Hand Therapy Tools with Segmented Putty Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hand therapy exercise tools and techniques are limited in effectively addressing the rehabilitation needs of patients with conditions like distal radius fractures, particularly in improving radial/ulnar deviation and fine motor skills, with inadequate resistance and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A set of hand therapy exercise tools designed for use with graded-resistant therapeutic putty, providing varying resistance levels and shapes to simulate functional activities, allowing patients to progress through exercises by adjusting putty thickness and exercise speed, thereby enhancing motor skills and functional recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional hand therapy exercise tools are used, then the structure is simple, but the functionality and effectiveness for improving radial/ulnar deviation and fine motor skills are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The therapy tool is designed with multiple functional portions (first, second, and third portions) that can perform different therapeutic functions. Each portion has specific shapes and configurations for different exercises, allowing a single tool to address multiple rehabilitation needs including radial/ulnar deviation and fine motor skills, thereby improving versatility without requiring multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is divided into distinct portions (first, second, third portions) with different shapes and configurations. Each portion can be used for specific exercises targeting different hand functions. This segmentation allows the tool to provide targeted therapy for various conditions while maintaining a unified structure that can be manufactured as a single device
2Force
If therapeutic putty with higher resistance is used, then the resistance to movement increases, but the difficulty of movement also increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the tool have different shapes and configurations optimized for specific exercises. The first portion may be optimized for radial/ulnar deviation exercises, while the second and third portions are optimized for different fine motor skill exercises. This allows each portion to interact with the putty in a way that maximizes therapeutic benefit while maintaining appropriate ease of movement for the specific exercise being performed
Solution Approach 2:
The tool allows for dynamic adjustment of exercise parameters including putty thickness and exercise speed. The system is designed to accommodate varying resistance levels by adjusting these parameters, enabling patients to progress from lower to higher resistance exercises as they improve, thereby maintaining ease of operation while increasing resistance over time
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-functional group of hand/forearm exercise tools wherein each tool permits the user to strengthen one or more muscles associated with the hand/forearm of the user, and/or to increase radial and ulnar deviation and forearm pronation and supination, or permits the user to mimic a functional task, such as turning a door knob, opening a bottle cap, inserting and turning a key, turning and tightening a nut, and turning and tightening a bolt.