Dynamic splint

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is a dynamic splint which supports a joint.
In particular, it can be used to support a knee or other body joint while allowing flexing and extending through the normal joint motion including component motion and triplanar motion.
It may also apply a controlled and measured force to flex and extend the joint, and may do so in a predetermined cyclical manner.
The force-applying mechanism is adjustable to apply a quantified force through a predetermined range of motion and at a predetermined cycle frequency.
In this way, joint extension or flexing forces are applied in a single plane while allowing joint movement in all planes.
This allows the dynamic splint to produce movement in the path of least resistance, rather than forcing movement along a predetermined artificial path that may be non-therapeutic or even harmful.
These principles can be accomplished in a number of ways.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an extendable cable includes an inner cable which is rotatably mounted in a cable sleeve.
At one end of the extendable cable, the cable sleeve is mounted in a cable sleeve mounting bracket releasably attached to one limb.
At the other end of the extendable cable, an inner cable rotatably mounted in the cable sleeve is threaded into a threaded inner cable mounting bracket releasably attached to the other limb.
Turning the inner cable with turning means threads the threaded end of the inner cable through the inner cable mounting bracket to extend the extendable cable.
The extension of the extendable cable causes a bending force on the joint in the plane of the extendable cable.
The direction of bending is controlled by choosing the plane of the extendable cable in relation to the joint.
The extension of the extendable cable is also in the direction of joint component motion, so that the cable extension encourages the limb to follow its natural path of movement to extend the joint.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention combines the extendable cable system with a system to simultaneously produce a turning force on one limb of the joint, such as supination and pronation of the wrist with respect to the elbow