Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-15
2001-07-31
DeMille, Danton D. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C601S134000, C606S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267737
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to robotic devices, specifically to a robotic system that is used to apply repeated amounts of concentrated pressure to targeted muscles in a patient's body for periods up to approximately ten minutes per treatment site. During a period of treatment muscle tissue near the skin surface is first affected, then layer by layer as the tissue above it softens and lengthens, deeper layers of tissue within the same muscle as well as separate layers of muscle more deeply positioned thereunder are successively affected for the purpose of lengthening even the most deeply positioned layer which may not be readily accessible by other procedures such as massage therapy to allow greater extension and flexibility in joints influenced by the treated muscles, as well as elimination of pain resulting from excess muscle contraction due to such causes as disease, stress, overuse, or injury. Applications can include, but are not limited to, elimination of acute and chronic of pain; treatment of conditions resulting from accidents and other injuries; pre-surgery conditions involving muscle spasm; reduction of stress and tension; improved sports performance; treatment of conditions involving restricted physical movement; postural improvement and correction; and post-surgery recovery, reduction of scar tissue, and restoration of flexibility.
BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Many people experience musculoskeletal pain, the source of which can be related to sports activities, other strenuous physical activity, accidents, poor posture, medical conditions, and other causes. Such pain is routinely treated by a variety of procedures that include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotic medications, thermal devices to raise or lower the temperature of affected tissues, electric stimulation, ultrasound, physical therapy, and muscular massage. However, while use of these treatment procedures can be effective for the temporary relief of adverse symptoms and limited mobility related thereto, such treatments are not usually effective in relieving the cause of the symptoms. Also, the drugs and medications can induce adverse side affects in patients.
As a result, the Department of Energy through Technology Development Cooperatives and Technology Transfer Initiatives has recently sponsored research into new therapy approaches to physical medicine that includes the emerging field of muscular therapy developed by the inventor herein which takes an engineering approach to treating the body by viewing it as a series of cables and filicrums. When a repeated activity is conducted to the extent that it causes excess muscle contraction in a muscle or in a group of muscles layered upon one another, pain or discomfort to one or more regions of the body can result. For example, overuse of the biceps causes a change in the fulcrum for lower arm movement. Attempts to work the triceps hard against a shortened biceps will create pain. Reduction in the amount of excess muscle contraction and resulting reduction in the pain and limited mobility caused thereby is then provided through the use of physics and the repetitive application of concentrated pressure layer by layer to targeted muscles in the region. During muscular therapy treatments, concentrated pressure is applied for extended periods of time not to exceed approximately ten minutes first to affect muscles near the skin surface and then layer by layer during the period of treatment to successively affect more remote portions of the muscle as well as separate muscles more deeply positioned thereunder to eventually lengthen layer upon layer of targeted muscle tissue so that joints influenced by the treated muscles are able to move with less restriction. Relief provided by muscular therapy is often immediate, allowing the quick resumption of activity. Preventative self-treatment with muscular therapy procedures can prevent problems from recurring. Also, with continued muscular therapy muscles have a faster recovery following exercise, greater stamina, more leverage, and increased power and accuracy. Further, it has been demonstrated that people with a skewed center of gravity, both disease related and that due to poor posture, can achieve better balance through muscular therapy. Also, through muscular therapy, athletes have been shown to achieve improved sports performance. In addition, repetitive application of pressure to injured tissue, besides relieving pain and enhancing blood circulation therein, desensitizes it and helps to speed the maturation of scars.
Although not yet widely used, muscular therapy is a developing alternative to the above-mentioned treatment procedures used for relieving musculoskeletal pain, as well as the pain and loss of range of motion associated with myofascial pain syndrome and other soft tissue injures, which if left untreated could lead to disability. Prior to the development and use of the present invention, muscular therapy treatments were performed by the inventor herein manually with his fingers, hands, and elbows, as well as through the use of various hand-held tools. The inventor herein tried tools with treatment ends having a variety of shapes and widths. He found that that tools with broad treatment ends, round ends, and even treatment ends having a flat configuration with a width dimension less than one-half inch, tended to distribute forces instead of concentrate them. The treatment ends of such tools also allowed tendon slippage and were otherwise generally ineffective in applying the type of concentrated pressure needed to optimally lengthen deeply positioned layers of muscle and achieve the increased mobility and pain relief sought by patients. The inventor herein achieved the best manual muscular therapy results through the use of a T-shaped hand-held tool with a beveled treatment edge that could be positioned against targeted muscles at various angles. However, even with such a tool, the amount of force and the angles which were required for successful patient treatment were not easily achievable without injury to the therapist. Further, the inventor herein found that manually performed muscular therapy was physically demanding since in performing certain treatment procedures, such as when he tried to loosen back muscles, he was required to apply one hundred pounds of pressure or more with the tool to reach the most deeply positioned layers of muscle at a treatment site. Consequently, as a work day progressed he would tire, and unless he limited the amount of time he devoted to tissue manipulation his treatments would become non-uniform. For the purpose of overcoming the above-stated disadvantages of manual muscular therapy, as well as to provide a capability for application of pressure with greater frequency and precision, the present robotic invention was developed. Since the application of one hundred pounds of pressure or more is required to lengthen some muscle tissue, features for patient safety were also incorporated into the structural design of the present invention.
Unlike massage therapy which treats the muscle itself superficially, or physical therapy which works to strengthen weak spots, muscular therapy involves the repeated application of concentrated pressure to individually targeted muscles one-at-a-time over an extended period not to exceed approximately ten minutes per treatment site. It first softens and lengthens muscle tissue near to the skin surface and during the treatment period successively affects layers of muscle tissue more deeply positioned thereunder to release from them the build-up of lactic acid and other metabolic by-products resulting from extended duration contraction, such as that occurring as a result of strenuous exercise and spasm. As pressure is applied gradually to a specific point of spasm within a muscle to treat it, the point of spasm sometimes being as small as the size of a small pea, three changes occur. First the muscle tissue lengthens, which is observable under a microscope. Upon such lengthening of muscle, norma
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