137 results about "Knee flexion" patented technology

Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured postereolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics.

A knee prosthetic including a tibial component defining medial and lateral concavities shaped to receive medial and lateral femoral condyles of the femur. The concavities have first portions for contact with the condyles during normal knee flexion and second portions for contact with the condyles during deep, or high, knee flexion. The medial concavity can include a conforming boundary that encompasses at least the first and second portions, wherein an area inside the conforming boundary has a generally flat surface. The flat surface allows the medial femoral condyle to slide and rotate posteriorly during high knee flexion. The conforming boundary can have a generally triangular shape with an apex extending anteriorly and a relatively wider base extending posteriorly, wherein the apex includes the first portion and the base includes the second portion. The relatively wider base portion advantageously allows additional area for posteriorly directed articulating contact during high knee flexion.

The present invention generally comprises a fixed bearing prosthesis and a mobile bearing prosthesis. The fixed bearing prosthesis comprises a tibial component, a femoral component and a meniscal component and addressees the loss of congruency during deep knee flexion and the possible direct, repetitive contact of the tibial and femoral components. The tibial component of the fixed bearing prosthesis includes a tibial platform having an anterior and posterior edge. The meniscal component of the fixed bearing prosthesis includes a posterior ridge overlapping the posterior edge of the tibial platform that prevents metal-to-metal contact during deep knee flexion. The mobile bearing prosthesis comprises generally a tibial component, a femoral component and a meniscal component addresses the lack of conformity to natural biomechanical movement. The tibial component comprises a tibial platform having a curved rail system designed to mimic the asymmetrical rotation of femoral rollback while simultaneously providing sufficient anterior-posterior translation.

Systems and methods for providing deeper knee flexion capabilities, more physiologic load bearing and improved patellar tracking for knee prosthesis patients. Such systems and methods include (i) adding more articular surface to the antero-proximal posterior condyles of a femoral component, including methods to achieve that result, (ii) modifications to the internal geometry of the femoral component and the associated femoral bone cuts with methods of implantation, (iii) asymmetrical tibial components that have an unique articular surface that allows for deeper knee flexion than has previously been available, (iv) asymmetrical femoral condyles that result in more physiologic loading of the joint and improved patellar tracking and (v) modifying an articulation surface of the tibial component to include an articulation feature whereby the articulation pathway of the femoral component is directed or guided by articulation feature.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for measuring forces in the space of a knee during surgery. Such forces can be caused by tension in the ligaments of the knee. A femoral member is engaged with a distal femur. While the knee is flexed, partially extended, or fully extended, a force sensor and a gauge shim can be placed in the gap between the femoral member and the tibial plateau to measure the forces therebetween. The force sensor provides an accurate and quantifiable measurement of force, making knee replacement surgery and ligament tension balancing more accurate, standardized and repeatable. The force sensor comprises an elongate housing which comprises a thin force sensing distal portion and a proximal handle portion.

A walking assist device having a safety mechanism that mitigates an impact upon falling is provided. A walking assist device has an upper and lower leg links, a motor, and a controller. The controller controls the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link. The walking assist device also has a one-way damper which generates a resisting force against rotation of the lower leg link in the knee bending direction, and does not generate a resisting force against rotation of the lower leg link in the knee straightening direction. The controller engages the one-way damper while controlling the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link in the knee straightening direction, and disengages the one-way damper while controlling the motor to apply torque to the lower leg link in the knee bending direction.

A training device for a gliding sport athlete trains the athlete to have the proper knee bend for gliding sports such as ice skating, inline skating, skiing, etc. The device includes a belt and a pair of foot attachments adapted to be fastened to a front portion of the respective feet or footwear of the athlete. One end of each pair of cords is connected to the belt at a position between the front portion and a respective side portion, and another end connected to one of the foot attachments. Each of the cords has an unstretched length less than a length between the athlete's waist and feet, to apply a force to urge the athlete's knee into a bent position.

An artificial knee joint comprise a femoral component and tibial component. The posterior side of the femoral component comprises medial and lateral condyles, wherein the width and offset of the posteromedial condyle is greater than the width and offset of the posterolateral condyle. At the posterior the tibial bearing component comprises medial and lateral articulating surface geometries, wherein the posterior slope of the lateral articulating geometry is greater than the posterior slope of the medial articulating geometry. The medial articulating surface geometry of the tibial bearing component supports the medial condyle of the femoral component and the lateral articulating surface geometry of the tibial bearing component supports the lateral condyle of the femoral component. The greater slope of the lateral articulating geometry allows the femoral component condyle to roll down to the posterior during knee flexion. This invention of an artificial knee joint for a prosthetic knee implant system facilitates deep knee flexes beyond 130 degrees.

The Automatic Patient Turner is the ultimate in pressure sore prevention by automatically, periodically, and alternately tilting, and then laterally turning an immobile patient from one complete side to the other in a manner similar to, yet gentler and less intrusive than, manual turning. This is accomplished by the patterned, sequential inflation and deflation of six strategically-placed inflatables. When the bent knees (1) are perpendicular and sandwiched between a pair of inflated knee inflatables (6 and 7), they can serve as a lever arm in the turning process. When pressure is exerted against the bent knees (1), it causes them to move well beyond their perpendicular position. They then descend in the direction of the turn as the knee inflatables (6 and 7) deflate. The descending knees laterally pull the entire body of the patient completely to the side of the turn as a back-support pillow (8 or 9) inflates.

A hinge system for a knee brace features a flexion-extension regulating device which is adapted to engage an end portion of the knee brace's upper strut. An elongated main slot is formed through the regulating device to provide a fixed boundary for limiting range of motion. A motion limiting member is connected to the regulating device and is further adapted for connection to an end portion of the knee brace's lower strut. The motion limiting member includes a motion limiter that is disposed within the main slot. The motion limiter is caused to move therealong when the upper and lower struts pivot about a user's knee joint. By confining the motion limiter within the fixed boundary formed by the main slot, the hinge system ensures that the user's knee joint flexes and extends within the prescribed range of motion.