PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT DEVICE

Abstract

 A device for physiotherapy treatments includes a base body (2), a platform (3), motorized means (4), a fixed frame (5) and a control unit (6). The platform (3) is rotatably coupled to the base body (2) and is configured to support a user's body. The user walks on the spot, the lower limbs being periodically rotated passively during the foot support phase during walking and actively by the user during the foot lifting phase. The intra-and extra-rotation of the limbs is the maximum possible, with the pelvis being along the vertical axis of rotation and the feet straddling the center of rotation of the platform. The motorized means (4) are configured to rotate the platform (3) with respect to the base body (2) and are controlled by the control unit (6). The fixed frame (5) is coupled to the base body (2) and defines a handrail for the user.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for physiotherapy and exercise training. In particular, the present invention relates to a device specifically intended for performing physiotherapy treatments and/or training the muscles active while walking along non-linear path.

[0002] Changing direction while walking is a typical activity in daily life, necessary to perform basic functional activities (such as turning around oneself, around a table or walking a curved trajectory along any non-straight path). It is a crucial activity in sports performance as well. Also, a well-set and performed change in gait direction requires a complex and effectively orchestrated neural coordination between the movements of the lower limbs and between the latter and those of the trunk.

[0003] In this type of movement, asymmetric changes in the stride length of the two limbs occur (the stride of the leg in the inside of the curve is shorter than that of the opposite leg as a function of the angle of curvature of the trajectory) and the reaction forces of the foot on the ground are appropriate to orient the centre of mass of the body in the new direction. Minimal but important postural adjustments are also required to reduce the walking speed when the turn is initiated, to create the centripetal force necessary to avoid unbalancing towards the outside of the curve, and to modulate the centripetal force according to the desired speed.

[0004] This movement is therefore very complex in its execution, involves a large number of muscles and requires a high level of cooperation between them and across many postural muscles of the body. In particular, the muscles responsible for the rotation of the lower limb along their longitudinal axis are the pelvic muscles (i.e., gluteus maximus for extra-rotation, gluteus minimus and medius for intra-rotation), which rotate the femur in its coxo-femoral joint. The pelvis in turn rotates with respect to the trunk, and the coordination between the neural commands directed to the pelvic muscles (which are asymmetrically active during curved gait) and to those on the spine is critical for the correct execution of the turning trajectory. In addition, the weight of the body, whose centre of mass may lie outside the distance between the two feet during the walk along the curved trajectory, requires that pelvis and trunk muscles are able to produce adequate forces to maintain dynamic balance during the walk along the curved trajectory.

[0005] In general, the steps that occur during changes in direction account for approximately 35-40% of all steps in a typical day, and the daily number of steps during the turn increases when in confined spaces. Ageing people change direction less efficiently than young and middle-aged individuals, regardless of the mechanisms responsible for this decreased efficiency, and the frequency of falls increases in the elderly. Falls during rotation are responsible for eight times more femur fractures than during walking along a straight path. It is also known that changing direction while walking is difficult not only in individuals with reduced mobility due to trauma or ageing. Patients suffering from particular diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, may also find it difficult to perform turning movements. This condition also often leads them to get stuck and to produce small short steps before being able to change direction (a condition known as 'freezing', which is often accompanied by more or less disastrous falls). It is also known that patients with hemiparesis due to a cerebral vascular event have incorrect postures and problems travelling in curved trajectories. These problems may persist even after conventional rehabilitation treatment. The relevance of the problem is also evidenced by the use of clinical tests that measure the time required to rotate on the spot (the 'TURN180 test') or the time required to run pre-set 'figure-of-8-trajectories' over wide distances, or again, in the sporting field, the ability to produce frequent and rapid changes of direction in soccer of skiing.

[0006] It is also worth mentioning the enormous social and financial cost of fall-related fractures. There are recent documents on frailty in Italy and the need for rehabilitation in Europe that highlight the problems associated with these needs (e.g. Health Workforce and Service Delivery, 2022). It is therefore evident that there is a strong need in this area to develop new tools that allow a physical treatment capable of exercising the intra- and extra-rotator muscles of the lower limb, in a manner consistent with their function during curved walking, in order to develop strength in the mentioned muscles and to stimulate and enhance the relevant neuro-muscular coordination.

[0007] It is therefore necessary to address the problem of reinforcing and coordinating the muscles responsible for intra- and extra-rotation of the lower limbs, whether for preventive purposes (reducing the likelihood of falls due to insufficient muscle force), for rehabilitation purposes (rehabilitation of impaired or slow gait for problems related to neurodegenerative diseases) or even for therapeutic purposes (restoration of locomotor function along non-linear paths after fractures of the femur). In fact, although the use of postural perturbations has yielded positive results in various areas of posture and gait rehabilitation, there is to date no dedicated system for rotator muscle movements.

[0008] Despite the wealth of physiotherapy exercises and the use of the corresponding equipments, which are offered in a hospital environment or in the community or at home, there is no simple device on the market which a) can be used by the healthy or elderly or frail persons with the ease and safety with which he or she uses a bike exercise or a simple treadmill, c) can also be safely used by patients with locomotor disorders. Until now, a frequently used device has been the normal linear treadmill. An evolution of the normal treadmill is the so-called 'split-belt' treadmill, in which the bands move at different speeds, producing an asymmetrical path - but always in a straight line. For example, in Parkinson's disease, the 'split-belt' treadmill has been used but has not produced significant results in post-treatment walking. There are also complex, wearable, motorised exoskeletons, which are innovative devices that can assist with activities of daily living, but the production of curved gait is not provided for. In addition, these devices are poorly adopted in clinical settings due to the disconnect between the needs of exoskeleton users and those of the engineers who designed the devices, as well as entailing a number of risks that are not always evaluated. They may be considered as aids rather than re-enabling devices, but they still do not address the problem of enhancing and co-ordinating movements to promote changes in direction of the walking body. Several exoskeletons fix the pelvis and limit mediolateral movements. However, mediolateral displacements of the centre of mass towards the supporting leg are a crucial component of normal gait.

[0009] There are also known devices that train patients' sense of balance, as for example presented in documents JP2007082915A and EP1747803A1, in which tilting platforms with different angles are shown to stimulate the user's muscles.

[0010] However, these devices do not allow the execution of an in-place walk capable of training and rehabilitating the user's bending gait and marching direction changes, acting specifically on the intra- and extra-rotating muscle of the femur.

[0011] In none of the above cases is it possible to intervene on the intra- and extra-rotation of the legs, let alone the complex control of posture and balance that necessarily accompanies the production of turns or walking on curved trajectories.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVENESS

[0012] In this context, the technical task underlying the present innovation is to propose a device that overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of the known technique mentioned above. In particular, aim of the present invention is to make available a device for the user's training of changes in direction while walking gait that is ad-hoc designed based on the scientific knowledge, easily transportable and simple to use. The specified technical task and the specified purposes are substantially achieved by the proposed device for physiotherapeutic treatments comprising the technical features set forth in one or more of the appended claims.

[0013] The device essentially comprises a base body, a platform, motorised means, a fixed frame and a control unit. The platform rotates in the horizontal plane on its own axis and is contained and coupled to the base body. The platform (or turntable) is further configured to support the weight of the user's body. In particular, the rotating platform defines a work area configured to receive, when the device is in use, the user's feet around the geometric centre of the platform.

[0014] Motorised means are configured to set the platform in rotation. In particular, the motorised means are configured to place the platform in rotation relative to the main supporting basal framework of the device. A fixed frame is coupled to the base body and defines a handrail for the user. The control unit is coupled to the motorised means to control the rotational speed of the platform. Advantageously, the device described herein makes it possible to perform, in a simple but effective manner, operations to stimulate the muscles and mimic a walk along a curved trajectory, for therapeutic purposes or simply to train the user's nervous and motor systems to perform this type of movement.

[0015] In other words, the device proposed here allows the execution of stepping in place, as if the entire subject's body turn while walking, by rotating on the vertical axis of the body. However, the rotation acts only on the lower limbs and partly on the pelvis and its articulation with the spine, because the trunk, the head, the scapular girdle and the arms do not participate in the rotation since the user is holding on a fixed handrail.

[0016] The proposed solution directly and specifically addresses the problem of reinforcing and coordinating the muscles responsible for intra- and extra-rotation of the lower limbs, with the aim of a) reducing the likelihood of falls due to insufficient strength development in sedentary elderly and frail subjects (preventive action), b) favouring rehabilitation of impaired or slow gait (due to problems related to neurodegenerative diseases), c) therapeutic purposes (restoration of locomotor function along non-linear paths after fractures of the femur or pelvis (incidentally, muscle reinforcement is also appropriate prior to hip-replacement elective surgery). The device is thus able to stress the rotation of the legs with respect to the pelvis by training the rotational movements of the lower limbs that normally occur during the course of curved trajectories and to allow the learning (or re-learning) of the underlying neuromuscular coordination.

[0017] In summary, the action of the device can be described as follows. When, during stepping, the right foot rests (for a short 'stance-phase') on the clockwise rotating platform, the right foot and leg are passively extra-rotated (the rotation of the tibia on the foot and that of the femur on the knee are of minimum amplitude while the rotation at the hip is maximal). During the next phase (the 'swing-phase') of lifting the rotated limb, while the other limb is on the ground (resting on the platform), the user actively and naturally brings the lower limb back to a 'straight' position and then places it again on the rotating disc, and so on. A similar sequence occurs for the left limb, which will instead be intra-rotated by the rotating platform. A sequence of active and passive intra- and extra-rotation will then occur. The same sequence of leg rotations will occur in the opposite direction when the turntable rotates anti-clockwise. Other platform movements are provided by the control system, such as short, rapid impulsive rotations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES

[0018] The dependent claims, incorporated herein by reference, correspond to different embodiments of the invention. Features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the indicative, and therefore nonlimiting, description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a device for physiotherapy treatment, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figures 1A-4A show side views of different possible embodiments and structural details of a device according to the present invention, while Figures 1B-3B illustrate corresponding top views.

Figures 5A-5C and 6A-6C illustrate further views relating to possible embodiments of the device according to the present invention.

[0019] A device for physiotherapy treatments, referred to for simplicity in the following of the present description as device 1, is generically indicated in the appended Figures by the numerical reference 1.

[0020] Said device 1 is specifically configured for the execution of training and/or physiotherapy treatment aimed at improving the motor skills of a user with particular reference to the execution of walking with curved trajectories. From a structural point of view, said device 1 essentially comprises a base body 2, a platform 3, motorised means 4, a frame 5 and a control unit 6. The base body 2 preferably has an internally hollow or honeycomb structure such as to reduce the overall amount of material composing it, thereby reducing its total weight and keeping the device 1 overall light and easily movable. Again, in order to achieve a reduction in overall weight, the base body 2 can be fabricated using plastic and/or aluminium materials.

[0021] In general, the basic body 2 also has a a substantially parallelepiped-shape with sides between 40 cm and 70 cm in length and a height between 10 and 25 cm, thus resulting in an easily transportable device. Platform 3 is coupled to the basic body 2. In other words, the platform 3 is stably constrained to the base body 2 in such a manner that it can horizontally rotate relative to it, in particular in a plane of rotation that corresponds with the upper surface of the base body 2.

[0022] Said platform 3 is further configured to support the body, hence the weight, of a user (U) both when they are in a stationary configuration and when it is instead placed in rotational motion, specifically defining a horizontal plane on which the user U can dispose. Thus, overall, the platform 3 is configured to rotate in a horizontal plane, i.e. a plane parallel to a plane of the device 1 when in use.

[0023] Structurally, the rotating platform, or turntable, has a circular conformation with a diameter between 40 cm and 60 cm. In general, the platform 3 presents dimensions and shape such as to define a work area for the user U, configured to support both feet of the user U close to and straddling its geometric centre of rotation and to be placed in rotation in the horizontal plane. Therefore, the results user's centre of gravity is positioned in correspondence of the vertical axis of the rotating platform 3. Operationally, the platform 3 thus defines a plane for the user U to walk in place. When the platform 3 is placed in rotation (e.g. clockwise), the right foot resting on the platform 3 is passively extra-rotated together with the leg. During the next limb-lifting phase, the user U naturally brings the lower limb back to a 'straight' position and then places it again on the rotating disc, and so on. The same occurs for the other limb, which will instead be intra-rotated by the movement of platform 3. In this way, a sequence of leg intra- and extra-rotation will occur, depending on whether platform 3 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0024] The proximity of the user's feet to the centre of rotation of the platform 3 (located when in use in the middle of the user's feet) ensures a maximisation of the applied leg rotation which is transferred into the maximum length changes (active and passive) of the intra- and extra-rotator muscles of the lower limbs, thereby optimising the effectiveness and efficiency of use of the device 1. On the contrary, if the user U were walking far off from the axis of rotation of a platform 3 (having a much larger diameter), there would be a reduction in the efficiency of the operation of the turntable, since the locomotion trajectory would approximate a more rectilinear path the greater the distance of the user U from the said axis of rotation.

[0025] Advantageously, walking in place allows the user U to perform a rotation along the vertical axis of the lower part of the body, obtaining a specific condition that favours the dynamic control of the turning) and the coordination between the legs and the trunk. In addition, walking on the spot is a way to promote coordination between the pelvis and trunk in the most natural way possible.

[0026] Platform 3 on which one walks on the spot with the centre of mass placed approximately along the vertical of the body and the feet marching close to the centre of rotation allows intra- and extra-rotation of the legs avoiding any head rotation and vestibular stimulation that causes disorientation, dizziness, imbalance and falls. Since the user U is positioned with his/her feet straddling the centre of platform 3, the vertical of the body corresponds to the centre of rotation. Consequently, transverse perturbations of the user's centre of mass are avoided, making the risk of falls negligible. Advantageously, the rotating platform 3 comprises a support, for example made of a metal material, to which an optional covering structure is coupled, preferably in a reversible manner, to the upper surface thereof. Said covering preferably has a circular conformation and operationally defines a support surface for the user U, on which the latter can position himself and walk during the operation of the device. In particular, the coupling between the support (the rotating platform) and the covering structure may be carried out by magnetic means, such as one or more magnets and/or magnetic portions (made/coupled to the support or the cladding) interfaced with each other.

[0027] In this way, it is possible to replace the coating itself according to the usage requirements of the device 1, i.e. a specific coating whose structural and mechanical characteristics are specially selected in order to be modified, and allow to perform maintenance and repair operations. In accordance with a possible form of construction, the covering may be made of foam rubber and preferably be between 3 cm and 6 cm thick. In accordance with a further possible form of construction, the covering can be made of sound-absorbing neoprene and be provided with a thickness of between 3 cm and 6 cm, to offer a different type of stepping-support surface, requiring an mild effort for stepping.

[0028] In accordance with a further possible form of operation, the optional covering structure may be of the vibrating type. In this context, the covering structure may consist in a cylindrical body in turn comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements or generically of electromechanical actuators and having a height of less than 5 cm. Operationally, this device may further comprise a rechargeable battery connected to the cladding and configured to power the piezoelectric elements or generally the components intended to generate the vibration of the cylindrical body. Advantageously, the presence of the battery avoids the need to integrate sliding contacts into the device to power the vibration-generating elements.

[0029] In accordance with a further possible form of realisation, the surface of the turntable or of its cladding includes one or more asperities, such as embossments. In particular, such asperities can be realised by means of deformations of the surface of the covering and/or by means of self-adhesive or magnetic relief elements that can be reversibly coupled to the support in such a way as to allow the user to reposition them according to his needs. The asperities can in general also be applied/applied to the other types of upholstery outlined above (e.g. asperities are also applicable to the vibrating type upholstery or also applied to a platform presented with a foam rubber or sound-absorbing neoprene upholstery). Advantageously, the device may comprise a kit of coverings (comprising, for example, any combination of the coverings presented and described above), which have different structural, geometric and mechanical characteristics, so as to allow the user U to select and apply it to the rotating platform the specific covering that best suits his or her specific requirements.

[0030] Operationally, the movement of the platform 3 is mediated by the motorised means 4, which are configured to rotate it with respect to the base body, clockwise or counter-clockwise. In greater detail, as depicted in Figures 3A and 3B, the motorised means 4 may comprise an electric motor 4a housed internally within the base body 2 and comprising a rotating motor coaxial to and integral with the platform 3. In this way, activation of the electric motor 4a directly causes the platform 3 to rotate, reducing losses due to intermediate elements for transmitting motion and simplifying the overall structure of the device 1.

[0031] Alternatively, as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the motorised means may comprise an electric motor 4a housed internally within the base body 2 in a position alongside the platform 3. In this context, the motorised means 4 further comprise a toothed belt 4b configured to connect the electric motor 4a with the platform 3 by transmitting motion from the former to the latter. Advantageously, in this way it is possible to maximise the precision of the control of the motorised means 4 over the movement of the platform 3 by allowing the rotation speed of the same to be varied in a particularly accurate manner.

[0032] In accordance with a further possible embodiment, the motorised means 4 are means operable directly by the user U. In this context, the motorised means 4 may comprise a rotatable pedalboard unit activated by the user's hands, which is connected by a suitable transmission mechanism (e.g. a transmission chain and a bevel gear) with the platform 3. In this context, the user U can rotate the pedals with a circular movement of its hands and this movement is transmitted by the transmission mechanism to the platform 3 which is in turn set into rotation. More particularly, the pedalboard would be supported by the fixed frame 5 and is preferably adjustable in height.

[0033] In general, in the event that the motorised means 4 are of the automatic type, i.e. realised with an electric type motor as illustrated in Figures 3A to 4B, the selection of the speed and direction of rotation of the platform 3 is controllable by means of the control unit 6, which is specifically coupled to the motorised means 4 in such a way as to manage the activation mode. Preferably, said control unit 6 (which may be or comprise a computer, tablet, smartphone or similar electronic device) comprises a screen on which the information of interest to the user U (or in general to those who are managing and deciding the operating regime of the device 1) can be displayed. This unit may comprise data specifically relating to the operating conditions of the device, such as speed and direction of rotation of the platform 3, or data relating to the user U, for example biometric data such as weight, heart rate and similar data (which may be measured by appropriate sensors included in the device 1 itself). Preferably, the screen is of the touch type and provides a simple and efficient interface for receiving input from the user U according to which one or more of the operating parameters of the device 1 can be varied.

[0034] In addition, the control unit 6 can be advantageously connected with a remote terminal so that information can be exchanged with it. This remote terminal can be a personal device such as a computer, a smartphone or tablet or a remote database such as a cloud computing on which the operating data of the device 1 are stored also to allow a subsequent analysis. Preferably, Control Unit 6 can be connected to the remote terminal via a wireless communication protocol such as a Wi-Fi protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

[0035] In particular, the control unit 6 shall be configured to receive from the remote terminal an input, or one or more control signals to determine the selection and/or variation of at least one of the operating parameters of the device 1, in particular of its motori 4 (for example, speed of rotation, direction of rotation, acceleration...).

[0036] Advantageously, the control unit 6 can further include a metronome (digital or analog) through which the user U can maintain a predetermined pace of walking. The metronome can be made in such a way as to provide indications to the user through acoustic and/or luminous signals (thus using audible signals, LED lights, ...). Preferably, the operation of the metronome is controlled by the control unit 6 as a function of at least the rotation speed of platform 3.

[0037] To avoid disorientation and the risk of falling of the user U, during the rotation of the platform 3 the user can hold, in particular with their own hands, onto the fixed frame 5, which is coupled to the base body 2 (and therefore does not participate in the rotation of the platform 3) and defines a fixed handrail for the user U. This handrail can be positioned in such a way as to be located in front of the user U during the normal operation of the device 1, and/or define two lateral support points to the working area (then to the body of the user U during the use of the device) or around the profile of the frame of the rotating platform 3 in such a way as to allow the user U to support himself with his hands both frontally and laterally depending on the position that is more comfortable.

[0038] In other words, during the use of the device 1 the user U can lean on the handrail and step in place, according to the rotation of the platform 3, using a fixed and stable reference that allows him to maintain a correct position, in particular of trunk and head, during the whole process avoiding disorientation and dizziness. This handrail can also be adjusted in height to suit the specific needs of use. The presence of the handrail contributes to the definition of the working area and allows the user to support himself when using the device 1 with his/her body centred on the axis of rotation of platform 3 and the feet straddling the centre of rotation of the turntable. Advantageously, the fixed frame 5 may include, in particular at its defined portion the handrail, one or more contact sensors (for example capacitive switches) connected to the control unit 6, and which can be engaged by the user U during the use of the device 1. In particular, such contact sensors may be installed at a point where the user's hands are placed on the handrail. In this context, the control unit 6 is configured to turn off the motorised platform 4 in response to a user U disconnection from the contact sensor. In other words, when the user U leaves or in any case is no longer detected by the contact sensor, the control unit 6 deactivates the motorised turntable 4 interrupting the rotation of the platform 3 thus guaranteeing a particularly safe and reliable use.

[0039] For the sake of safety, the device 1 may also include a user-activated button to activate a lock of the motor 4 in order to stop the operation of the device. Advantageously, such a lock (braking) can be carried out in a gradual manner. The response to the locking command of the motorised platform 4 (generated by a push of the button and/or in response to the detachment of the user's hands from the contact sensor) is configured such that the rotation speed of platform 3 is gradually reduced, so to stops completely in a time interval between 1 and 3 seconds.

[0040] In addition, the same control unit 6 can be reversibly coupled to the fixed frame 5, in such a way that it is easily accessible to the U user and can at the same time be easily detached if it is desired to facilitate the operation of the device 1 to a third-party user (for example, a doctor, a physiotherapist, a coach...). In this context, there would be a distinction between user U in the strict sense as the person positioned on platform 3 (therefore basically a patient who needs to be treated) and the user as the person who, through the manipulation of the control unit 6, manages and controls the operation of the device 1 (for example, a physiotherapist).

[0041] In general, it should be noted that the control unit allows to determine the operating speed of the device 1, with particular reference to the direction and speed of rotation of the platform 3. This platform 3 can be moved clockwise or counterclockwise according to different angular speeds, in either a continuous or an impulse mode. Preferably, the control unit 6 is configured to store a plurality of different usage profiles each with specific values associated with at least one of the following parameters: platform rotation direction, platform angular velocity, platform rotation duration.

[0042] For example, it is possible to prepare specific usage profiles (operationally modifiable by the user U) associated with predetermined and predefined device usage routines defined and identified by precise platform 3 handling sequences in terms of speed, direction and duration. By way of example, one of these usage profiles may provide to move platform 3 in an hourly direction with increasing speed from 0 to 60 si/s in a predefined time interval and then return to 0 s and start repeating the same procedure, starting however with a counterclockwise rotation of platform 3.

[0043] Such cycles can be repeated a predefined number of times and be optionally interspersed with a predefined platform 3 non-rotation duration period. An additional possible usage profile can predict and control rapid and short platform rotations of 45 deg for a duration of 500 ms or 250 ms respectively.

[0044] In accordance with a possible realisation form, illustrated for example in Figures 1A to 2B, the fixed frame 5 further delineates a plurality of walls that completely circumscribe platform 3. For example, the fixed frame 5 may include a plurality of bars extending vertically from the upper surface of the base body 2 and connected above by additional horizontal bars.

[0045] In this context, the walls delineated by the fixed frame 5 delimit in fact a volume of reception within which the user can position himself on platform 3 and use the device 1. Preferably, at least one of the walls can be opened to allow the user U to enter the reception volume. For example, one of the horizontal bars may be hinged at its own end in such a way that it can rotate or in general be raised in order to generate an opening for the passage of the user U. In general, the bars designed to define the walls also contribute to the definition of the handrail or, alternatively the handrail can be made/defined by means of separate bars that are separate from those designed to form the walls delimiting the volume of reception.

[0046] In accordance with one aspect of this invention, device 1 may further include a support structure configured to support or help support user U during device operation 1. As illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, this support structure (harness) can be integrated into Support Frame 5 and consists essentially of a pair of 7, 8 members and a coupled Sling 9. In detail, the fixed frame 5 may include a first 7 rod developing vertically away from the base body 2 and a second 8 rod extending horizontally above platform 3 away from one end of the first 7 rod. The second rod 8 is then coupled with the sling 9, so that the latter is suspended above platform 2 to support the weight of the user U.

[0047] This feature makes the device 1 advantageously usable also by subjects with poor mobility and strength in the lower limbs and therefore poorly able to easily support their own weight. Preferably, the height of the sling 9 is adjustable, that is, device 1 includes 10 adjustable means which are configured and operable to vary a distance of the sling from the basic body. As shown in Figure 2A, these 10 adjuster means may be made by one or more cables binding Sling 9 to the second Sling 10. Advantageously, the device 1 may further include a load cell 11 and/or a shock absorber 12 interposed between the sling 9 and the second rod 9. The shock absorber allows the sling 9 to support particularly efficiently the weight of the user U going to accompany in a homogeneous way the variations in the vertical position of the torso of the user U during the walk operated on the platform 3.

[0048] The load cell 11 allows to monitor and measure in real time the weight of the user's body U that must be supported by the sling 9, thus allowing the actual ability of the user U to support his weight during a walk along a curvilinear path to be determined. In addition, load cell 11 can be directly connected to control unit 6 to determine a deactivation of the motor 4. In particular, if the load cell 11 detects whether the weight share of the body of the user U that the sling 9 is supporting exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and produces a signal that is read by control unit 6 resulting in the deactivation of motor 4.

[0049] In this way, if the user is in difficulty and/or is not able to use the device correctly, for example following an initial fall, the user is supported by the sling 6 and the load cell 11 detects this difficult situation by deactivating in response the rotation of the platform 3. According to further possible design forms illustrated in figures 5A-5C and 6A-6C, the fixed frame 5 may have a different conformation suitable to define walls that delimit platform 3 on three sides only, in such a way as to leave open a direction of ascent of user U on platform 3.

[0050] Figures 6A-6C show a different possible shape for the support structure of sling 9 (harness). In this context, the sling 9 is supported by a pair of first 7 rods developing vertically away from the base body 2 and having a curved terminal portion so as to present an end positioned above a center of rotation of the platform 3 to which the sling 9 is attached.

[0051] Device 1 may also include one or more optical sensors (wide-angle cameras) configured to capture images and/or video of the user's lower limbs and/or pelvis during operation of the device 1. In particular, device 1 may include an optical sensor superior to platform 3 and presenting a vertical or largely vertical field of view (inclination between ± 30 deg configured to capture platform 3 from above and thus also the user's feet during operation of the device 1). Device 1 may additionally or alternatively also include a second optical sensor positioned laterally to the platform and presenting a horizontal or substantially horizontal field of view (inclination between ± 30 deg configured to take a space above the platform from the side to display the user's legs during operation of the device 1. Advantageously, this invention achieves the aims proposed by overcoming the drawbacks complained of in the known technique by making available to the user a device 1 for performing physiotherapy treatments, applicable also in the field of sports, for the training of motor skills of athletes. In general, the device 1 described here provides a simple and efficient tool that can be implemented in a wide variety of situations in which it is useful/necessary to train or improve or restore the user's ability to make changes of direction and thus train the user's ability to move smoothly along curved paths.

Claims

1. Device for physiotherapy treatment comprising:

- a basic body (2);

- a platform (3) which is rotationally coupled to the base body (2) and defines a work area which is configured to receive in a configuration of use the feet of a user (U) placed on the two sides of the geometric centre of the rotating platform (3).

- motorised means (4) designed to place the platform (3) in rotation with respect to the base body (2) in a horizontal plane;

- a fixed frame (5) coupled to the base body (2) and defining a handrail for the user (U);

- a control unit (6) coupled to the motorised means (4) and configured to control a rotation speed of this platform (3).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, in which the motorised means (4) include:

- an electric motor (4a) housed inside the base body (2) in a position alongside the platform (3);

- a toothed belt (4b) configured to connect the electric motor (4a) with the platform (3).

3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, where the fixed frame (5) includes:

- a first rod (7) developing away from the base body (2);

- a second rod (8) extending above the platform (3) away from one end of the first rod (7).

- a sling (harness) (9) coupled to the second sling (8) so that it is suspended above the platform (3) and configured to support the user's (U) body.

4. Device according to claim 3, comprising a load cell (11) interposed between the sling (9) and the second sling (8).

5. Device according to any of the previous claims, where the control unit (6) is connectable to a remote terminal, preferably by means of a wireless communication protocol; called a control unit (6) being configured to receive input from a user (U) and to vary the rotation speed of the platform (3) at least according to said input.

6. Device according to any of the previous claims, where the control unit (6) includes a metronome.

7. Device according to any of the previous claims, where the platform (3) has a circular shape with a diameter between 40 cm and 60 cm.

8. Device according to any of the previous claims, where the platform (3) includes a support, preferably a metal support, and a cover structure reversibly coupled to an upper surface of this support and configured to define a support surface for the user (U).

9. Device according to claim 8, where such support includes asperities, preferably those asperities being reversibly coupled to the support.

10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, comprising a plurality of claddings/coatings/items reversibly attachable to the support, each item having distinct mechanical characteristics.

11. Device according to any of the above claims, comprising at least one optical sensor configured to capture images and/or video of the user's lower limbs and/or pelvis (U) during operation of the device (1).

Drawing