Patent ID: 7416537

Claim:
An instrumented orthosis comprising: an ambulatory support that fits around a joint of a patient, the support comprising a hinge that can rotate in several different planes supporting the respective body portions connected at the joint, wherein the support is configured to brace the joint when placed on the patient; position sensing elements operably connected to the hinge, wherein the position sensing elements measure rotational motions in different planes about the joint; and an ambulatory control unit operably connected to the position sensing element to receive signals related to the position of the hinge, the control unit comprising a microprocessor and a display, wherein the control unit is programmed to automatically select a target range of motion from a set of a target range of motion designated by a health care professional and prompt the patient to perform the selected target range of motion under certain circumstances based on an analysis of the patient's circumstances, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to compare the actual range of motion about the joint performed by the patient with the target range of motion for the joint and stores data points from measurements of the signals, wherein the microprocessor provides output to the display in which the display shows at prescribed times the difference between the actual range of motion about the joint and the target range of motion for the joint.