Ankle CPM Machine—Continuous Passive Motion Device for Ankle Rehabilitation

The Ankle CPM (Continuous Passive Motion) Machine is a microcomputer-controlled rehabilitation device that gently and continuously moves the ankle joint through a controlled, progressive range of motion — without requiring the patient to actively engage their own muscles. Designed for use following ankle surgery, fracture fixation, ligament reconstruction, and other procedures where early, controlled joint movement is clinically important, the ankle CPM machine is a standard piece of equipment in orthopaedic wards, physiotherapy departments, and post-operative rehabilitation programmes.

With an anatomically correct support structure, adjustable range of motion, multi-level speed control, and a simple hand controller with LCD colour display, the ankle CPM machine can be used flexibly with the patient lying in bed or seated in a chair — fitting easily into both hospital ward-based recovery protocols and outpatient physiotherapy clinic sessions. 

Technical Specifications —

1. Range of Motion — Dorsiflexion, Plantarflexion & Beyond : The ankle CPM machine drives the foot plate through a controlled arc that replicates the ankle's natural dorsiflexion (foot moving upward toward the shin) and plantarflexion (foot moving downward, pointing away from the shin) — the two primary planes of ankle movement most affected by surgery, immobilisation, and injury. Depending on the specific model, the running angle typically ranges from 0° up to 150°, giving the treating clinician a wide working range to prescribe an appropriate starting position and end-range target for each individual patient's post-operative protocol.

   Some ankle CPM configurations also incorporate inversion and eversion movement — the side-to-side tilting motion of the foot — extending the device's applicability to conditions involving the subtalar joint and lateral ankle ligament complex, such as post-ligament-reconstruction rehabilitation and complex ankle fracture recovery.

2. Adjustable Speed, Hold Time & Session Timer : Every aspect of the CPM cycle can be individually configured to match the patient's tolerance and the clinician's prescribed protocol:

   Traction/Movement Speed — Multi-level adjustable speed settings (commonly across 9 graduated levels) allow the movement to be set anywhere from very slow and gentle — appropriate for the earliest, most pain-sensitive post-operative days — through to a brisker pace as the patient's tolerance improves over the course of treatment.

   Hold Time at End Range — A configurable pause at the end of each dorsiflexion and plantarflexion stroke allows a brief, sustained stretch to be held at the current end-range position, supporting progressive tissue extensibility gains over repeated sessions.

   Session Timer — Treatment duration can be set for each session, allowing the clinician to prescribe a specific total treatment time appropriate to the patient's stage of recovery and tolerance, with the machine automatically completing the programmed session length.

3. Microcomputer Control with LCD Display & Hand Controller : The device is microcomputer controlled, with a hand controller and LCD colour display that clearly presents all active treatment parameters — current angle, speed setting, elapsed time, and hold time — at a glance.

4. Anatomically Correct Support — In Bed or Seated : The ankle CPM machine's frame and foot plate are designed to position the lower leg and foot in anatomically correct alignment throughout the treatment cycle, ensuring that the mechanical movement translates into genuine, effective ankle joint motion rather than compensatory movement elsewhere in the leg. The compact frame design allows the device to be used flexibly — positioned in bed for early post-operative inpatient use, or on a chair or footstool for outpatient physiotherapy clinic sessions and later-stage home use — adapting easily to wherever the patient is recovering.