Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Patent
1996-02-06
1998-10-20
Apley, Richard J.
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
600594, A61B 5103
Patent
active
058239740
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a biomedical apparatus articularly for measuring the posture of a patient's trunk in relation to anisomelia (unequal length) of the lower limbs.
Apparatuses for evaluating anisomelia of the lower limbs are known.
Despite their various embodiments, these apparatuses substantially comprise two platforms that are independent one from another, are mounted on a common base and can sink vertically when loaded.
Sinking of the platforms is currently achieved by resting each platform on a flexible means such as a block made of flexible foamed plastics.
The platforms cooperate with means for positioning the lumbosacral line of the patient vertically with respect to the median foot resting line, and with anisomelia measurement means.
The positioning and measurement means are commonly provided as sliders that can move along an appropriate structure for coccygeal and cervical centering along a common vertical line.
The positioning and measurement means furthermore comprise a graduated scale acting as an accessory of the apparatus.
Although it has proved to be technically rather effective, the above mentioned apparatus has been found to be affected, in practice, by some drawbacks that are mainly due to the fact that the sinking of the platforms is achieved by means of said blocks made of flexible foamed material.
It is in fact necessary to have a range of blocks of different densities to be replaced beneath the platforms, so as to adapt the system to the loading conditions, which are of course different for different patients according to their weight.
Finally, the need to replace the blocks when the patient changes makes anisomelia evaluation troublesome, also in view of the fact that the new blocks must be chosen by trial and error.
Furthermore, in these apparatuses for measuring the anisomelia of the lower limbs, the patient, who is indeed affected by said anisomelia, is placed on the apparatus by making him stand on the platforms and making him assume a position in which the line connecting the coccyx and the cervix is truly vertical.
However, if anisomelia is not measured while the patient is in a perfectly straight position, that is to say, while the coccygeosacral line is substantially perpendicular with respect to the ground and with no torsions of the pelvis, the measurement of the anisomelia is altered, since the skeletal system of the patient tends to compensate by possibly worsening the curve of the spinal column.
Furthermore, with currently commercially available models, it is almost impossible to perform an overall evaluation of the postural geometry induced by the apparatus for evaluating postural dysfunctions, both in a free posture, for mere evaluation, and when controlled in preset positions in order to evaluate by feedback the effects induced on the patient's posture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a biomedical apparatus particularly for checking postural dysfunctions, which in addition to allowing to measure the postural geometry when the patient is placed on devices for evaluating anisomelia of the lower limbs, also allows an overall evaluation of the postural behavior of the skeleton of the patient subjected to preset conditionings.
Within the scope of this aim, a consequent primary object is to provide an apparatus for evaluating anisomelia of the lower limbs that eliminates the above described drawbacks in known types.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a biomedical apparatus the structure whereof can be easily adapted to the requested measurement needs and can support and integrate various auxiliary devices for measuring particular postural geometries.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a biomedical apparatus that is highly reliable in measurement and can be integrated with data processing and transducing means of the electric and electronic type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a biomedical apparatus that can be manufactured with k
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Apley Richard J.
Josif Albert
LaMarca William
Modiano Guido
O'Byrne Daniel J.
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