Patent ID: 7566311

Claim:
A device for rehabilitating a patient experiencing loss of skeletal joint motor control resulting from neurological disorder or physical injury, comprising: a passive range-of-motion pivoting mechanism configured for placement in operational contact with skeletal muscles proximal to the joint of the patient to impose pivotal movement in first and second directions that are opposite to each other and thereby result in displacement of the patient's joint, the skeletal muscles proximal to the patient's joint including muscle spindle receptors that naturally fire during pivotal movement of the patient's joint; and a vibrator system comprising first and second reciprocating vibrators that are operably connected to the pivoting mechanism and imparting localized vibration to one or more of the skeletal muscles of the patient's joint as the patient's joint pivotally moves, the localized vibration enhancing a sensation of proprioceptive input from the vibrated skeletal muscle or muscles, and the first and second reciprocating vibrators vibrating alternately such that the first vibrator vibrates during a time when the patient's joint pivotally moves in the first direction and the second vibrator vibrates during a time when the patient's joint pivotally moves in the second direction.