Why The LM 120 Is Needed
The LM 120 with HyperX is an apparatus intended to rehabilitate human knees affected by disease or injury. The knee is made up of the lower end of the thighbone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella). The ends of the bones are covered with articular cartilage, a substance that protects the bones and enables them to move easily within the joint. The C-shaped menisci are located between the femur and tibia and act as “shock absorbers” to cushion the joint. Six ligaments hold the femur and the tibia together, with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) located in the center of the knee. The ACL controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia. The surfaces of the knee are covered by a thin lining, the synovial membrane. The membrane secretes synovial fluid, lubricating the cartilage and reducing friction. Disease or injury to these components results in pain, weakness and reduced function.
The most common disease affecting the knee is arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the condition prevalent in adults 50 years of age and older, where the cartilage that cushions the femur and the tibia softens and gradually wears away. The bones then rub against one another, causing knee pain, stiffness and lack of function. This age-related “wear and tear” is the principal diagnosis for 96% of the more that 700,000 total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries performed on U.S. citizens yearly. TKR surgeries are projected to reach more than 3.5 million by 2030.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation, as prescribed by the orthopedic surgeon, starts the day of surgery. The Physical Therapist provides either manual therapy or attaches the client to the only mechanical modality currently available, the continuous passive motion (CPM) device. For some clients, the pain of manual manipulation is so great that they may stop rehab, resulting in scar tissue development, contractures and poor gait. The mechanism of action of the CPM is to lift the leg, failing to engage muscles and ligaments that affect range of motion (ROM): flexion (bending) and extension (straightening).
The LM 120 with HyperX was engineered to fill the gap that exists between painful manual manipulation and ineffective mechanical treatment. Using the device in a hospital or ambulatory surgical center, a physical therapy clinic or an individual home, the client mounts the Seating Platform; straps and buckles the hip-stabilizing belt around his/her waist; secures the hook-and-loop straps around the forefoot, ankle and calf; and activates the electronic Tablet to start, stop, increase or decrease the duration and intensity of the linear movement. A Therapy Mode consists of passive participation by the client to reach a session goal programmed into the computer based on the client’s femur and tibia measurements.
The Exercise Mode represents passive participation, building on the achievements of the Therapy Mode. The HyperX Mode includes a cam-and-loop configuration to depress the leg up to 0.75 inches to reach extension for clients not benefitting from the normal workout regimen. The client is expected to daily engage in four, 15-20 minute sessions of flexion and extension and four, 10 minute sessions using the HyperX function. Adherence to the daily regimen, coupled with PT-prescribed manual exercises, should bring the client into normal ROM of 120 degrees of flexion and zero degrees of extension or achieve the ROM of the unaffected leg.
Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. The ACL is the main ligament accounting for injuries sustained by individuals of all ages who engage in agility sports like skiing, basketball and football. The ACL may be stretched and/or torn during a sudden twisting motion where the feet stay planted one way, while the knees turn in the other direction.
Prescribed by a sports team physician or trainer, the LM 120 with HyperX can be used for rehabilitation following surgical repair, for a period of time until the client reaches his/her normal range of motion.