Abstract

The paper presents the design and fabrication of a new rehabilitation device for increasing micro-circulation/skin blood flow(SBF) in diabetic foot. The device is capable of transmitting vibration stimulation perpendicular to the area of the foot with an improved mechanism of varying amplitude and frequency of vibration. This device is unique in the sense that it is also capable of regulating the amplitude of vibration, which makes it more effective in curing foot ulceration ailments of varying degree. Diabetes Mellitus is spreading at a fast pace and is estimated to double by the end of this decade. One of the severe consequences associated with this ailment is chronic foot ulceration which if left untreated/ill-treated eventually leads to amputation of the limb. The medications available are not a favourable treatment for chronic conditions such as Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) as the side effects they cause can become more debilitating than the original pathology. The available vibration therapy devices till date, fail to produce desired curative results probably because of their distributed vibration and unregulated/uncontrolled vibration frequencies. This device not only induces controlled vibrations perpendicular to the foot with simultaneous amplitude and frequency modulation but is also cost effective.