Robotic knee testing device, subjective patient input device and methods for using same

An apparatus for evaluating leg movement characteristics of a patient, said patient having a torso, and also having a first and a second leg extending from said torso, each leg including a femur, patella, tibia, and a foot distal relative to said tibia and pivotably attached at an ankle joint relative to said tibia, said apparatus comprising:

• A) a base assembly configured to at least partially support said torso;
• and
• B) first and second leg support assemblies each independently pivotably mounted about a pivot axis relative to said base assembly, each leg support assembly configured to at least partially support a portion of a respective one of said first and second legs, said support being independent of said support of said torso, each of said leg support assemblies including:
• 1) a first leg support member comprising a foot rotation assembly rotating about an axis of rotation, said foot rotation assembly configured to at least partially retain and support a portion of an associated foot of said patient and to cooperate with said leg support member so as to rotate said foot portion relative to said base assembly, said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly lying in a plane substantially parallel to said pivot axis of said leg support assembly, and said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly being distally spaced from the entirety of said foot and in a more distal position than the entirety of said foot, the entirety of said foot being positioned intermediate said pivot axis of said leg support assembly and said plane of said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly;
• and
• 2) a second leg support member configured for supporting a portion of said leg at a location proximal relative to said first leg support member during said rotation of said foot,
• each said foot rotation assembly configured to rotate said associated foot about said axis of rotation such that an associated leg movement is provided and can be measured.

A method for evaluating leg movement characteristics of a patient, said patient having a torso, and also having a first and a second leg extending from said torso, each leg including a femur, patella, tibia, and a foot distal relative to said tibia and pivotably attached at an ankle joint relative to said tibia, said method comprising the steps of:

• A) providing an apparatus comprising:
• 1) a base assembly configured to at least partially support said torso;
• and
• 2) first and second leg support assemblies each independently pivotably mounted about a pivot axis relative to said base assembly, each leg support assembly configured to at least partially support a portion of a respective one of said first and second legs, said support being independent of said support of said torso, each of said leg support assemblies including:
• a) a first leg support member including a foot rotation assembly rotating about an axis of rotation, said foot rotation assembly configured to at least partially retain and support a portion of an associated foot of said patient and to cooperate with said leg support member so as to rotate said foot about an axis of rotation relative to said base assembly, said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly lying in a plane substantially parallel to said pivot axis of said leg support assembly, and said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly being distally spaced from the entirety of said foot and in a more distal position than the entirety of said foot, the entirety of said foot being positioned intermediate said pivot axis of said leg support assembly and said plane of said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly;
• and
• b) a second leg support member configured for supporting a portion of said leg at a location proximal relative to said first leg support member during said rotation of said foot;
• and
• B) placing a patient in said device, rotating said associated foot about said axis of rotation such that said associated leg movement is provided, and measuring said movement.

A method for evaluating leg movement characteristics of a patient, said patient having a torso, and also having a first leg extending from said torso, said leg including a femur, patella, tibia, and a foot distal relative to said tibia and pivotably attached at an ankle joint relative to said tibia, said method comprising the steps of:

• A) providing an apparatus comprising:
• 1) a base assembly configured to at least partially support said torso;
• and
• 2) a leg support assembly independently pivotably mounted about a pivot axis relative to said base assembly, said leg support assembly configured to at least partially support a portion of said leg, said support being independent of said support of said torso, said leg support assembly including:
• a) a first leg support member comprising a foot rotation assembly rotating about an axis of rotation, said foot rotation assembly configured to at least partially retain and support a portion of said foot of said patient and to cooperate within said leg support member so as to rotate said foot portion relative to said base assembly, said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly lying in a plane substantially parallel to said pivot axis of said leg support assembly, and said axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly being distally spaced from the entirety of said foot and in a more distal position than the entirety of said foot, the entirety of said foot being positioned intermediate said pivot axis of said leg support assembly and said axis of rotation of said plane of said foot rotation assembly;
• and
• b) a second leg support member configured for supporting a portion of said leg at a location proximal relative to said first leg support member during said rotation of said foot, and
• B) placing a patient in said device, rotating said associated foot about said axis of rotation such that said associated leg movement is provided, and measuring said movement.

An apparatus for evaluating leg movement characteristics of a patient, said patient having a torso, and also having a first leg extending from said torso, said leg including a femur, patella, tibia, and a foot distal relative to said tibia and pivotably attached at an ankle joint relative to said tibia, said apparatus comprising:

• A) a base assembly;
• and
• B) a leg support assembly mounted relative to said base assembly, said leg support assembly configured to at least partially support a portion of said leg, said leg support assembly including:
• 1) a leg support member including a foot rotation assembly rotates about a foot axis of rotation, said foot rotation assembly configured to at least partially retain and support a portion of said foot of said patient and to cooperate within said leg support member so as to rotate said foot about a foot axis of rotation relative to said base assembly, said foot axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly configured to provide internal and external rotation of said foot;
• and
• 2) a tibia positioning assembly portion including a tibia axis of rotation, said tibia axis of rotation being distally spaced from the entirety of said foot in a more distal position than the entirety of said foot, said tibia positioning assembly portion configured to contact the lower leg portion of said associated leg at a location generally proximate said tibia and also configured to urge said lower leg portion about said tibia axis of rotation relative to said base assembly such that anterior/posterior type translation of the tibia is provided,
• said pivoting of said foot rotation assembly about said foot axis of rotation being independent relative to said pivoting of said tibia positioning assembly portion about said tibia axis of rotation, in that one may pivot while the other may not.

An apparatus for evaluating leg movement characteristics of a patient, said patient having a torso, and also having a first leg extending from said torso, said leg including a femur, patella, tibia, and a foot distal relative to said tibia and pivotably attached at an ankle joint relative to said tibia, said apparatus comprising:

• A) a base assembly configured to at least partially support said torso;
• and
• B) a leg support assembly independently pivotably mounted about a pivot axis relative to said base assembly, said leg support assembly configured to at least partially support a portion of said leg, said support being independent of said support of said torso, said leg support assembly including:
• 1) a first leg support member including a foot rotation assembly rotating about a foot axis of rotation, said foot rotation assembly configured to at least partially retain and support a portion of said foot of said patient and to cooperate with said leg support member so as to rotate said foot about an axis of rotation relative to said base assembly;
• 2) a second leg support member configured for supporting a portion of said associated leg at a location proximal relative to said first leg support member during said rotation of said foot;
• and
• 3) a tibia positioning assembly portion including a tibia axis of rotation and configured to contact the lower leg portion of said associated leg at a location generally proximate said tibia and intermediate that of said first and second leg support members and also configured to urge said lower leg portion about said tibia axis of rotation relative to said base assembly, said tibia axis of rotation of said tibia positioning assembly portion being distally spaced from said the entirety of foot and in a more distal position than the entirety of said foot, the entirety of said foot being positioned intermediate said pivot axis of said leg support assembly and said plane of said foot rotation assembly,
• said foot axis of rotation of said foot rotation assembly lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to said tibia axis of rotation of said tibia positioning assembly portion, and
• said pivoting of said foot rotation assembly about said foot axis of rotation being independent relative to said pivoting of said tibia positioning assembly portion about said tibia axis of rotation, in that one may pivot while the other may not.