| US 7,431,703 B2 | ||
| Apparatus and method for measuring and monitoring range of motion of the lumbar spine | ||
| Frank J. Salvi, 4363 Damascus Trail, Cottage Grove, Wis. 53527 (US); John G. Webster, 1710 Hoyt St., Madison, Wis. 53726 (US); Gabriel J. Donatell, 2206 Kendall Ave., Apartment B, Madison, Wis. 53726 (US); David W. Meister, 137 Running Farm La., #102, Stanford, Calif. 94305 (US); Jeremy R. O'Brien, 711 N. 16th St., #201, Milwaukee, Wis. 53233 (US); and John S. Thurlow, 905 S. Claremont 3F, Chicago, Ill. 60612 (US) | ||
| Filed on Mar. 12, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/799,334. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/455249, filed on Mar. 15, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0203443 A1, Sep. 15, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 5/117 (2006.01); A61B 5/103 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—594 | 11 Claims |
| 1. An apparatus for monitoring the movement of a patient's spine comprising:
an elongated member adapted to be disposed longitudinally adjacent to the patient's spine and further adapted to be flexible
in the midsagittal plane and substantially inflexible in the frontal plane;
a first sensor mounted to the elongated member and disposed to monitor flexion and extension motion of the patient's spine
in the midsagittal plane, wherein the first sensor includes at least one strain gage; and
a second sensor mounted to the elongated member and disposed to monitor lateral motion of the patient's spine in the frontal
plane, wherein the second sensor is an optical sensor.
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