Patent ID: 9675802
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61N

Claim:
1. An apparatus for stimulating muscles in a patient, the apparatus comprising: a garment incorporating a plurality of electrodes for application to the patient's body, and drive circuitry arranged to energise the electrodes with current pulses, wherein the apparatus is designed for stimulating the lower back and abdominal muscles of the patient, the electrodes being positioned relative to the garment such that when the garment is worn a first electrode is configured to be located to the lower lumbar region of the patient's body and second and third electrodes are configured to be located respectively to opposite side flanks of the patient's trunk, wherein the drive circuitry is configured to apply a first group of muscular stimulation current pulses which flow between the second and third electrodes for stimulating primarily the abdominal muscles; pulses of the first group travel alternately in opposite directions between the second and third electrodes, and a second group of muscular stimulation current pulses which flow between the first electrode and the second and third electrodes, and wherein the first electrode comprises two individually energisable segments with a vertical gap therebetween which is configured to be aligned with the patient's spine when the garment is worn thereby locating the respective segments at opposite sides of the patient's midline; a lower end of a lateral-most edge of each segment is angled medially and downward so that the first electrode forms a wedge shape which points into the patient's gluteal cleft, thereby avoiding overlaying the gluteal muscles, the two individually energisable segments being configured to be spaced at the midline and overlying at least the upper sacrum and being configured to be located to an area superior to the gluteal cleft in order to minimise overlap with the gluteal muscles such that the multifidus are stimulated, wherein the respective individually energisable segments are selectively activated such that the activated individually energisable segment co-operates with one of the second and third electrodes to define an active current path penetrating the body therebetween along which the second group of muscular stimulation current pulses flows; the vertical height of the first electrode is limited such that it extends between and covers at least the fifth lumbar vertebra and the upper sacrum of the patient so that current is less likely to recruit large amounts of erector spinae muscle, and the width of the first electrode approximates the width of the multifidus and the vertebra, wherein the area of the first electrode is less than half the area of either second or third electrode to ensure the current density at multifidus is higher than at the second and third electrodes during the second group of muscular stimulation current pulses.