Patent ID: 8721566

Claim:
A first bone-moving member which has a longitudinal axis, wherein the distal portion of this longitudinal axis is configured to be inserted into a first spinal vertebra, wherein the proximal portion of this longitudinal axis is configured to protrude out from the skin of a person's back, one or more actuators to apply force to at least two longitudinally-separated locations along the proximal portion of the longitudinal axis of this bone-moving member; and wherein this application of force is active and not just passive resistance of force that comes from natural muscle movement; wherein the one or more actuators are electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators; a second bone-moving member which has a longitudinal axis, wherein the distal portion of this longitudinal axis is configured to be inserted into a second spinal vertebra, wherein the proximal portion of this longitudinal axis is configured to protrude out from the skin of a person's back, wherein the one or more actuators apply force to at least two longitudinally-separated locations along the proximal portion of the longitudinal axis of this bone-moving member; wherein this application of force is active and not just passive resistance of force that comes from natural muscle movement; wherein movement of a least one of the first and second bone-moving members causes vertebral movement of the first and second spinal vertebrae relative to each other; wherein this vertebral movement is selected from one, or a combination, of the movements in the group consisting of flexion, extension, lateral bending, decompression, compression, and torsion; wherein an amount of flexion or extension can be adjusted independently of an amount of decompression or compression; and wherein an amount of decompression or compression can be adjusted independently of an amount of flexion or extension; one or more bone movement measuring members that measure movement of the first and second spinal vertebrae relative to each other in response to the active application of force to the first and/or second bone-moving members; and one or more movement analyzing members that analyze movement of the first and second spinal vertebrae relative to each other, wherein the results of this analysis are used to help select a therapy.