Post Hip and Knee Surgery Therapy Uses LegTutor

The Herald Sun’s Belinda Tasker writes on October 10, 2011 that the Australian Orthopaedic Association recorded 44,500 knee replacements and 36,000 hip replacements in 2010, a rise of almost eight per cent on the previous year.
Most of the procedures were carried out in private hospitals, with 68 per cent of all knee replacements and more than half of hip replacements performed for privately insured patients, according to the association’s registry.
The association’s president-elect, Graham Mercer, said the number of people under 55 having the surgeries had risen in the past five years.
“It’s a lifestyle thing,” Dr Mercer said.
“The main reasons for having a joint replacement are failed alternative treatments and the intrusion into their lifestyle (from hip or knee pain) is very significant.
”The one thing that really drives people to joint replacement is severe night pain despite medication and other treatments.”
During 2010, the number of knee replacements rose by 9.4 per cent, while the number of hip replacements increased by six per cent.
In more than 90 per cent of cases, the replacements remain a success a decade after they were carried out, according to the association.
Improving functional outcomes in physical therapy for post hip and knee replacements is crucial to the return to normal life patterns. This can be done effectively with the use of the newly created LegTutor.
The LegTutor™ system has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the lower extremity. The system consists of an ergonomic wearable leg brace and dedicated rehabilitation software. The LegTutor™ system allows for a range of biomechanical evaluation including speed, passive and active range of motion and motion analysis of the lower extremity. Quantitative biomechanical data allow for objective evaluation and rehabilitation treatment follow up.
The LegTutor™, together with its sister devices (HandTutor, ArmTutor and 3DTutor) rehabilitation concept is based on performing controlled exercise rehabilitation practice at a patient customized level with real time accurate feedback on the patient’s performance. The exercises are designed in the form of challenging games that are suitable for a wide variety of neurological and orthopedic injury and disease.
The games challenge the patient to perform the exercise task to their best ability and to continue exercise practice.
The LegTutor™ allows for isolated and a combination of knee and three directional hip treatment. The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patients exercise performance. Controlled exercise of multi joints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks.
The LegTutor™ system is used by many leading rehabilitation centers worldwide and has full FDA and CE certification and can be used by children as well as adults.