Systems and methods for treating or supporting human joints or a portion of the human body

Abstract

Disclosed is a system including a good comprising a sensor in contact with human tissues of a patient and configured to obtain a power dissipation reading of the human tissues. The good also includes a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon a program for execution by a processor. The system also includes a control unit in communication with the good to form an electrical muscular stimulation (EMS) system that uses feedback in a closed loop manner to self tune electrical properties of the output. The control unit is configured to instruct the sensor to (a) apply a sense pulse to the human tissues, (b) measure power dissipation of the sense pulse, (c) adjust a stimulation pulse based on the measured power dissipation, (d) apply the stimulation pulse to the human tissues based on the power dissipation and based on the program in order to maintain constant power output across each pulse, and (e) repeat steps (a)-(d).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a medical appliance comprising:
 at least one sensor configured and arranged to couple to tissue of a patient; and 
 a control unit configured and arranged to form an electrical muscular stimulation (EMS) system that uses feedback from the tissue in a closed loop manner to self-tune electrical properties of output from the at least one sensor to the tissue, 
 the control unit configured and arranged to (a) apply a sense pulse to the tissue using the at least one sensor, (b) measure at least one electrical parameter from the tissue related to power dissipation of the sense pulse in the tissue, (c) adjustably apply a stimulation pulse to the tissue based at least in part on the measured power dissipation, the stimulation being adjustably controlled by the control unit to maintain a constant power output to the tissue based at least in part on the at least one electrical parameter, and (d) repeat steps (a)-(c). 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the medical appliance includes a patient support comprising at least one of a brace, a sleeve, a sling, a garment, a wrap, and a strap. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured and arranged to apply sense or stimulation pulses onto the tissue while the patient is moving. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein control unit is configured and arranged to maintain constant current and provide variable voltage to maintain constant power output of the stimulation pulse. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured and arranged to vary the current and/or voltage of the stimulation pulse to deliver constant power. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon a program for execution by at least one processor. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the stimulation pulse is at least partially controlled by the program when executed by at least one processor to maintain constant power output across each pulse. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the medical appliance comprises an identifier identifying the medical appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory storage medium includes at least one code as the identifier stored therein; and
 wherein the program is based on the identifier.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the program comprises specific waveform treatment protocols for the medical appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein if power dissipation measured or calculated by the control unit following application of the sensing pulse exceeds preset boundaries, the control unit is configured and arranged to end its stimulation sequence prior to discharging the stimulation pulse. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each sense pulse is configured and arranged by the control unit to create or maintain a conductive channel through the human tissue. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a dedicated voltage controlled power supply present for each channel of the at least one sensor; and
 wherein the dedicated voltage controlled power supply is configured and arranged to eliminate time division; and   wherein two or more simultaneous stimulation pulses of different voltages are possible within the same time domain.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , configured and arranged to generate stimulation pulses using optically coupled FETs; and
 wherein the use of optically coupled FETs to generate stimulation pulses enables the system to be used near sensitive medical equipment.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor pair. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor pair includes a receiving electrode; and
 wherein the receiving electrode is configured and arranged to provide a return path for the electrical current from the transmission of the stimulation pulses.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is embedded in, attached to, or removable from the medical appliance. 
     
     
         18 . A control unit for controlling a medical appliance for treating a joint or body part of a patient, the control unit comprising:
 a processor;   a non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:   receiving logic that when executed by the processor receives from at least one sensor in contact with tissues of the patient, at least one electrical parameter related to power dissipation of a pulse with the tissue; and   communication logic that when executed by the processor enables communication with at least one sensor to form an electrical muscular stimulation (EMS) system that uses feedback from the tissue in a closed loop manner to self-tune electrical properties of output from the at least one sensor to the tissue, and enables the control unit to (a) apply a sense pulse to the tissue using the at least one sensor, (b) measure at least one electrical parameter from the tissue related to power dissipation of the sense pulse in the tissue, (c) adjustably apply a stimulation pulse to the tissue based at least in part on the measured power dissipation, the stimulation being adjustably controlled by the control unit to maintain a constant power output to the tissue, and (d) repeat steps (a)-(c).   
     
     
         19 . The control unit of  claim 18 , wherein the communication logic comprises brace communication logic configured for execution by the processor for communicating with the brace, the brace providing support to the patient and comprising at least one of a brace, a sleeve, a sling, a garment, a wrap, and a strap. 
     
     
         20 . The control unit of  claim 18 , wherein the receiving logic comprises identifier receiving logic configured for execution by the processor for receiving, from the control program, an identifier that identifies the brace.