METHOD AND DEVICE FOR REDUCING SYMPTOMATIC RELAPSE OF SPASTICITY

摘要

A wearable maintenance therapy device (10, 12, 14) imparts vibratory stimuli to appendicular muscles of a patient's limb during daily life activity of the patient to reduce symptomatic relapse of spasticity. A vibrator actuator (20) contained in a support housing (24) and configured for placement in operational contact with appendicular muscles of a limb (28) of a patient imparts localized vibration to one or more of the patient's appendicular muscles. The localized vibration produces proprioceptive input from the vibrated muscle or muscles (90t) to activate sensory areas of the patient's central nervous system. Programmable electrical control circuitry (50) controls vibration characteristics of the localized vibration and includes memory sites for storing operating values of the vibration characteristics. The vibration characteristics include pattern and timing of vibration specified to produce the proprioceptive input during the patient's daily life activity to mitigate any symptomatic relapse of spasticity.