. A rehabilitation device according to claim 1, wherein information containing personal information of each user for adjusting the device is stored in a cloud service.

5. A method of exercising the shoulder region on the user of the rehabilitation device according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of positioning the arms of the user into the arm supports; using the user's arms for moving the user's arms in the arm supports of the device along a pre-defined trajectory, wherein the arm supports carry the user's hands from a first position, wherein each arm of the user is in a position straightened forward in front of the user at a 80 to 90 degree angle from the body of the user; and to a second position wherein at an end position of the rehabilitation exercise each arm of the user has been moved to a position wherein the arm forms a 120 to 130 degree angle with a plane travelling through a vertical midline of the device, whereby activation of the muscles carrying the arms is prevented.

Description

(1) In the following, the present invention is described in more detail by means of reference to the following drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in the start position of the rehabilitation exercise; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a device according to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 in the end position of the rehabilitation exercise.

(4) The user of the device of a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, sits during the exercise on a seat 3, leaning against the backrest 4 and the headrest 5. The device includes, attached to the ends of the motion shafts 2, handleless arm supports 1, into which the user settles his arms, and by moving which the exercise is executed. The arm supports 1 are connected to the motion shafts 2 preferably by articulation 6, wherein the arm supports 1 can be moved in relation to the motion shafts 2 such that they are suitable for arms of various models and sizes. In a preferred embodiment, the arm support 1 is able to rotate around the axis of the joint 6 and thus to settle into the correct position depending on the shape of the arm.

(5) In this invention, by the term handle is meant all such elements, means or parts of devices or corresponding, onto which can be grasped by the palm and/or fingers during execution of the exercise. By the term arm support is, in turn, meant a device intended for supporting the arm (forearm and upper arm).

(6) The exercise is executed on a device according to the preferred embodiment while seated leaning slightly backwards. The height of the seat is preferably adjusted electrically. The seat 3 is preferably attached directly to the device, but the seat can be arranged in connection with the device also separately from the frame. The backrest is designed such that it does not limit the movement of the shoulder blades. The role of the headrest is important due to the backwards leaning position.

(7) The arms are placed into the arm supports in the motion shafts, the arm supports carrying the arms preferably such that the elbow is as close to the centre of the arm support as possible. Preferably, the arm support supports the arm in a region extending approximately from the middle of the forearm approximately to the middle of the upper arm. The arm is in a substantially straightened position during the entire exercise. In the start position (FIG. 1), the arms being straightened in front, the angle between the forearm and the body is preferably 80-90 degrees depending on the thickness of the forearm. This is achieved by arranging each arm support to the end of the motion shaft such that the angle between the longitudinal axis L of the arm support and the transverse plane perpendicular in relation to the plane Y travelling through the vertical midline of the device is approximately 80-90 degrees. The device has no handles, rather force is transmitted via the arm supports in the motion shafts, wherein the motion can be executed while the upper arm is in external rotation. Optimally, the upper arm is in external rotation during the exercise, thus effectively activating also the supraspinatus muscle (M. supraspinatus) of the rotator cuff. If external rotation causes pain to a shoulder patient, the rotation of the upper arm can be kept neutral.

(8) Supporting the arms by handleless arm supports is extremely important for the exercise in order that the muscles carrying the hands (i.a. the upper portions of the trapezius) do not activate. Using rubber bands, pulleys or free weights this is not possible in the upright position. The supports are designed such that it is easy to settle the arms on top of the supports. The design of the arm supports enables the production of force only in the desired direction, eliminating the activation of undesired muscles.

(9) The motion is executed by taking the arms from the start position to the side, slightly to the upper oblique. Although the trajectory of the motion is directed slightly to the upper oblique, the design of the arm supports prevents the production of upward force. Specifically, the supports are designed such that the motion cannot be produced by activating undesired muscles. For example, activation of the upper portion of the trapezius cannot thus produce force in the direction of the motion.

(10) In the end position of the exercise (FIG. 2), the arm forms with the body a 120-130 degree, and preferably a 125 degree angle. This is achieved by arranging the arm supports in the end position such that their longitudinal axes L form with a plane travelling through the vertical midline Y of the device an approximately 120-130 degree angle , preferably a 125 degree angle. A direction of motion that is unique and important for the exercise is created by tilting the axes of the motion shafts inwards, which enables a trajectory directed to the upper oblique.

(11) The precisely designed arm supports of the motion shafts remove the muscle activation of the muscles carrying the arms. In the process, the shoulder joint is left with more space to move and a seemingly difficult motion is enabled also for shoulder pain patients. The design of the arm supports eliminates the activation of undesired muscles, because force can be produced only in the desired direction. Secondly, having no handles enables a painless exercise position for sore shoulders, because the rotation of the upper arm can be freely selected. Also, exceptionally important when rehabilitating sore shoulders is a precisely planned load curve, which enables the motion to be executed in a controlled manner over the entire motion range.

(12) An attempt has been made to minimize the number of adjustments affecting the exercise position and they are preferably adjusted automatically by means of an electric motor. To the device are preferably arranged means for transmitting the pre-stored information about the user to an apparatus, as well as means for automatically adjusting at least one support element, motion shaft, arm support, load or other part of the device on the basis of the stored information.

(13) The exercise information of the user, such as the exercise position adjustment information, number of series, repetitions, the motion range (starting and ending angle), the load and the execution speed of the motion, is stored in the memory of the device, or preferably in a cloud service, or in another corresponding external memory of the device, from which the exercise information is retrieved on the basis of the identification of the user, for example, as the user signs into the exercise device using a RFID card.

(14) To the device are preferably also arranged means for collecting information about the exercise, as well as means for storing the information. Preferably, the information regarding an execution can be collected, for example, approx. 50 times per second via the force and angle sensors. Using this information, isometric measurements can be performed, which are useful for diagnostics as well as for monitoring rehabilitation. The information is stored in the memory in the device, or preferably in a cloud service or a corresponding external memory of the device.

(15) As the load, the device preferably has a weight stack comprised of weight slabs. Such a weight stack is per se entirely prior known, and it is not presented in more detail in this connection. The load is transmitted into the motion shafts via force transfer. A substantial portion of the force transfer is a so-called cam (not shown), due to which the magnitude of the load changes as the motion shaft moves. The cam is preferably located within the weight stack frame. A cam designed with extremely great precision enables the safe, controlled and efficient exercise over the entire motion range. The load to be used in the exercise is selected by moving the selection peg of the weight stack, placing it between the weight slabs into the desired site. Also other type of solutions well known in the field can be considered for use as the load, such as a hydraulic or electrical resistance.

(16) By using a device according to the invention, exercise of the muscles stabilizing the scapula towards the spine as well as of the rear portion (deltoid posterior head) of the three-headed deltoid muscle (M. deltoideus), which significantly participates in the execution of the motion, is safe and effective. Due to the optimal load curve, joint angles and arm supports, the exercise is directed with great precision into the desired muscles, while preventing activation of undesired muscles or portions of muscles. Joint angles and motion directions are defined on the basis of an extensive review of the literature as well as of our own measurements.

(17) Adjustment of the starting angle of a motion is performed by means of a lever above the weight stack. Squeezing the lever and moving it up or down enables adjusting the length of the cable, which transmits the force to the weight stack. Thus, the motion shafts also move and, when the squeezing of the lever is released, the motion shafts lock and define thus the starting angle of the motion. Such a lever is per se prior known, and it is not presented in more detail in this connection.

(18) In order for the exercise to be safe, comfortable and effective, the line of the axis of the motion shaft must travel though the pivot point of the shoulder joint. Due to the movement of the shoulder blade, the pivot point of the shoulder joint is, however, not located in the joint cavity, rather slightly in the medial direction from the joint, closer to the vertical midline of the body. This is an exceptionally important characteristic for the correct biomechanics of the exercise.