The “Motorized Motion Brace HMM” for the Shoulder Belt - A Useful Supplement in the Early Functional After-Treatment of Injuries at the Shoulder Belt

Abstract

After surgery at the shoulder belt, early functional physiotherapeutic follow-up treatment is an essential part of the therapy. A steady and controlled passive motion of the shoulder belt supports the substrate exchange between the cells of the hyaline joint cartilage and improves muscular blood circulation. Postoperative agglutination of the gliding layers is prevented, shrinkage of the joint capsule, of the ligaments, of the tendons as well as of the muscular system is reduced while the joint mobility is increased or is at least kept stable. The motorized motion brace was tested on 100 patients during follow-up treatment of surgically stabilized proximal humerus fractures, after the implantation of shoulder endoprostheses, after scapula fractures, after capsule-ligament injuries, after impingement syndromes, as well as after synovectomies. The “motorized motion brace HMM” was used in conjunction with the usual physiotherapeutic treatment for both hospitalized patients as well as for out-patients. The “motorized passive motion brace HMM” allows for a reciprocating passive abduction and adduction motion of the shoulder joint. The motion range is adjustable between 30 and 100° and the brace is universally usable for both shoulder joints. Due to the constant slow motion of the motor, a continuous painless passive treatment of the shoulder joint is achieved. The shoulder brace is individually adjustable to each patient, which avoids incongruity of the center of the joints. The light weight as well as the cordless operation using rechargeable batteries ensures a high degree of comfort which results in excellent patient compliance. The necessary hospitalization time for physiotherapeutic follow-up treatment and thus the costs of these treatments can be reduced when the HMM brace is given to the patients on a weekly rental basis. Therefore, the “motorized passive motion brace HMM” for the shoulder joint in the postoperative follow-up treatment is a useful supplement to physiotherapy.

Key words

“motorized motion brace HMM” - early functional physical therapy - CPM module - continuous passive motion - humerus motion module (HMM) - injuries of the shoulder belt

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