Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-03-06
O'Connor, Cary (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196981
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
This Invention relates to a device that quickly and easily measures the distance of forward head posture or positioning of an individual.
2. Description of Prior Art
A position or posture of the head that is forward with respect to the shoulders or midline axis of the body is considered by Physical Therapists and other health care professionals to cause problems with respect to the musculoskeletal system. These problems may include a decreased respiratory capacity and various nerve impingement problems such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome as well as overstretching of the posterior ligaments. Dentists have also correlated a forward head posture with Temperomandibular joint disorder. (Preston et. al. Journal of Orofacial Pain, Spring 1995 vol. 9, pgs. 161-167).
A method of assessing the magnitude of forward head position that is known is having the subject stand sideways to a printed grid and then using the grid marks to measure various postural distances. A problem with this method with respect to measuring the distance of the ear from the shoulder is that these two points are not co-planar leading to difficulty avoiding measuring errors.
Rutella in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,713 discloses a device for measuring posture of the whole body. While this device is capable of measuring head and shoulder position, it is not capable of measuring head position with respect to the subjects shoulder. Piscopo, Stetson and Stetson disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,861 a device that records ultrasonic signals between two postural points to assess human posture. Since all of the aforementioned devices are bulky or expensive, most therapy clinics are currently using visual inspection only to assess forward head posture. There remains, therefore a need for a device that is capable of accurately, easily and inexpensively measuring forward head posture.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
Accordingly, it is an object of the current invention to provide a device that is capable of accurately measuring forward head posture.
It is another object of this device to measure forward head posture in a short period of time.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a device that is easily portable.
To accomplish these objectives, the device consists of a shoulder mounted base, a vertical tower, an extension bar holder, an extension bar, a measuring bar including an ear position cone and associated hardware. In typical application, a shoulder mounted base is secured with velcro or other means to the top and lateral region of a subject's shoulder. A vertical tower approximately 8 inches in height mounts on the shoulder mounted base. The vertical tower contains a level to insure vertical alignment of the vertical tower. The vertical tower consists of two parallel upright projections and an overlying top section. The extension bar holder is slidably mounted to the vertical tower, and can be secured to the vertical tower at any desired height using a set screw. The extension bar holder has holes in each end which receive the extension bar. The extension bar is slidably mounted in the extension bar holder such that its length can be adjusted and then secured at the desired length with a hand tightening bolt or maintained in position by shape and coefficient of friction of the communicating surfaces. The extension bar has an opening in its end closest to the subject's head for receiving the measuring bar. The measuring bar is slidably mounted in the extension bar and includes an ear position cone. The measuring bar contains metric and standard measuring unit scales.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2053810 (1936-09-01), Bisel
patent: 2818648 (1958-01-01), Jochheim
patent: 4134213 (1979-01-01), Kushmuk
O'Connor Cary
Wingood Pamela L.
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