Orthotic device for treating contractures due to immobility

An orthotic device useful for extending the range of angular movement between an individual's head which has been drawn to and involuntarily held in an limited angular range of motion (LROM) position relative to the individual's upper body by contraction of muscle fibers and connective tissue causing immobility of the individual's head, said orthotic device comprising:

• a. a thermal setting, flexible member having first and second regions;
• b. a bend line between said first and second member regions, a bend at said bend line being set by heating, bending and cooling said member at said bend line, said bend line permitting angular movement between the first and second member regions and enabling the setting of a selected angle between said first and second member regions;
• c. means for applying or attaching said first member region to the individual's upper body and said second member region to the individual's head after the individual's head has been moved against contracture forces away from said LROM position to an initial extended range of motion EROM angular position relative to the individual's upper body, said first and second member regions being then set at said initial EROM angular position relative to one another;
• and
• d. spring means associated with the first and second member regions for urging the second member region and the applied or attached individual's head to return to said EROM position in response to the second member region being pulled by the individual's head through muscle fiber contraction and/or the elastic properties of the muscle fibers and connective tissue away from said EROM position and toward said LROM position, thereby causing a cycling movement of the individual's head between said EROM and LROM angular positions and a gradual loosening of the individual's head relative to the individual's upper body and an ultimate extending of the range of motion of the individual's head relative to the individual's upper body at said EROM position without additional external intervention.