Books – strips – and leaves for manifolding – Accounting form - book type
Patent
1992-01-15
1994-03-22
Apley, Richard J.
Books, strips, and leaves for manifolding
Accounting form - book type
462111, 462908, 4495, A63B 2100
Patent
active
052959295
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a hydrotherapic rehabilitation device.
Hydrotherapy is widely adopted in the field of physical medicine, in that it constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of the treatment and rehabilitation of patients suffering from various rheumatic disorders, whether inflammatory or degenerative, as well as from many physical traumas (e.g. fractures, sprains, or a sequence of these). In fact, it is commonly known that water, be it from mineral springs or of marine or thermal origin, performs an anti-contractural, anti-inflammatory and sedative function, by virtue of its important physicochemical properties: it is an excellent solvent and a good heat accumulator, and its density is such that the influence of gravity can be remarkably reduced and adjusted, which is of great importance to achieve specific therapeutic purposes; for instance, water has advantageous therapeutic applications in the case of patients needing rehabilitation as a result of lower limb injuries (after-effects of surgically or bloodlessly treated fractures, after-effects of artificial hip or knee operations, reconstitution of ligaments or their substitution for artificial ligaments, meniscectomy, paraplegia or hemiplegia, etc.), as well as in the case of patients affected simply by malformations and degenerative or inflammatory pathologies of the lower limbs (arthrosis, rheumatic arthritis).
Generally a rehabilitative therapeutic cycle has to be carried out gradually, so that the weight on the various segments of the body (feet, legs, hips, low back) doesn't causes excessive stresses. In particular a rehabilitative therapeutic cycle foresees a first period of rehabilitation in clinostatic condition (the patient carries out his exercises being fully lain down and moves his articulations without loading the skeletal apparatus), subsequently, when advisable, in seated condition (the patient is seated and moves the legs, knees and feet, overcoming the resistance of the water), and finally in orthostatic condition (the patient stands on feet) grading the weight on the several parts of his body so that the skeletal apparatus is stressed with the necessary graduality.
The traditional technique foresees that the rehabilitation in clinostatic conditions occurs in traditional tubs, into which the patient is immersed in horizontal condition, aided by a physiotherapist, who from outside helps him during the rehabilitative exercises. To carry out the rehabilitation in orthostatic conditions the patient must be transferred into an other tub, more deep, in which he can be subjected to a "lightened" weight. This tub consists of a traditional pool in which the patient is immersed together with the physiotherapist, who helps him to carry out exercises.
However these pools present considerable disadvantages, and in particular: very few hospitals can afford them; services of plenty of space; patients; patients; consequent inability to offer each of them a personalised, and therefore more effective treatment; use water sterilizing substances in high proportions, which might cause allergic reactions or intolerances to these substances in many patients; for quite long periods of time.
These drawbacks have considerably hindered the spread of hydrotherapy as carried out in pools, and accordingly restricted the opportunity to resort to early and very early ambulation as a treatment of many lower limb pathologies, with all the disastrous consequences that this situation inevitably produces.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4 574 739 a horse exercising device is already known, comprising a rectangular tank for holding a pool of water and a treadmill vertically adjustable according to the reduction of weight desired for the horse. This device is very useful for providing a variable exercise program to control exertion of the horse, but cannot be advantageously used for humans, as it does not allow to carry out a complete rehabilitative therapeutic program for a patient, i.e. a program comprising a first period of rehabilitation in clinostatic conditions,
REFERENCES:
patent: 3485213 (1969-12-01), Scanlon
patent: 3553743 (1971-01-01), Lodige
patent: 3598088 (1971-08-01), Bowman
patent: 3935600 (1976-02-01), Scribner
patent: 4271542 (1981-06-01), Wood et al.
patent: 4332217 (1982-06-01), Davis
patent: 4419776 (1983-12-01), Schmidt
patent: 4574739 (1986-03-01), Fontaine et al.
patent: 4576376 (1986-03-01), Miller
patent: 4712788 (1987-12-01), Gaudreau, Jr.
patent: 4776581 (1988-10-01), Shepherdson
The Aquaciser Catalog (1987).
Apley Richard J.
Meindl Beverly A.
LandOfFree
Hydrotherapy device with underwater treadmill does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hydrotherapy device with underwater treadmill, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hydrotherapy device with underwater treadmill will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-432982