Apparatus and method for monitoring rehabilitation from surgery

Apparatus for monitoring a patient, comprising:

• a first motion sensor adapted to be attached to a patient's limb distally of a joint;
• a first temperature sensor adapted to be attached to the patient's limb in proximity to a surgical site;
• a second motion sensor adapted to be attached to the patient's limb proximately of the joint;
• a second temperature sensor adapted to be attached to the patient's limb proximate the joint and the spaced from the first temperature sensor;
• wherein the first and second motion sensors are configured for generating limb orientation data and transmitting the limb orientation data to a microprocessor that includes memory to store the limb orientation data and execute instructions thereupon, and to thereby generate a vector representation of the orientation of the patient's limb distal of the joint and the patient's limb proximate of the joint over time and to thereby count the number of flexions of the joint;
• wherein the first and second temperature sensors are configured for generating temperature data and transmitting the temperature data to the microprocessor for comparison of the temperature data from the first temperature sensor with the temperature data from the second temperature sensor and thereby determine the difference in temperature data between the first and second temperature sensors;
• a patient-assigned computer in communication with the microprocessor to transmit patient-input data to the microprocessor;
• wherein, the microprocessor generates at least one score from the limb orientation data, temperature data or patient-input data.

A method of monitoring a patient's recovery from surgery on a limb, comprising the steps of:

• a. attaching a first motion sensor adapted to a patient's limb distally of a joint;
• b. attaching a first temperature sensor to the patient's limb in proximity to a surgical site;
• c. attaching a second motion sensor to the patient's limb proximately of the joint;
• d. attaching a second temperature sensor to the patient's limb proximate the joint and the spaced from the first temperature sensor;
• e. attaching a stretch sensor to the patient's limb proximate the joint;
• f. from the first and second motion sensors, generating limb orientation data and transmitting the limb orientation data to a microprocessor that includes memory to store the limb orientation data and execute instructions thereupon, and to thereby generate a representation of the orientation of the patient's limb distal of the joint and the patient's limb proximate of the joint over time and to thereby count the number of flexions of the joint;
• g. from the first and second temperature sensors, generating temperature data and transmitting the temperature data to the microprocessor and comparing the temperature data from the first temperature sensor with the temperature data from the second temperature sensor and thereby determine the difference in temperature data between the first and second temperature sensors to thereby generate a temperature score;
• h. from the stretch sensor, generating limb girth data limb and transmitting the limb girth data to the microprocessor to thereby generate a swelling score representation of the girth of the patient's limb;
• and
• i. assigning to the patient a computer and prompting the patient to input into the computer pain data, and transmitting the pain data to the microprocessor to generate a pain score;
• j. from pain score, temperature score and swelling score, calculating a wellness score indicative of the patient's condition.