WO1993015657A1

WO1993015657A1 - A videocorrecting system for vertebral scoliosis

Info

Publication number: WO1993015657A1
Application number: PCT/IT1992/000040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carlo Cericola
Original assignee: Carlo Cericola
Priority date: 1992-02-18
Filing date: 1992-04-14
Publication date: 1993-08-19
Also published as: IT1258347B; ITRM920106A1; ITRM920106A0

Abstract

The system according to the present invention comprises a means for showing the position of the spine consisting of a blade (1) with vertebral references (2) provided with holes (3) through which are put into evidence, on the external side of the patient's back, the position of the vertebrae by means of adhesives (4) or reflecting dermographic ink, reflecting in such a way that a revealing unit; consisting of blade (5), with electromagnetic, infrared or any other kind of waves' emitter-revealer (6), finds out the position and sends the information to a computer (7) that will show the deviations and the rhachid's elongation to be rehabilited by means of appropriate exercise, on a monitor (8). The appearance of the force lines shows, together with the direction, the correction tendency or will. The transparent and square back plane of the rehabilitation device allows to find out the height of placing for the push and counter-push arms.

Description

"A_yiDEOCORRECTING_ YSTEM FOR VERTEBRAL SCOLIOSIS"

The present invention concerns a video-correcting, diagnostic and rehabilitating system for vertebral 5 scoliosis, that may provide the patient with the

•V vision of the status and the kynesthatis of its own spine deviated by a scoliosis so as to correct the curvatures zith the repetition of exercises.

10 It is well known that the different positions assumed by the spine depend on the motory memorizations that define the position automatism.

This means that a child assumes a scoliotic position 15 because it has forgotten the correct one.

The return to the normal position is subordinated to a re-memorization of precedent body schemes; The funding out o. the position of one's own rhachis

20' is subordinated to "he possibility of taking vision of the position nd therefore the correction of the defect may not leave out of consideration the possibilities of each person of realizing the kind and the entity of the curvature.

25

It is the aim of the present indention to realize a system that may show each patient the positions assumed as well as the movements that will help to correct the deviations, thus re-establishing

30 the correct body schemes repeating determined correcting physical exercises.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET The aim set forth is reached by means of the system according to the present invention, that provides the patients with the possibilitiy of correcting their own scoliotic deviation seing their defect and following step by step each single position, analyzing it directly with a quick taking conscience of the deformation.

The considerable advantages of the system according to the present invention consist in that:

- it may be applied to cases of paramorphism or scoliotic positions that are the most frequent cases of rhachideal alterations in childhood;

- it prevents worsening and leads in improving of the deviation degree of the curves in structural scoliosis ; it may be applied in antalgic therapy, getting placed between (applied kynesiological) physiotherapy a d the ostheopathic one, that implies the involvement of the whole organism.

The present invention will be described more in detail hereinbelow relating to the enclosed drawings in which some embodiments are shown.

Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the elements com¬ posing the system for revealing the rhachi- deal positio .

Figure 2 shows a scheme view of a revealing unit that

SUBSTITUTESHEET may be eventually portable, for the analysis of the static and dynamic immage of the rhachis

Figure 3 shows an axonometric scheme view of a physi¬ cal therapy device for the realization of the rehabilitation exercises of the facilitating king with asymmetric gymnastics.

Figure 4 shows the detail of the fixing of the revea- ler onto the spine.

The enclosed figures show a video-correcting system for vertebral scoliosis, comprising a transparent flexible blade 1, provided with a plurality of movable references 2, such that each corresponds to one vertebra starting from the sixth or seventh cervica and is provided with a central hole 3 and with lateral holes that show a point on the skin.

In most cases it is suggested to use the central hole .

In a possible variant said transparent blade 1 is provided with a plurality of holes of such dimensions that at least one of them corresponds to one vertebra.

The means for locating the latter consists of an elements that will get inserted into said hole that corresponds to the medium point of the corresponding vertebra. Each hole represents a point on the skin.

SUBSTITUTESHEET According to the present invention said blade will be laid upon the radiographic image • R, taking as a reference the 6th or the 7th cervical vertebra on the top and the intergluteal fold at the bottom or the 5th lumbar vertebra, and said vertebral referen¬ ces will be placed in correspondence of the image of the relative vertebrae.

Said blade 1 will be further placed nead the back D of the patient and through above mentioned holes 3 of the vertebral references 2, the points correspond¬ ing to the vertebrae's position are designed on the skin by means of a dermographic pencil with rflecting ink and/or applying small adhesives 4, also of reflecting material, so as to outwardly show the eventual pathologic curve of the spine.

In those kinds of scoliosis with not remarkable curves, and so as to better underline the convexity, the lateral holes on the side of the convexity are taken into consideration; or in the smallest forms of scoliosis, so as to better underline (or make visible) the curve on the monitor, it is possible - by means of an appropriate electronic adjusting - to accentuate the curve degree of each scoliotic curve, or even it is possible to change colours in the most distant points of the deviation from the theorical reference line.

At the end of the initial phase of the system according

_SUBSTITUTESHEET to the present invention, the following one - as shown in figure 2 - comprises the application to the back D of the patient of a revealing unit, consisting of a blade 5 scattered will small elements 6, placed in rows X and in columns Y on the Cartesian plane, that emit and reveal electromagnetic waves and are able to exploit the reflection phenomenon so as to visualize even the smallest position variations on the frontal plane, up to 0.3 mm.

Now the position of each vertebra is found on the Cartesian plane by the correspondent 6 and by means of the computer 7; the information will be visualized onto portable monitor 8, being of small dimensions and that expresses the statical and dynamical image of the rhachis and eventual accessory functions, like the numeral visualization of the exercises and the eventual print thereof, and the correcting progress in time being visualized as well the the plumb point of the trunk with respect to the pelvis.

The final situation consists in the will of the patient of putting near each point of his own rhachis to above mentioned reference line.

Each valid exercise is acousticaly signalled and counted. The validity consists of a correction X at the beginning and of a situation X + 1 after a determined training, a further situation X + 1 + 1 and so on, until the rhachis has been balanced up,

_SUBSTITUTESHEET The plumb point is determined as follows: in resting position, if two revealers are placed along one horizontal line passing through the pelvis, the crossing of a perpendicular defined by the two extreme revealers of the spine with said horizontal line must determine, in a plumb situation, an angle of about 90° .

Relating to the details of the device shown in figure 3, the following elements are shown:

- an ischiatic resting plane 9 with a central joint 17 consisting of a ball, which makes the pelvis free for performing all movements on the anti-gravi- tating muscles; - a squared back resting plane 15, transparent and horizontally sliding. The squaring is requested for finding the position of the push and counter- push arms on the basis of the radiography placed on the dorsal plane.

The vertical lines are at a very small distance (only mm). The crossing between the vertical line ad¬ jacent to the most lateral vertebra (to the right and to the left: main and counterbalance curve), and the horizontal line passing through said vertebra defines the height of the lateral push arm.

Between the right and the left line, touching the top vertebra, the most lateral one defines the main curve ..

SUBSTITUTESHEET Arms 13 for a lateral push, a right and a left one: the one on the main curve may be blocked so as to act, during the correcting movements, like a fulcrum.

In the case of scliosis without a main curve the two push arms may be both blocked or both left free (a compression mechanism assures the adherence to the back ) .

When the push and counter-push arms are used, the ball is placed backwards with respect to the ischiatic resting point so as to prevent - due to the plane's inclinations - the vertical movements of the spine with respect of the operation height of the arms.

A greater facilitation of the exercises may be obtained applying on one of the two arms - the push or the counter-push arm - electrodes 14 connected to an exciting and moving current generator.

The electric stimulation on each push and counter- push arm is obviously and respectively operated by the right and/or left hand, according to the vision (nearing to the axis and self-elongation) of the rhachis on the monitor.

A line 18 sliding in shape of an arch for lateral flexion movements.

A device for the lower limbs consisting of two legs'

SUBSTITUTE SHEET supports applied to a hydraulic or other mechanism for creating resistance to traction and compression. The device is adjustable in its various parts so as to be suited to patient of different height.

A mechanical right and left stretching device for the upper limbs, that supplies resistance to compressio as well as to distension;

- a unit 7 for the data elaboration, similar to the one already described;

- a monitor 8 withthe following functions: a projection being real or with an underlining of the rhachideal deviations, a visualizing of the values of the deviation from the reference line, a visualizing of the correcting force lines, a visualizing of the number of useful correcting ac¬ tions, underlined also by the acoustic system, and the graphical visualizating of the correcting progress .

The whole device is resting on a circle arch line or on a joint, so as to be able to perform front and back inclination movements.

In some forms of scloliosis the reduction of the load (that may be obtained with the back rotation of the device) allows to obtain a greater possibility of correcting during the exercise. Furthermore,

SUBSTITUTESHEET the possibility of detaching the ischiatic resting plane and to stop the device for the lower limbs gives us the chance of using the device also in standing position.

For what concerns the fixing of the revealer on the spine, as shown in figure 4, said revealer has such a structure as to assure a good adherence to the back during the correcting movements, and compris- es :

- at the bottom, a pelvic belt 23, that fixed the revealer in a point near the lower edge.

Said belt may also be replaced with an elastic slip so as to form one single body together with the vest.

- At the top, a collar 24 on the neck is provided.

- And lateraly, the adherence is assured by an elastic structure having the shape of a vest.

In a variant of the revealing system, above mentioned back resting plane may replace the blade with the movable references, as the latter is also provided with the same.

Furthermore, it is provided with sliding lines for lateral and vertical movements; the alignment takes place as already described.

SUBSTITUTESHEET Therefore, the movements allowed by the device are of traction, rotation and lateral deviation.

The unstable equilibrium if the pelvis causes a continuous working of the anti-gravi ation muscles.

The possibility of inclining the pelvis on all planes allows to vary the position of the spine, reducing or increasing the lumbar lordosis.

The compression on the 'mechanism for the lower limbs by one limb and the traction by the other limb creates a convexity in the last vertebral section towards the traction side.

The movement with the lower limbs allos the ileo- pass to traction the spine and to rotate it to the opposite side and to incline it laterally.

The traction by the upper limbs allows the elongation of the spine .

Beyond these movements, other free movements may be performed putting into action the back muscles.

After a determined training period, the free movements will created in the patient a number of mnemonic and movement schemes, i.e. he will become able to locate a movement unit that will allow him to obtain a re-memorization of automatisms having the purpose of correcting the spine.

SUBSTITUTESHEET These peripherical associations, together with the correction will requested by the exercise, further contribute to the sending of inputs regarding the generators of those so ato-sensorial schemes that are indispensable for reaching a rhachideal balance.

The arch line for the upper limbs allows lateral inclination movements of the rhachis.

The blocked push arm creates movements on a fix poin .

Obviously, according to the development of the scienti¬ fic research, said revealers 6 and said units 15 may be replaced by emitter-receivers with ultra- acoustic waves, with an appropriate visualizer connecte thereto .

In a further variant, instead of the adhesives 4, electromagnetic waves emitter may be applied to the skin, that exploit the reflection phenomenon, so that the revealing unit comprises elements for only receiving so as to be easier and handier, like a telecamera.

So as to allow the patient to find out in which direction he is applying his correcting forces, the monitor will show horizontal arrows 16 in corre- . spondence with the apex of the curves (the most distant points from the reference line) with a centri-

SUBSTITUTE SHEET petal or centrifugal direction according to approaching or distancing from the central line.

In a similar way it will occur for the self-elongation function, wherein the arrow is vertical (showing to the top during elongation of the spine, and to the bottom during release of the same.

In that case in which the position is static, the monitor will show the last direction of the arrow until a new correction tendency is chosen, or also by an appropriate adjusting, for a determined time period of seconds (5, 10 etc.) , according to the correc¬ ting, contracting period requested.

Therefore, concluding, the direction of these vectors will show, on the monitor, the same patient its own correcting will, which is a fundamental and indiespensable base element for the development of a quick re-memorization of the rhachideal position.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims

1. A video-correcting system for vertebral sco¬ liosis, of the kind that will provide the patient with a vision of the status and the kynestatis of his own spine that has suffered a deviation from scoliosis so as to correct the deviation by repeating the exercises, characterized in:

- a diagnostic means consisting of a transparent blade (1) , with movable elements (2), provided with central holes (3) and lateral holes that may be laid upon the radiographic image R for locating the position of the vertebrae by means of the movements of said movable elements (2) and that may be applied to the back of the patient for transferring, through said holes (3), the indication of the position of the vertebrae by means of dermographic ink or adhesives

- a rehabilitation means comprising a revealing unit consisting of a blade (5), carrying on all her surface the emitter-revealers of waves (6) like electromagnetic or infrared frequencies ones, that are however able to find out, by means of reflection, the variations of said adhesives (4) or ink spots, and to transmit the information to computer (7) which will visualize on monitor (8) the statical and dynamical image of the rhachis, as weel as some accessorial functions like the numerical visualizing of the exercises, the graphical trend of the relation with time, the determination of the vertebral plumb line.

SUB8TTTUTESHEET

2. A video-correcting system according to claim 1, characterized in that said monitor (8) reproduces the rhachid's position comparing it with a theorical optimal line, so that each correction performed by the patient will be signalled acousticaly and counted until the rhachidal re-balancing is been completele obtained and the correcting force lines ap¬ pear.

3. A video-correcting system according to the pre¬ cedent claims, characterized in that the rehabilitation means of the spine consistis of a device comprising:

- a sliding arch line (18) for the lateral flexion movements ; - a mechanical stretcher (12) with springs (19) and (20) , right and left for the upper limbs, that creates resistance to compression as well as to stretching ;

- a device fr lower limbs consisting in two supports (11) for the legs applied to a hydraulic or other mechanism (10) , that will create resistance to traction and compression; the device will be adjustable in its differetent parts so that it can be used by patients of different height; - a back resting plane;

- a data elaborating unit (7) ;

- a monitor having the following functions: a projection being real or with an underlining of the rhachideal deviations, a visualizing of the values of the deviation from the reference line, a visualizing of the correcting force lines,

SUBSTITUTESHEET a visualizing of the number of useful correcting ac¬ tions, underlined also by the acoustic system, the graphical visualization of the correcting pro¬ gress , and the visualization of the plumb point.

4. A video—correcting system according to claim

1, characterized in the presence of emitter-revealers at ultra-acoustic waves.

5. A video-correcting system according to claim 1, characterized in the placing of the back's skin of the patient, instead of adhesives (4), electromagne¬ tic waves or ultra-acoustic waves emitters, or those of the magnetic or electromagnetic kind.

6. A video-correcting system according to claims 1 and 5, characterized in that the revealing means consists of a telecamera that shows the position of the electromagnetic, ultra-acoustic or magnetic emitters .

.BSTTTUT*SHEET