INTERACTIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY

摘要

Persons recovering from injuries or surgeries today generally undertake physical therapy to regain usage of their muscles, joints and other portions of their body. Unfortunately such treatments often do not fully restore the patient's function, at least within constraints of the funds available. Added costs are also incurred by patients for transportation, time off work and the like. Disclosed are systems and methods to provide greatly improved and much more cost effective physical therapy regimens utilizing an interactive approach which makes possible physical therapy at home in a controlled manner. The physical therapist using the system instructs the patient and this instruction is incorporated into an intelligent camera-based system usable by the patient in the home or workplace. Dialog may take place between the patient and therapist using the system and the internet. Other features of the system increase motivation of the patient to perform the exercises prescribed.

主权项

1. A method for providing physical therapy instruction comprising:
electro-optically observing a therapeutic movement performed by a patient as part of a physical therapy regimen; and providing to the patient, using a display, visual indicia relating to a desired therapeutic movement, the visual indicia being based on the therapeutic movement performed by the patient.