Shoulder orthosis

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in a first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about an axis extending through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through a shoulder of the patient, said step of rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis includes moving the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis to a first position, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to a maximum extent compatible with comfort of the patient during rotation of the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis, maintaining the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first position for a first period of time to allow the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to at least partially relax, thereafter, again rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about the axis extending through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through the shoulder of the patient, said step of again rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient includes rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient to a second position, stretching the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to a maximum extent compatible with comfort of the patient during rotation of the lower portion of the arm of the patient to the second position, and maintaining the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the second position for a second period of time to allow the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to at least partially relax.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis With an arm of the patient, said step of connecting the orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting a base section of the orthosis with a trunk of the patient's body, connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient with the upper arm section of the orthosis pivotal relative to the base section of the orthosis about an axis which is disposed beneath an axilla between the trunk and the upper portion of the arm of the patient and extends perpendicular to a longitudinal central axis of the upper arm section of the orthosis, pivoting the upper arm section of the orthosis about the axis which is disposed beneath the axilla between the trunk and upper portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of he patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting a base section of the orthosis with a trunk of the patient's body, connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient with a first cuff, and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient with a second cuff, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction to a first position relative to the shoulder of the patient includes rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis and the second cuff in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis and the first cuff about an axis which extends along the upper arm section of the orthosis, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting a base section of the orthosis with a trunk of the patient's body, connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient, and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis includes transmitting force from the patient to the orthosis and moving the lower arm section of the orthosis relative, to the upper arm section of the orthosis under the influence of the force transmitted from the patient to the orthosis, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the.first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising.the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis includes rotating a gear connected with the lower arm section of the orthosis about an axis which extends along the upper arm section of the orthosis to move the lower arm section of the orthosis relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient, and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position includes rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about an axis which extends through opposite ends of the humerus bone and through the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in a first direction to a first position includes rotating a first gear connected with the lower arm section of the orthosis in a first direction under the influence of force transmitted from a second gear to the first gear, said step of rotating the first gear includes rotating the first gear about an axis which extends along the upper arm section of the orthosis and through the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, said step of maintaining the humerus bone in the first position includes transmitting force between the first and second gears to resist rotation of the first gear and the lower arm section of the orthosis, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient with a first cuff, and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient with a second cuff, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient includes rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis and the second cuff in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis and the first cuff about an axis which extends along the upper arm section of the orthosis and through the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction to the first position includes rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis with a palm of a hand connected with the arm of the patient facing in the first direction, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating the orthosis to rotate a humerus bone in the arm of the patient in a first direction to a first position relative to a shoulder of the patient, said step of operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction to the first position includes rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis with a palm of a hand connected with the arm of the patient facing in the second direction which is opposite to the first direction, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient to the first position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a first period of time, maintaining the humerus bone in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone in the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the humerus bone in the arm of the patient during operation of the orthosis to rotate the humerus bone to the second position relative to the shoulder of the patient, interrupting operation of the orthosis for a second period of time, and maintaining the humerus bone in the second position for the second period of time.

A method of effecting movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting a base section of an orthosis with a trunk of the patient's body, operating a first drive assembly to move an upper arm section of the orthosis and a lower arm section of the orthosis relative to the base section of the orthosis about an axis which extends beneath an axilla between the trunk of the patient's body and an upper portion of an arm of the patient, connecting the upper arm section of the orthosis with the upper portion of the arm of the patient, connecting the lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, operating a second drive assembly to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient about a second axis which extends through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through a shoulder of the patient, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with a bone in the upper portion of the arm of the patient during operation of the second drive assembly to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient in a first direction about the second axis to a first position, interrupting operation of the second drive assembly for a first period of time, maintaining the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first position for the first period of time, thereafter, operating the second drive assembly to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to a second position, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the bone in the upper portion of the arm of the patient during operation of the second drive assembly to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first direction from the first position to the second position.

A method of effecting relative movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with the arm of the patient includes connecting a base section of the orthosis with a trunk of the patient's body, connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, pivoting the upper and lower arm sections of the orthosis relative to the base section of the orthosis about an axis which is disposed beneath an axilla between the trunk and the upper portion of the arm of the patient, rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in a first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about an axis extending through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through a shoulder of the patient, said step of rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis includes moving the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis to a first position, stretching viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to a maximum extent compatible with comfort of the patient during rotation of the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis, maintaining the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the first position for a first period of time to allow the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to at least partially relax, thereafter, again rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient and the lower arm section of the orthosis in the first direction relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about the axis extending through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through the shoulder of the patient, said step of again rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient includes rotating the lower portion of the arm of the patient to a second position, stretching the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to a maximum extent compatible with comfort of the patient during rotation of the lower portion of the arm of the patient to the second position, and maintaining the lower portion of the arm of the patient in the second position for a second period of time to allow the viscoelastic tissue connected with the arm of the patient to at least partially relax.

A method of effecting movement between bones in a patient's body, said method comprising the steps of connecting an orthosis with an arm of a patient, said step of connecting an orthosis with an arm of the patient includes connecting an upper arm section of the orthosis with an upper portion of the arm of the patient and connecting a lower arm section of the orthosis with a lower portion of the arm of the patient, and rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis about a first axis which extends through opposite ends of the upper portion of the arm of the patient and through a shoulder of the patient, said step of rotating the lower arm section of the orthosis and the lower portion of the arm of the patient about the first axis includes rotating a first gear about a second axis which extends along a central axis of the upper arm section of the orthosis and is offset from the first axis, and rotating a second gear which is connected with the lower arm section of the orthosis and is disposed in meshing engagement with the first gear about he first axis under the influence of force transmitted from the first gear to the second gear, a portion of the arm of the patient is disposed in an opening in the second gear during at least a portion of the rotation of the second gear about the second axis.