| US 7,415,381 B2 | ||
| Joint friction sensing | ||
| Gregory D. Jay, Norfolk, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Rhode Island Hospital, A LifeSpan Partner, Providence, R.I. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 09, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/754,337. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/438849, filed on Jan. 09, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0143415 A1, Jul. 22, 2004 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01C 9/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 702—151 | 11 Claims |
| 1. A method for evaluating the effect of therapeutic intervention on joint mobility of an intact animal joint, the method
comprising:
providing said intact animal joint and associated condyles, wherein said joint has an intact synovium and has not been disarticulated;
introducing an exogenous agent into said joint;
holding a first condyle associated with said joint stationary;
setting a pendulum attached to a second condyle associated with said joint into oscillation, said second condyle oscillating
relative to said first condyle about a pivot axis of said joint;
monitoring angular displacement of said pendulum while oscillating; and
determining from said displacement at least one indicium of momentum decay of said pendulum, wherein the determination, from
said at least one indicium, of a decrease in said momentum decay of said pendulum in said treated joint relative to momentum
decay in a non-treated joint indicates said exogenous agent improves joint mobility.
|