Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
1995-09-29
2001-05-15
Richman, Glenn E. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
C348S157000, C348S077000, C348S143000, C382S100000, C382S128000, C434S247000, C434S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231527
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for alleviating chronic musculoskeletal pain, especially lower back pain; and more particularly relates to a novel and improved apparatus for the biomechanical correction of gait and posture.
Human walking is a marvel of engineering. Few animal species are capable of bipedal locomotion; none walk with as much ease or efficiency as we do. When we walk, we use much less direct muscle energy than previously thought. In fact, EMG analysis has shown that the vast majority of muscle activity during walking is occurring in the swing limb. New research has demonstrated that the support limb is primarily a passive structure that our body simply moves over as we progress forward. This research has shown that normal human walking efficiently uses gravity, momentum and the elastic energy return of the spinal structures caused by counter-rotating shoulder and pelvis.
Although primarily a passive structure, our feet are the body's foundation during standing and walking and are the only parts of our bodies to interact with the ground. Epidemiologists have studied the incidence of both common back problems and common foot problems in both developed and undeveloped societies. They have found a direct relationship between the hard, flat, unforgiving floor or ground surfaces and the increased incidence of common foot and back problems.
Normal human cadence is 90-120 steps per minute. This translates into 5400-7200 steps per walking hour. Each foot, in turn, accepts, transfers then propels the body and weight forward. When the various mechanisms in the foot begin to fail, the effects on the body are predictable. With the loss of functional symmetry, the various muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, etc. involved in posture and locomotion undergo repetitive motion injury caused when one side works too hard while the other words too little. Although these events are individually small, they are magnified by the effects of repetition.
Although many patients with gait abnormalities experience pain in the foot and/or ankle, many more do not. In these patients, the only symptoms of abnormal gait are their postural pains. For example:
Leg: Cramps, shin splits, growing pains, etc.
Knee: Joint pain, ligament strain, etc.
Hip: Joint pain, ligament strain, etc.
Back: Low back pain, SI pain, sciatica disc pain, facet syndrome, muscle spasm, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, etc.
Neck: Disc pain, trigger points, muscle spasm, muscle tension, headache, myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, etc.
Shoulder: Muscle spasm, trigger points, myofascial pain, fibromyalgia, etc.
In the past, problems associated with gait and posture abnormalities have been solved using various techniques including surgery, acupuncture, acupressure, pain relief medicine, etc. However, attempts to solve those problems using one of the aforementioned techniques do not always effect a permanent relief or cure, particularly where the underlying cause of such problems has to do with abnormalities in gait and posture. It has been common practice for podiatrists to prescribe orthotics for the correction of improper foot mechanics, undue pressure in certain regions of the foot or unbalanced pressure between the feet. However, to the best of my knowledge, no one has devised an effective, accurate system or procedure to correct for abnormalities in gait and posture in order to alleviate chronic musculoskeletal pain of the types described. For example, PCT Application WO94/20020 published Sep. 15, 1994 is directed to a method and apparatus for recording characteristics of a person's foot through the utilization of a combination of video images from the underside, front, rear and side of the feet and multiplexing those images to provide a single combined signal which can be analyzed geometrically to ascertain the characteristics of the person's feet.
European Patent EP074231 discloses an apparatus for conducting dynamic podologic studies with the use of cameras and mirror. U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,454 to D. Fuglewicz et al is directed to a continuous foot-strike measuring system and method which broadly suggests the use of video analysis but is concerned more with the use of two force plates in tandem in combination with sensor elements to sense where the force is applied. U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,293 to B. V. Anderson et al discloses a method and apparatus for recording gait analysis in podiatric design and treatment with the use of video and sound recording. U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,436 to J. C. Au is directed to a motion analysis system employing various operating modes through the use of a pair of cameras, strobe light and pressure mat. Other representative patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,894,437 to J. L. Hagy et al, 4,267,728 to M. T. Manley et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,717 to A. Pedotti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,016 to T. L. Boyd et al and German Patent DE4027317. Prior art systems fall short of providing the necessary diagnosis and video analysis of the whole body of each patient to prescribe the proper orthotics or biomechanical correction of gait and posture in order to alleviate chronic pain of the type described and overcome repetitive motion injury resulting from abnormalities in gait and posture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved method and apparatus for alleviating chronic musculoskeletal pain and particularly lower back pain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel and improved apparatus for alleviating pain through the biomechanical correction of gait and posture of an individual; and further wherein such biomechanical correction can be made through the use of orthotics alone or in combination with other measures.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved method and apparatus for biomechanically correcting abnormalities in gait and posture utilizing a highly simplified, accurate method of video analysis which can be coordinated with the measurement of ground reactive and weight-bearing forces on the feet to prescribe orthotics which will biomechanically correct any abnormalities in gait and posture.
In accordance with the present invention, there has been devised a novel and improved apparatus for analyzing abnormal conditions of gait and posture which comprises a walking platform upon which a person can stride, a plurality of video cameras directed at the whole body of the patient including a frontal camera directed substantially horizontally at the patient, a lateral camera directed substantially at one side of the patient, and an overhead camera directed downwardly from above the patient, means for activating the cameras simultaneously to produce images of the patient striding on the platform, and means for recording the images for analysis of abnormal conditions in gait and posture. In addition, mirrors are provided in facing relation to selected of the cameras in order to produce reflected images of the patient including a rear mirror disposed behind the platform and a lateral mirror disposed to one side of the platform.
The method for analyzing abnormal conditions of gait and posture in a patient according to the present invention comprises the steps of providing a walking platform upon which the patient can stride, placing a plurality of video cameras directed at the whole body of the patient including a frontal camera, lateral camera and overhead camera and simultaneously producing images of the patient when striding in place from the front, side and above the patient, and multiplexing the images onto a screen and analyzing a succession of the images over a predetermined time interval. Preferably the method further includes the step of placing mirrors at the rear and side of the walking platform in facing relation to the frontal camera and lateral camera, respectively, and simultaneously producing direct and reflected images of the patient when striding. The method is further characterized by simultaneously producing images of the
Reilly John E.
Richman Glenn E.
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