4250 results about "Ankle" patented technology

A combination of sensors, including solid-state gyros and force-sensitive resistors, are mounted in an insole suitable for insertion into a shoe. Data from the sensors is recorded by an in situ Programmable Interface Controller (PIC), logged into on-board EEPROM/Flash memory and relayed to a base station computer via a miniature telemetry transmitter triggered by RFID tagging. Software then uses this data to compute the cadence and ankle power of the subject, as well as other parameters, in order to analyze and assess the gait and activity of the subject.

The present invention pertains to an orthopedic support having a flexible inner member and an exo-skeleton that is molded directly onto the flexible inner member. In one particular embodiment, a versatile, multi-medium orthopedic ankle support assembly has an inner fabric support for extending at least partially around an injured part of the anatomy and for providing basic support for the injury. A plastic exo-support is injection molded into said fabric support and supplies supplemental support for resisting motion of the injured part in undesired directions. The fabric support has a main body portion for extending at least part way around the injured part of the anatomy and has edges to be secured together after the fabric support is fitted to the injured part. The invention is not limited to ankle braces, of course, as the general principle of molding an exo-skeleton onto a flexible inner member may be used in conjunction with numerous different supports. An efficient method for constructing an orthopedic support includes the steps of first placing a sheet of flexible material across a mold, cutting the sheet, injection molding the exo-structure onto the sheet material in the mold, and securing the sheet into an orthopedic support.

Methods and devices for deploying biological implants are disclosed. The biological implants can include orthopedic, multi-component ankle implants. The target site can be prepared by fixing a rigid, alignable guide or jig with saw holes to the bone(s). Saws configured to fit through the saw holes can then be inserted through the saw holes to cut the bone(s). The jig can then be removed. Slidable implants can be positioned. Implants needing to be forced into place can be attached to elongated members to gently hold the implant and to provide a non-implant surface on which to apply the force.

A friendship band with exchangeable closed loop members is disclosed. The friendship band may be configured to be worn as a wrist bracelet, ankle bracelet, and a necklace. The friendship wrist bracelet includes a wristband formed of stretchable material and having releasable closure means members for opening and closing the wristband. A plurality of closed loop members are slidably removable from the wristband for exchanging with the closed loop members of other ones of the wristbands. Each of the plurality of closed loop members having first indicia thereon for exchanging with the closed loop members of other ones of the wristbands having second, third and fourth indicia thereon.

A monitoring device (20) for monitoring the vital signs of a user is disclosed herein. The monitoring device (20) is preferably an article (25) having an optical sensor (30) and a circuitry assembly (35). The monitoring device (20) preferably provides for the display of the following information about the user: pulse rate; blood oxygenation levels; calories expended by the user of a pre-set time period; target zones of activity; time; distance traveled; and/or dynamic blood pressure. The article (25) is preferably a band worn on a user's wrist, arm or ankle.

A minimally-thick orthopedic prosthesis is described which closely matches the end of a bone of a joint after that bone end has been minimally reshaped and resurfaced by an orbital or lineally oscillating orthopedic resurfacing tool in the minimally invasive orthopedic surgical repair or reconstruction of hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other joints. The original ligament tensions and the varus and valgus alignments of the joint are preserved and the marrow cavities of bones are not invaded avoiding the dangers of blood clots, heart attacks, and other complications.

System and method for adjusting the angle of a prosthetic ankle are disclosed. In one example, the system, such as an actuated prosthetic ankle joint, detects the surface angle and actively adjusts the members of the ankle to a preferred angle according to the respective slope of the incline/decline.

A hinged ankle brace having a semi-rigid ankle cuff and a semi-rigid foot bed rotatably connected by a medial hinge and a lateral hinge provides enhanced stability and support to a wearer's ankle. The medial hinge of the ankle brace may be higher than the lateral hinge to accurately replicate the bending motion of an ankle. The ankle brace also includes ratchetably interconnected semi-rigid straps. These semi-rigid straps provide a semi-rigid structure encircling the ankle of a wearer for enhanced support. The ratchet mechanism may include a curved window that enables angular adjustment of the ratchting straps. The ankle brace may also include a soft inner liner and a soft outer sleeve. The outer sleeve is configured to provide compression to the semi-rigid shell, which in turn provides additional compression to the ankle. The semi-rigid foot bed may include posterior extensions that cup and support the wearer's heel, and a posterior cut-out portion that receives the wearer's heel.

The present invention provides an implantable joint prosthesis configured to replace a natural joint, and methods for implantation. The prosthesis may include a first component implantable in a first bone, having a first bearing surface, and a second component implantable in a second bone, having a second bearing surface which corresponds to the first bearing surface. Each bearing surface may include a flattened section such that when the bearing surfaces are placed in cooperation with one another in a preferred orientation, the flattened sections are aligned. Alternatively, the bearing surfaces may have and asymmetric configuration, with non-congruent surfaces that may enable correction of deformity. Several types of implantable joint prostheses are disclosed, including: carpometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, metatarsophalangeal, distal interphalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, ankle, knee, shoulder, and hip.

A radio frequency patient identification and information system includes a transponder which may be incorporated in a device which may be strapped to a patient's wrist or ankle, or hung around the patient's neck by a cord, carried as a card or label in the patient's purse or wallet, or embedded under the patient's skin. The transponder, in the form of an RFID tag, operates at a frequency standardized for this application, has a read/write memory of about at least two thousand bits-an amount sufficient to store information related to the patient's complete identification, such as home address, work address, next of kin, the patient's current primary care physicians, important contact telephone numbers, insurance information, complete medical history, all known allergies, and past and presently-prescribed medicines. The tag may be equipped with a transmission enable switch to prevent unauthorized access to the patient's medical history and other potentially sensitive information. An interrogator/reader/writer device is provided at each emergency health care facility and at the office of each health care provider.

The invention discloses a wearable lower limb exoskeleton device, which comprises a waist supporting frame, a waist object carrier, an adjustable hip mechanism, a connecting rod adjustable knee joint mechanism, a connecting rod adjustable ankle joint mechanism, pressure detection shoes, a leg connecting rod, a constraint part and various connecting pieces. Both lower limbs have twelve rotational freedoms, the single lower limb has six degrees of freedom respectively, a hip has two degrees of freedom which finish bending and stretching as well as adduction and abduction movements of a hip joint, two joint axes always intersects at the center of the hip joint of a human body through the adjustment of the hip mechanism, and a knee joint has one degree of freedom which is coaxial with the knee joint of the human body and corresponds to the bending and stretching movement of the knee joint of the human body; and an ankle joint has three degrees of freedom. The device has good consistency of the movement of the hip joint and the movement of the human body during the walking of people; human-machine knee joints have small coaxality and position deviation; and the ankle joint has a compact structure. The device can be used for strengthening the abilities of walking with load and walking for a long time of wearers and detecting walking information of the wearers, and can also be used for helping people with slight obstacle of lower limb movement to normally walk and gradually rehabilitate.

In a total knee replacement (TKR), the use of a cushion element provides better wear characteristics than polyethylene (“poly”) alone. Since a metal-on-metal, metal-on-ceramic, or ceramic-on-ceramic articulating surface has better wear characteristics than metal on poly, the invention essentially provides cushioning for metal/ceramic-on-metal/ceramic joint replacements. It also allows the use of elastomers for their cushioning properties rather than their surface wear and tensile strength characteristics. The contained compressible elements could also be used as a cushion below polyethylene components, polyethylene over metal components, unicondylar knee replacements, patellar components, and prosthetic components for other parts of the body, including the hip, elbow, shoulder, wrist, and ankle.

A rehabilitation system that combines robotics and interactive gaming to facilitate performance of task-specific, repetitive exercise to enable individuals undergoing rehabilitation to improve the performance of coordinated movements of the ankle, and to practice balance activities, is disclosed. More specifically, the rehabilitation system includes at least one two degree-of-freedom robotic, haptic interface for a mammalian foot and interactive gaming hardware that is coupled to a controller, to provide a virtual reality-like environment.