Patent ID: 11896538
Assignee: ERMI LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 6:
7. A method of therapeutic treatment of a knee comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a therapeutic device for use on a length of a leg of a user, the therapeutic device having:
(i) a proximal framework portion configured for directly or indirectly supporting the upper leg portion, said proximal framework portion including a leg facing portion configured to be directed towards and generally facing said upper leg portion;
(ii) a distal framework portion configured for operatively engaging the lower leg portion, said distal framework portion including a leg facing portion configured to be directed towards and generally facing said lower leg portion, the distal framework portion including a first and proximate said knee and a second end more distal to said knee than the first end;
(iii) one or more distal framework engaging members operatively coupled to the distal framework portion, said one or more distal framework engaging members configured for operatively engaging the distal framework portion with the lower leg portion;
(iv) at least one operative connection intermediate to and operatively connecting said proximal and distal framework portions, said at least one operative connection configured to facilitate manipulation of said proximal and distal framework portions in device flexion when said device is engaging said leg and when said leg is in flexion; and
(v) an extension assistor directly or indirectly attached, at one end, to the proximal framework portion and, at the other end, operatively coupled to the distal framework portion at a position closer to the first end of the distal framework portion than to the second end, thereby forming a bridging framework between the proximal framework portion and the distal framework portion, such that at least a portion of the extension assistor is suspended above at least a portion of the proximal framework portion, the extension assistor configured to provide an urging force to the distal framework portion at a position closer to the at least one operative connection than to any of the one or more distal framework engaging members, wherein said extension assistor is configured to selectively discourage device flexion of said proximal and distal framework portions relative to one another, and, when activated, said extension assistor selectively encourages device extension of said proximal and distal framework portions relative to one another, thereby causing said leg to be urged into extension;

(b) attaching the lower leg portion of the user with the distal framework portion using one or more distal framework engaging members; and
(c) urging the leg into extension by activating the extension assistor to encourage extension of the proximal and distal framework portions relative to one another.