Method and apparatus for post-operative tuning of a spinal implant

A method for post-operative tuning an implant positioned within a patient, said method comprising:

• implanting the implant during an operative procedure;
• after implantation of the implant, post-operatively analyzing motion of the implant implanted within the patient including conducting a post-operative exam of the implant implanted within the patient, wherein the post-operative exam includes a motion analysis on the motion of the implant positioned within the patient;
• determining if any post-operative adjustment regarding the motion of the implant is necessary based upon the motion analysis;
• and
• post-operatively adjusting the implant due to the motion analysis while the implant is positioned within the patient, wherein upon adjusting the implant, the implant provides improved performance;
• wherein the motion analysis is an image-based motion analysis and sensor based motion analysis and includes capturing images of the implanted implant positioned within the patient during the motion of the implant in the patient to observe the implant in operation and during a static condition of the implant in the patient to observe the implant in post-operative operation and includes taking readings from parameter sensors located within the implant or from parameter sensors attached to the patient during the motion analysis;
• wherein at least some of the captured images of the implant positioned within the patient and at least some of the parameter sensor readings are synchronized in time to provide information on when the parameter sensor readings were captured relative to the corresponding captured images of the implant positioned within the patient.