The Flexionater can generate loads from zero to several hundred foot-pounds of torque to accommodate the specific mechanical characteristics of...
Approximately 5-10% of the population experience excessive scarring after joint surgery or injury and that is where patients may have an appropriate need for an ERMI device… Click here for More Details.
Commonly, the excessive scarring is called a ‘frozen shoulder’ or ‘stiff knee’, but the conditions are also explained commonly by Adhesive capsilitis in the shoulder, or Arthrofibrosis in the knee or ankle. The amount of scarring cannot be anticipated or predicted, since it is a biological response based on an individual’s genetic healing response during conventional rehab, and the actual joint condition post injury or post surgically.
Then, Physical, Occupational Therapists, and Nurse Case Managers, most often refer the use of ERMI devices for an adjunct treatment in the patient’s home. Next, an ERMI representative introduces the case and the Doctor determines whether to prescribe the device for use as medically necessary.
ERMI works in partnership with the patient’s doctors, therapy, and other health professionals to advance care to improve motion only because that patient has shown limited progress from conventional rehab methods or shown unacceptable gains against range of motion goals. Click for More details for patients… or click for more details for professionals.
Continued motion loss after injury, surgery, and rehab occurs only among a small population of people due to their natural biological response during the healing process. In short, these group of people “over scar” during healing around a joint, and that restricts and limits their range of motion, sometimes permanently. This disease state is commonly referred in knees, as a “stiff knee” and in shoulders, as a “frozen shoulder”.
When physical therapy makes limited gains in returning daily functional range of motion in a patient, the options for further treatment of severe motion loss are limited to more invasive procedures like additional hospital procedures including Manipulation Under Anesthesia and additional surgery. As the internal scarring progresses during natural course of healing, the window also closes when the scar tissue will stretch and realign itself, so it is flexible enough for the joint to move. The scar tissue has about 10% of its strength at 5 days after injury or surgery, 40% at 40 days, 60% at 70 days, and 100% at 1 year. °( Elhorn AR, Sawyer M (1991). The Problem Knee: Soft tissue Consideration. In: Engle RP(ed) Knee Ligament Rehabilitation. Churchill Livingston, New York, p. 197-212).
In 1991, ERMI, Inc. developed medical device technology as an non-surgical option to improving motion. The company serves those patients and clinical and managed care professionals, who were not able to improve motion when conventional methods failed to make desired gains and goals. ERMI medical devices offer a uniquely different home mechanical solution that mimics how intensely a physical therapist applies over pressure to scar tissue using a patient’s own control to reach the most difficult limit or end of the range of motion.
