An exercise apparatus for use in combination with a bed having an end frame, consisting of side by side paddle boards, positioned to horizontally extend from the end frame of the bed, a coil spring interconnects each board with a platen, and adjustable means including a screw-nut assembly and guide rods for horizontally positioning the platen and paddle boards relative to the end frame to accommodate the specific patient and his position in the bed.

A exercise apparatus for measuring performance of the ankle joint and subtalar joint of a user including a first hydraulic rotary actuator cooperatively associated with the ankle joint and having a rotational axis colinear with the pivotal axis of the ankle joint and a second hydraulic rotary actuator cooperatively associated with the subtalar joint and having a rotational axis colinear with the pivotal axis of the subtalar joint. A seat and a plurality of restraints are utilized in order to restrict motion about adjacent joints of a user and to facilitate alignment of the aforementioned axes of the joints of interest with the axes of the two hydraulic rotary actuators utilized by the apparatus.

A compact apparatus automatically forcibly stretches the Achilles' tendon of a person lying in bed without requiring any special exertion by that person. The apparatus includes a pair of pedal plates with which the soles of the feet are placed in contact and a support shaft provided at a predetermined position between the ankle and the heel. The pedal plates are spaced apart by the support shaft to which a driving mechanism is provided for rotating the pedal plates through the support shaft reversibly through a given angle.

A method for regularly and controllably flexing and extending the feet and the legs of a patient who is unable to move their legs and/or feet due to some physical or mental disorder. The oscillating footboard assembly is adjustable and adaptable to the users size. The oscillating footboard assembly is designed to regularly flex and extend (by a controllable amount of excursion and at a controllable frequency) the feet and the legs of a patient who is unable to move their legs and feet due to a physical ailment such as a stroke, coma, or paralysis. If the feet and legs are not regularly flexed and extended, they "freeze" in the extended position and it is extremely difficult and in some instances, impossible to resolve this problem. The frequency and the excursion of the oscillation may be adjustable on the assembly depending upon the needs of the patient. The assembly is easily and comfortably attachable to the patient through the use of booties or other means such as foot straps. The booties or foot straps or other similar and effective devices may be attached to the footboard assembly, and particularly the footboard member of the assembly, using VELCRO.TM. type of fastening material or by any other appropriate fastening means.

A foot dorsiflexion device comprises at least one portable boot, which can be submersed in liquids if desired, worn by a patient, having a baseplate and a footplate affixed at one end to the baseplate. An inflatable bellows is positioned between the baseplate and footplate, such that inflating the bellows moves the footplate relative to the baseplate to effect flexion of the patient's foot. A controller controls the pumping sequence of a pump which can inflate one or more boot devices. In another feature, the controller also receives information as to the patient's leg muscle activity and responds appropriately to stop/re-start the device. Such a feedback mechanism is useful to prevent flexion during an abnormal contraction pattern, such as occurs in muscle spasm or tetany. The device is can be operated remotely and in both automatic and manual modes by the user or operator.