The use of muscle 'creep' as opposed to relaxation in stretching braces: a pseudoelastic device

摘要

Traditional orthoses reduce muscle contractures by constraining limbs in increasingly more extended positions in which muscles and tissues relax. This paper proposes a new approach to achieve muscle stretching by applying a quasi-constant force without constraining any particular position. This is possible by exploiting the wide deformation range and peculiar mechanical response of pseudoelastic NiTi, which was utilized to built an elbow brace (EDGES). Per-clinical tests on two hemiplegic patients showed that improvement of resting elbow angle can be achieved in a week's application and that this type of orthosis is much more easily accepted by patients than traditional ones. Further tests will address the possibility of stabilizing elbow posture through plastic tissue remodeling.