Device for spine rehabilitation and method of spine rehabilitation using said device for spine rehabilitation

Abstract

A device for spine rehabilitation comprising a support frame, immovable crossbars, movable crossbars, and a holder and systems of actuators supporting a patient's head, shoulders, hip, knees, and feet, characterised in that it is equipped with linear actuators (8) mounted to the holder (7) supporting the patient's head and shoulders, whereby the holder (7) has a driving mechanism (9) situated horizontally and mounted to an immovable crossbar (6) of the support frame (1) and in its lower part is rotationally mounted, at the rotation point (10) of the holder, to the immovable crossbar (6). A method for spine rehabilitation using the device for lateral deviation of the patient's torso, whereby the patient's body situated horizontally, face up, is lifted on eight sling hangers taking hold of his/her head and his/her back in the points of shoulder girdle and pelvis girdle.

Claims

1. A device for spine rehabilitation comprising: a support frame, first and second immovable crossbar, movable crossbars, a holder, systems of actuators for supporting a patient's head, shoulders, hip, knees, and feet, wherein the systems of actuator are equipped with linear actuators (8) mounted to the holder (7) and the movable crossbars supporting the patient's head and shoulders, whereby the holder (7) has a driving motor (9) situated horizontally and mounted to the second immovable crossbar (6) of the support frame (1) and in a lower part the holder is rotationally mounted, at a rotation point (10) of the holder, to the immovable crossbar (6), wherein on the first immovable crossbar (2) of the holder (7) there are balls or rollers (11) which allow for a smooth movement of the holder (7) in the horizontal plane, wherein the holder (7) is equipped with slidable actuators (12) allowing the device to be adjusted to an anthropometric size of the patient, wherein sling hangers are connected on both ends of the sling hangers with linear actuators mounted to the holder (7), and wherein the support frame (1), having structural elements (14), is moved vertically by a lifting actuator (13), and moves horizontally on track rollers (15).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein an upper back surface of the holder (7) moves on the rollers (11) installed in the first immovable crossbar (2) of the holder.

3. A method for spine rehabilitation using a device for lateral deviation of a patient's torso comprising: situating a patient's body horizontally, face up, on five sling hangers mounted to a holder (7), lifting the patient's head and back on five sling hangers holding the patient's head and back in a space around a shoulder girdle and a pelvis girdle, calves and feet, wherein each of the sling hangers holding the patient's head and back in a space around the shoulder and pelvis girdles is connected on both ends of each sling hanger with two linear actuators mounted to the holder (7) and hanging downwardly attached to a horizontal support frame (1) in a position perpendicular to an axis of a patient's spine, wherein each of the sling hangers holding the patient's calves and feet is connected on both ends of each sling hanger with one linear actuator hanging downwardly attached to movable crossbars of the horizontal support frame (1) in the position perpendicular to the axis of the patient's spine, controlling individually a movement of each of the linear actuators from a control system (17), with assistance of a computer with medical software, carrying out a lateral movement of the patient (16) suspended on the linear actuators (8) and sling hangers holding the patient's head and back in the space around the shoulder and pelvis girdles, by a movement of the holder (7) moved by a driving motor (9) along an arc within a designated range of the movement of the holder (7), whereby the holder (7) has the driving motor (9) situated horizontally and mounted to a first immovable crossbar (6) of the support frame (1) and in a lower part the holder is rotationally mounted, at a rotation point (10) of the holder, to the first immovable crossbar (6), wherein on a second immovable crossbar (2) of the holder (7) there are balls or rollers (11) which allow for the smooth movement of the holder (7) in the horizontal plane, wherein the holder (7) is equipped with slidable actuators (12) allowing the device to be adjusted to an anthropometric size of the patient, and wherein the horizontal support frame (1), having structural elements (14), is moved vertically by a lifting actuator (13), and moves horizontally on track rollers (15).

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the following steps: setting a proper frequency and amplitude of a relocation set in the control system (17), selecting a proper frequency and amplitude of the relocation set in the control system (17), causing by the driving motor (9) a lateral deviation of the patient's (16) torso up to a designated angle of deviation wherein the head and the shoulders of the suspended patient are supported by the linear actuators (8) mounted to the holder (7) whose transversal movement is provided by the driving motor (9) which moves the holder along the arc within a designated range in such a way that the holder (7) moves with a swinging motion on the rollers (11) fitted in the immovable crossbar (2) of the supporting frame (1), whereas movements of each of the linear actuators (8) connected to the holder (7) cause the lateral deviation of the torso and the spine to be at a designated deviation angle with the selected proper frequency and amplitude of the relocation set in the control system (17).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows main elements of the device according to the present disclosure in operational mode.

(2) FIG. 2 shows frame with structural members connected by a lifting mechanism with track rollers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower”, “upper”, “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g. “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion.

(4) There relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both moveable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limited combination of features that may exist alone or in other combination of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto. This disclosure describes the best mode or modules of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.

(5) FIG. 1 shows the embodiment of the device according to the invention which comprises a support frame 1 equipped with an immovable crossbar 2 of a holder, a movable crossbar 3 for the hip, a movable crossbar 4 for the knees, a movable crossbar 5 for the feet and an immovable crossbar 6 of the holder. The holder 7 is rotationally mounted on the immovable crossbar 6 by a slidable mechanism 9 for moving the holder along an arc, whereby its surface is moving along the immovable crossbar 2 on globular or rolling members 11 fitted therein. Actuators 8 holding the patient's head and shoulders are mounted to the holder 7 and to the movable crossbars 3, 4, 5. The transverse movement of the holder 7 is actuated by a driving mechanism 9 mounted on the immovable crossbar 6. Thanks to the robust support frame 1 the patient is stabilized and feels safe. The holder 7 mounted rotationally at the rotation point 10 of the holder on the crossbar 6 and moving on rolling members 11 allows to acquire and to secure a desired position with a lateral movement of the patient's torso. Slidable assemblies 12 allow to adjust the position of the actuators of the sling hangers for the head and for the shoulders to anthropometric size of a particular patient.

(6) In the corners of the frame 1 (FIG. 2) there are situated structural members 14 connected by a lifting mechanism 13 with track rollers 15. The torso of the patient 16 is laterally deviated in the device built on the track rollers 15 in such a manner that the body of the patient 16 situated horizontally, face up, is lifted by means of five sling hangers taking hold of the head, the back in the points of shoulder girdle and pelvis girdle, and the calves, and the feet. The suspensions of the head, the shoulders, and the hip are at their ends connected with the linear actuators 8 suspended on the horizontal support frame 1 transversely to the axis of the patient's spine. The movement of each of the linear actuators is individually controlled from a control system 17.

(7) The head and the shoulders of the suspended patient (FIG. 1) are supported by the linear actuators 8 mounted to the holder 7 whose transversal movement is provided by the holder's driving mechanism 9 along an arc within a designated range of the movement. The holder's 7 upper back surface moves with a swinging motion on the rolling members 11 installed in the immovable crossbar 2 of the support frame 1. Repositioning of the holder's drive (for example an actuator) which connects the holder 7 and the immovable crossbar 6 causes lateral deviation of the torso and the spine to a designated angle with the possibility for selecting an adequate frequency and amplitude of the relocation as set in the control system 17.

(8) The device allows for a precise, three-plane correction of scoliosis. Thanks to the lateral deflection of the spine with the patient in horizontal position on the movable base and also thanks to the three-plane stabilization of the hip in the transverse plane and in the sagittal plane a correction of the spine takes place.

(9) Thanks to its design the device according to the invention allows for spinal correction in three planes and makes it possible to treat in a correct manner scoliosis, rheumatic and neurological diseases. Scoliosis that are improperly treated might lead to a reduced physical capacity of the patient, increased intensity of neurological disorders, permanent disability, and in extreme cases to heart or/and respiratory failure and premature death.

(10) The device according to the invention might be useful to improve efficiency of spine rehabilitation therapy, might be used in rehabilitation centres, in companies producing medical equipment as well as in hospital rehabilitation wards. It is targeted for physiotherapists in order to improve and create new possibilities of working with the patient substantially decreasing energy expenditures in the process of patient rehabilitation.

(11) While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that is should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to be appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(12) 1—Support frame 2—Immovable crossbar of the holder 3—Movable crossbar (for the hip) 4—Movable crossbar (for the knees) 5—Movable crossbar (for the feet) 6—Immovable crossbar of the holder 7—Holder 8—Linear actuators 9—Driving mechanism of the holder 10—Point of rotation of the holder 11—Rolling members 12—Slidable assemblies of the actuators 13—Lifting mechanism 14—Structural members 15—Track rollers 16—The patient 17—Control system