Intelligent textile soft tissue compression support and method of use

Abstract

A Wearable Orthopedic/Orthotic Device for Diagnostics and therapy of an equine limb comprises a soft tissue compression material and a sheet of stretchable laminate material for soft tissue compression and bracing. The device includes a stretchable, porous and breathable polyurethane membrane to allow a certain degree of perspiration and heat to escape while retaining a therapeutic amount of heat. The device includes an intelligent textile layer, including fibertronics, organic electronics, other forms of e-textiles and sensors. For monitoring parameters associated with sports related, repetitive use, occupational and mechanical injuries for rehabilitation treatment and prevention of tendon and ligament injuries in sub-clinical time periods. The intelligent textile pertains generally to monitoring of joint and soft tissues that support a joint of a human or animal body. The device may include an acoustic sensor for detecting the speed and frequency of sound traveling through underlying tissue onto which an acoustic signal is emitted. In a diagnostic monitoring method, parameters associated with the health tissue of the equine limb and body is wirelessly transmitted by the device to an external receiver for analysis.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: 
     
         1 . A soft tissue compression support with diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, the support comprising:
 a sheet of stretchable laminate material configured to wrap at least a portion of an joint or soft tissue of a human or non-human animal, the sheet of stretchable laminate material comprising:
 a stretchable polyurethane membrane; 
 an elastomeric stretchable material bonded to the stretchable polyurethane membrane; and 
 an intelligent textile, the intelligent textile comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to collect at least one collected value for at least one parameter associated with the joint or soft tissue; 
 
   a processor for processing the collected value; and   a wireless transmitter for transmitting, via a wireless connection, the collected value to an external receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The soft tissue compression support of  claim 1 , wherein the at least on sensor comprises a plurality of conductive fibers. 
     
     
         3 . A method for monitoring the joint or soft tissue of a human or non-human animal comprising:
 positioning the soft tissue compression support of  claim 1  around the joint or soft tissue to be monitored;   collecting, through the sensor, the collected value for the parameter;   comparing, through the processor, the collected value against predetermined values for the parameter;   determining, through the processor, if the collected value exceed a predetermined threshold value for the parameter to signify a change in the joint or soft tissue related to the parameter.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined threshold value is a sub-clinical value. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of biometric parameters, joint or tissue fatigue parameters, joint or tissue injury parameters, joint or tissue disease parameters, joint or tissue stress parameters, joint or tissue growth parameters, and joint or tissue integrity parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of joint or tissue inflammation, joint or tissue density, joint or tissue tears, joint or tissue viscosity, joint or tissue edema, perfusion, blood pressure and nerve pathways. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 ,wherein the collected value is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, impedance, resistance, attenuation, energy loss, signal volume, signal frequency, signal tone, signal pitch, signal speed, signal wave shape, and signal refraction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the collected value is selected from the group consisting of signal volume, signal frequency, signal tone, signal pitch, signal speed, signal wave shape, and signal refraction and wherein the signal is sound. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the collecting step comprises measuring the sound reflected off of or passing through the joint or soft tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signal is triangulated. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signal is modulated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the signal is amplified 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining step additionally comprises determining a location generating the collected value. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the joint or tissue is selected from the group consisting of bone, ligament, tendon, joint, nerve, blood vessels and joint fluid.