Method and Apparatus for Monitoring Compliance with Physical Therapy Regimes

Abstract

A system for monitoring use of knee joint flexibility rehabilitation apparatus comprises a knee joint flexibility rehabilitation apparatus, a sensor and a monitor configured to receive and display a signal from the sensor

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A system for knee flexion support, the system comprising:
 a knee support bar;   a plurality of pads configured to removably mount to the knee support bar, each pad having an outer diameter different from that of another of said plurality of pads, the plurality of pads comprising a first pad configured to mount directly to the knee support bar and a second pad configured to nestably mount to the first pad, or comprising a first pad and a second pad each configured to mount directly to the knee support bar; and   a sensor disposed and configured so as to sense placement of a knee joint on the support bar and generate a signal indicating such placement.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of pads is configured to allow a different range of motion for a knee joint. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of pads comprises a color perceptibly different from that of another of said plurality of pads. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of pads comprises a range-of-motion marking indicating the approximate range of knee joint motion allowed by said pad. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the knee support bar is substantially rigid and substantially straight. 
     
     
         12 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of pads comprises a number of pads in a range of two to twenty pads. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of pads comprises a number of pads in a range of two to twelve pads. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of pads comprises four pads. 
     
     
         21 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A system for knee flexion support, the system comprising:
 a plurality of knee support bars, each knee support bar having an outer diameter different from that of another of said plurality of knee support bars;   a plurality of pads, each pad being configured to mount to at least one of said plurality of knee support bars; and   a sensor disposed and configured so as to sense placement of a knee joint on the support bar and generate a signal indicating such placement.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  further comprising a knee joint flexibility rehabilitation apparatus comprising:
 a tubular strut having a first support foot and a bracket attached thereto, the tubular strut forming a first aperture; 
 a height-adjustment bar translatably and rotatably disposed in the tubular strut, the height-adjustment bar forming a plurality of second apertures extending through the diameter of the height-adjustment bar; 
 a support strut pivotably connected to the bracket, the support strut having a second support foot attached thereto, the support strut pivotable away from parallel the tubular strut to form an acute angle thereto; and 
 a pin removably disposed in one of the plurality of second apertures to fix the height-adjustment bar against translation in one direction; 
 each knee support bar being configured for removable mounting to the height-adjustment bar. 
 
     
     
         45 . A system for monitoring use of knee joint flexibility rehabilitation apparatus, the system comprising:
 the apparatus of  claim 6  or  43 ; and   a monitor configured to receive a signal from the sensor and display a representation of the signal on a screen.   
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , the monitor being configured to wirelessly receive the signal over a communications network. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , the monitor comprising a smartphone having an application configured to receive the signal and display the representation of the signal on a screen. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , further comprising a server in communication with the sensor and the monitor via a communication network. 
     
     
         49 - 58 . (canceled)