A dual channel neuromuscular stimulator. Pulses developed by a pulse generator are transmitted alternately on both channels to involuntarily contract muscles. The stimulator has variable on/off cycling capability to provide flexibility in meeting the stimulation needs of patients and has output current adjustments and other variable parameter settings to achieve optimum neuromuscular stimulation. To enhance patient comfort, the stimulation output of the stimulator can be slowly "ramped up" to its full stimulation power to allow the increase in stimulation to occur at various rates to accommodate the differing characteristics of different muscle groups. A jack is provided to permit the stimulation to be controlled by an external switch operated by a clinician to coordinate stimulation of various muscle groups with voluntary muscle contraction by the patient. The jack can also be connected to a heel operated switch to stimulate muscle groups to allow certain disabled persons to walk normally. The balanced biphasic output waveform of the stimulator has a zero net DC component to minimize the possibility of skin rash developing from stimulation.
An apparatus for mobilization of a human limb includes a carriage for supporting the limb through a range of angular movement and a carriage drive which provides an interrupted drive force to the carriage in the form of alternating drive and pause periods. A stimulation device applies electrical stimulation to muscles of the limb intermittently and in a predetermined temporal relationship to the drive and pause periods. The apparatus makes possible a dithered or vibratory movement of the limb, rather than continuous motion, and offers a wide range of therapeutic modes.
A muscle stimulator provides an electrical output pulse train which provides functional electrical stimulation (FES) of muscles or muscle groups. The muscle stimulator includes a manually operated amplitude control which provides an amplitude control signal for controlling the amplitude of the output pulse train. During a PROGRAM mode, a clinician manipulates the amplitude control to establish a desired FES regimen. An analog-to-digital converter periodically samples the amplitude control signal during the PROGRAM mode, and data from the analog-to-digital converter is stored. When an EXECUTE mode is selected, the pulse width of the output pulse train is automatically controlled as a function of the stored data to reproduce the desired FES regimen which had been established during the PROGRAM mode.
A system for exercising paralyzed human limbs by functional electrical stimulation. The system utilizes simple analog devices including a reference signal generator, a position sensor and an error signal generator. The error signal is integrated to produce a stimulation driving signal for application to stimulation electrodes mounted on the limb. In the disclosed embodiment the paralyzed person may be seated in an exercise chair. The chair is equipped with a pair of loading assemblies which may be attached to the legs of the person so as to yieldingly resist stimulated movement thereof.
An electrotherapy device which provides neuromuscular and high voltage pulsed galvanic physiological stimulation and includes a common cabling assembly and a common electrode assembly for simultaneously accommodating the neuromuscular and high voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation modes, whereby neuromuscular and pulsed galvanic stimulation may be provided to a patient simultaneously.
An interrogator for remotely interrogating an internal counter of a scoliosis treatment device. An internal counter of the treatment device is incremented for those periods of time in which the treatment level of the device is in excess of a compliance level. The interrogator communicates with the internal counter by means of two serial data lines. On one data line the interrogator generates a clock signal to the internal counter for incrementing the device and on the other data line the interrogator receives a pulse indicating the internal counter has overflowed. By incrementing the internal counter through a full cycle of its maximum count the counter will retain the count present when it is interrogated. Additionally, by counting the number of, clock counts comprising the period from the overflow signal to the end of a full cycle a duplication of the count in the remote internal counter can be stored in the interrogator and subsequently displayed.
