JPH0515518A - System for monitoring and training bodily motion - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To monitor a myodynamia amount which works on a lower back muscle during a lifting motion by fixing an electromyographic sensor which transmits a myodynamia signal in a belt which is tied on a waist peripheral edge. CONSTITUTION: A monitoring device has an electromyographic sensor 22 which is connected to a control device by an analog/digital inverter 26, and a goniometer 20. The control device comprises a micro-processor unit 24 which works as an internal clock as well, and is connected to an electronic memory 25 which constitutes a recording device, and a display device 27. The display device 27 transmits a lifting state exceeding a previously set parameter, which is programmed in the microprocessor 24, to a user by both or one of acoustic sense and a vibration. Myoelectric signals from electrodes 12, 14, 16 are amplified by an amplifier, filtered by a band filter 30, and transmitted to an envelope wave-detector 32 which converts them to approximate values of a total myoelectric energy comprising a myodynamia signal. The goniometer 20 forms a horizontal angular signal comprising a lifting angular signal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for monitoring a person's lifting exercise and / or exercise training. Both systems consist of a pre-programmed microprocessor operatively connected to an electromyographic sensor used to measure the muscle force of a given muscle group. However, another embodiment of the lifting training system does not use the electromyographic sensor, but instead uses a goniometer that exclusively monitors the lifting angle.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Every year millions of workers suffer from labor related to lower back pain, the worst of which is due to improper lifting techniques. Such damage results in lost working hours and results in a large amount of damage claims required by employers each year.

Numerous devices have been proposed to monitor a person's correct posture and provide feedback. Such devices consist of belts along the body's axis that are fastened from the person's waist to shoulders, and these devices ensure that the user's back is kept in good posture. To monitor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,608,541, 4,007,
733, and No. 4,055,168. Other devices include conventional belts to which sensors for monitoring gastric droop are attached, but those devices indicate an improper posture due to relaxation of the gastric muscles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,9
35 and 3,670,320. U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,919 discloses a signal indicator which indicates an improper posture of a skier when skiing.

[0004]

In addition to monitoring lifting techniques and movements, a person's exercise program during physical treatment to ensure that physical treatments for the correct intensity and duration are performed properly. It is also important to monitor. Devices for measuring total body burden have also been proposed, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,865, but these devices use special muscle groups to measure muscle force or exercise time used in exercise. It does not tend to be directed to.

[0005]

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems] The amount of force exerted by a muscle is directly related to the weakness due to the magnitude and frequency of the potential of the constituent motion. Therefore, it is possible to measure muscle strength with the technique of electromyography (EMG). In integrated electromyography (IEMG), myoelectric signals are rectified and time averaged to accurately represent the EMG signal energy associated with muscle force.

In the lift monitoring mode of the present invention, the electromyographic sensor is secured to a belt that is wrapped around the waist of the user and the electrodes of the sensor are located near the user's lower back muscles. Thus, the amount of muscle force exerted on the lower back muscles during the lifting operation can be monitored. It is also important to measure the waist angle so that heavy weights can be lifted accurately during the lifting operation, and it is important to also have a goniometer for measuring the waist angle so that it can be measured. The muscle force signal and the goniometer output signal are sent to a microprocessor which compares these signals with preprogrammed lifting parameters. If these signals exceed pre-programmed lift parameters, the display device will begin displaying to users who have exceeded these parameters. These events are recorded in an electronic memory connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor reads the contents of the electronic memory and tabulates various lifting movements and pre-programmed lifting movements for measuring compliance. The EMG sensor with its microprocessor and signal source is used to actually measure the impedance between the electrodes when the device is actually worn.

Another embodiment of the system uses a goniometer to measure the lift angle and logs into the microprocessor's memory whenever the user exceeds the lift parameter or the lumbar angle parameter. When the belt is worn by a user, temperature and / or motion sensors that it monitors can be affixed to the belt.

A similar system is used in physical therapy, ie where the therapist prescribes to a muscle or group of muscles an equivalent exercise for specific time intervals, such as a day. The electromyographic sensor is used to monitor the IEMG and is connected to a microprocessor that displays the IEMG intensity on a bar graph. The microprocessor also includes a clock to indicate, first, that the exercise program begins, secondly the muscle or muscle group contracts, and thirdly the muscle or muscle group relaxes. The microprocessor also comprises electronic memory for recording the actual time, duration of tension, and muscle force exerted. The microprocessor can also be connected to a compliance computer that reads the contents of an electronic memory that displays compliance with a given exercise program and tabulates the exercise results.

The electrodes of the electromyographic sensor can be equipped with a cotton gauze strap on the inner layer of the casting. Thus, the arm and leg muscles can be exercised and monitored while contained in the casting. In addition, the electrodes are mounted on a cylindrical object that can be secured to the natural body cavity to measure the muscular force exerted by the muscle adjacent to the natural body cavity.

[0010]

1 to 3 show a belt equipped with a lifting training system. The belt 10 is fastened just above the waist of the user by a conventional method. Belt 10 comprises electrodes 12, 14 and 16 which are electrically connected to monitoring device 18 by wires (not shown). Electrode is belt 1
0, and when the belt 10 is worn, the electrodes contact the patient's lower back area. The training monitor 18 is arranged in a pocket 19 on the belt 10. The goniometer 20 is also mounted on the belt 10 and arranged so as to be positioned near the patient's flank, and the goniometer 20 measures the bending angle when the patient bends. It should be noted that by placing the training monitor 18 in the pocket 19 on the belt 10 it is also placed on the patient's flank and the goniometer 20 can be placed in the device rather than having a separate placement on the belt 10.

Belt 10 is constructed of lightweight elastomeric fabric and is designed to be worn just above the waist.
The fastener or fixing member of the belt 10 can be made of a hook or pile fastener located at the end near the belt. The electrodes are silver element pads that serve as the surface electrodes of the electromyographic sensor. The goniometer 20 and the electrodes are connected to the monitoring device 18 via wires laid on the fabric which are restricted by metal clasps which can be connected to the mating clasps.

FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of the training monitoring device. The monitoring device has an electromyographic sensor 22 which is functionally connected to the control device via an analog-to-digital converter 26. The goniometer 20 is also connected to the controller via an analog-to-digital converter 26. The control device comprises a microprocessor unit 24 which also serves as an internal clock and interfaces with an electronic memory 25 which constitutes the recording device. The microprocessor 24 is connected to a display device 27, which can inform the user of a lifting condition that exceeds preset parameters programmed into the microprocessor 24, either audibly and / or vibrating.

In operation, the myoelectric signals from the three electrodes are amplified by amplifiers 28 of different gain and filtered by bandpass filter 30 to obtain the raw EMG signals of the myoelectric signals.
The waveform is sent to an envelope detector 32 that converts the waveform into an approximate value of total myoelectric energy composed of a muscle force signal. Since the muscle force signal obtained as a result is an analog signal, the microprocessor 2
4 into a digital format that is acceptable. Similarly, goniometer 20 is converted from analog to digital form before being sent to microprocessor 24 to form a horizontal angle signal comprising the lift angle signal. The goniometer 20 measures all the angles of the front side, the left side surface, and the right side surface, or one of them.

FIG. 5 shows ideal actions of the waist angle and EMG measurement in each lifted state. The curves shown in EMG do not include the inertia and body weight components.

FIGS. 5A and 5C graphically illustrate loadless lifting in straight and bent back positions. The horizontal angle changes slightly as seen in a straight position on the back, but the horizontal angle changes from near 0 degrees to 90 degrees when the back is bent. However, the amount of muscle force (EMG) required is minimal since the applied load is not included in either lifting sequence. 5B and FIG.
At D the load is being lifted and the lifting angle is the same as the load lifting sequence, but the amount of muscle strength required in each sequence varies considerably due to the lifting system. When the back is bent, the amount of muscle strength required from the lower back tends to reflect the change in the lifting angle, but when the back is straight when the lifting exercise is started, the lower back strength is measured in both legs. Is significantly reduced due to the lifting.

In training the users of the system, the instructor has a compliance computer 3 with a series of lifting parameters including limits on muscle load and horizontal angle.
Program the microprocessor 24 via 8.
Because of the interaction of these parameters, the leader sets up the system and the combination of parameters triggers a feedback alert signal. For example, in FIG. 5C, the user has an improper lift angle, but the user has not lifted the load so the display is not triggered. However, in FIG. 5D, the display is triggered because the user is in the wrong lift position and is lifting the load. The system allows the trainer to program trigger parameters that are the combination of the required lifting angle and muscle strength.

The monitoring system is battery operated and is located in a lockable housing so that after the teacher programs the microprocessor 24, the housing is locked and there is no risk of the user touching the battery. The microprocessor 24 has an interface 36 consisting of a plug connecting it to a compliance computer 38.
have. Compliance computer 38
A BM personal computer compatible unit used to query the memory and tabulated by the instructor for an evaluation of the training period. In addition, this interface 36 is used to program the microprocessor 24 with programmed lift parameters.
As shown in FIG. 6, the compliance computer 3
8 includes a monitor 42, an input keyboard 44, and a printer 46.

To ensure proper operation of the monitoring system, the microprocessor 24 periodically activates the interelectrode impedance tester 48, as shown in FIG. 8, to check for sufficient electrode contact. The test device 48 utilizes a bipolar sine signal by EMG human power, after which the impedance is measured by the microprocessor 24. Further, the microprocessor 24 can include a test system for the test battery voltage to ensure the proper voltage to the monitoring system. If the contact fails the impedance test or the battery voltage is insufficient, the microprocessor 24 signals the user via the display and the system shuts off.

FIGS. 7-12 illustrate an exercise training system similar to the lifting training monitoring system. As shown in FIG. 8, the circuit configuration is the same except that the exercise training system is equipped with an audible feedback display device consisting of a bar graph and an alarm device 52 consisting of three light emitting diodes. In the lift training system, the audible feedback element or speaker 27, which is a display, is used in this embodiment in conjunction with an audible display or alarm that audibly informs the patient that it has been triggered.

The bar graph display device 50 is a liquid crystal display device or a light emitting diode display device used to indicate the muscle strength used during use of the device. The exercise training system is auto-ranging in relation to the bar graph and the algorithm for auto-ranging the bar graph is shown in FIG. During exercise, the light emitting diode 54 illuminates the user with an indication to contract the muscle groups attached to the electromyographic electrodes. The user contracts the muscle group until the light emitting diode 54 disappears, and then the light emitting diode 56 illuminates the user to relax the muscle group. The contraction and relaxation cycles are repeated as determined by the preprogrammed microprocessor 24. The degree of muscle contraction is fed back to the user by referring to the bar graph display device 50 which displays the muscle force used.

First, the treatment specialist puts on the electromyographic electrode in the vicinity of the muscle group in which the patient exercises. The therapist then programs the microprocessor 24 via the training system's compliance computer 38 by programming the time interval for initiating the exercise routine, ie, contracting and relaxing the muscle groups and the time interval for the number of repetitions thereof. . In addition, the therapist connects the device to the electrode leads and the patient utilizes the exercises to contract the desired muscle group for the required duration and number of repetitions and monitors the intensity of the exercise on the bar graph. You can do the physical treatment yourself.

The exercise training system along with the lift training and monitoring system can be connected to a compliance computer 38 via a simple jack interface 36. The compliance computer 38 is used to program the microprocessor 24 and query the electronic memory 25 recorded during the patient's exercise to tabulate the patient's exercise in the exercise program. Similar to the lift training system, the compliance computer 38 is a microprocessor 2
It is also used to program 4.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a relatively small training monitoring device. Circuit components, including a microprocessor, electronic memory, and EMG processing circuitry are contained in housing 60. This device is equipped with a start / stop switch 72 for disabling the exercise routine programmed into the microprocessor, and a third light emitting diode 73 is provided for the unique test of the lift training device as well as the unique test of the device. It is displayed when it is not functioning properly.

FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method of automatic range setting of the bar graph display device. The exercise parameters programmed into the electronic memory 25 via the compliance computer 38 at the beginning of the exercise session are:
It is read by the microprocessor 24 and used to initialize to the appropriate variables. The automatic range setting method then sets successive update highs and lows for the bar graph scale via secondary EMG (muscular strength) readings. And the automatic range setting method calculates a new EMG reading located between the highest and the lowest value by displaying this percentage as a percentage of the range of the EMG and by illuminating the exact number of bar graph display elements. To do.

FIGS. 10-12 show another device for securing the electrodes of an electromyographic sensor in a selected body position. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the electrodes are fixed to a cotton gauze 74 which is in the form of an inner line of rim casting. Due to the small size of the circuit components associated with the monitoring housing, it is possible to fit the casting material 75 of the outer casting layer. The bargraph display is tilted with respect to the housing for easy reference by the patient.

11 and 12 illustrate an electrode loading assembly designed to be inserted into a naturally occurring body cavity. These assemblies are cylindrically shaped and have three stainless steel electrode bands located around their perimeter. Figure 1
The embodiment shown in 1 comprises a cylindrical member 80 inserted into the vagina to allow a female patient to monitor movements associated with the vaginal muscles. The embodiment shown in FIG. 12 comprises a cylindrical member 81 which is inserted into the anus to monitor the movement of the patient's anal sphincter. Both instruments are made of injection molded plastic and are equipped with a depth gauge 82 that can be positionably adjusted and fixed to the cylindrical member by the therapist.

Another embodiment of a lift training system is shown in FIG. The goniometer 20 is used to measure the waist angle. The temperature sensor 90 is Pa
Tel No. 4,331,161 or Davidso
No. 4,399,824, motion sensor 92 is used in the same manner as that used in odometers used by pedestrians, runners, and sportsmen to detect these temperature sensors and motions. All sensors appear to be well known in the prior art. Temperature sensor 90 and / or motion sensor 92 are also mounted on the belt to indicate when the user wears the belt. Thus, the actual usage of the lift training system is recorded along with the improper lift angle information.

In the lift training system described above for devices and components such as the electromyographic sensor of FIGS. 1-3, the microprocessor 24 is programmed with lift parameters via the compliance computer 38, and therefore exceeds the trigger display 27. Sometimes warn the user.
The compliance computer 38 is used to query the electronic memory when evaluating and tabulating the results of the lift monitoring period.

The output signals of the processing sensors 90 and 92 do not require the converter 26 if the signals are already digital. Further, the processing sensor can be used on the belt shown in FIGS. 1-3.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but should be limited only by the attached claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lift training belt fixed to a user.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lift training belt fixed to a user.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a belt.

FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of a lift training system.

FIG. 5A is a graph of muscle strength versus lift angle versus time for various lift scenarios.

FIG. 5B is a graph of muscle strength versus lift angle versus time for various lift scenarios.

FIG. 5C is a graph of muscle strength vs. lift angle against time for various lift scenarios.

FIG. 5D is a graph of muscle strength vs. lift angle versus time for various lift scenarios.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a lift training system.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the exercise training apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an electrical block diagram of the exercise training system.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a bar graph display automatic range setting technique of this exercise training system.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a casting using an exercise training electrode.

FIG. 11 is a side view of a cylindrical loading assembly for sensing electrodes suitable for insertion in a female vagina.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a cylindrical loading assembly for a sensing electrode suitable for insertion into the human anus.

FIG. 13 is an electrical block diagram of another embodiment of a lift training system.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 belts 12, 14, 16 electrodes 18 Monitoring device 19 pockets 20 Goniometer 22 EMG sensor 24 Controller (microprocessor) 25 electronic memory 26 Analog-to-digital converter 27 Display 28 amplifier 30 band filter 32 Envelope detector 34 Jack 36 interfaces 38 Compliance Computer 40 module inspection area 42 monitor 44 input keyboard 46 Printer 48 Electrode impedance tester 50 bar graph 52 Alarm device 54,56 Light emitting diode 60 housing 72 Start / Stop switch 73 Light emitting diode 74 cotton gauze 75 Casting material 80,81 Cylindrical member 82 depth gauge 90 Temperature sensor 92 Motion sensor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Internal reference number FI Technical indication location A63B 69/00 7040-2C G08B 21/00 7319-5G (72) Inventor William Hatsell United States, Florida 33325 , S. Double You. 139 Avenyu Davy 1701 (72) Inventor Fred Donner Day United States, Florida 33432, S. Double You. Nineth Street Circle # 101 Boca Leighton 990

Claims (32)

[Claims] 1. A body movement monitoring system for monitoring a user's lifting movements, the belt adapted and configured to be fastened to a user's waist circumference and a rectified and averaged muscular force forming signal. At least one electromyographic sensor for transmitting a signal, the sensor being fixed to a belt, when the belt is wound, the electrode is arranged near the lower back of the user, and the muscle force exerted by the lower back during the lifting operation. A body movement monitoring system for monitoring a lifting movement of a user, which comprises at least one electrode for sensing a movement. 2. A goniometer device for measuring a lifting angle about a user's waist as an axis, said goniometer device being fixed to a belt, and when the belt is wound, the goniometer device is arranged near the user's lateral abdomen and lifted The body movement monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the output of the goniometer device coincides with the lifting angle about the waist of the user. 3. The electromyographic sensor is equipped with three electrodes, all of which are fixed to the belt and near the back of the user to sense the muscle force exerted by the lower back of the user during the lifting operation when the belt is wound. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein an electrode is disposed on the body. 4. The control device further receives a muscle force signal from the electromyogram sensor and an output signal from the goniometer device, and evaluates the lifting motion to be determined by the user when the lifting motion exceeds a predetermined standard. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 3. 5. The display device according to claim 4, further comprising a display device connected to the control device, wherein the display device sends a signal to the user according to the condition when the lifting motion of the user exceeds a predetermined standard. Body movement monitoring system. 6. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 5, further comprising a recording device for recording the muscle force signal from the electromyographic sensor, the output signal of the goniometer device and the time of these signals for later reproduction. 7. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the control device comprises a microprocessor and the recording device comprises an electronic memory. 8. A body according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor has an interface connectable to a compliance device for programming predetermined criteria into the electronic memory and interrogating the electronic memory to tabulate a user's lifting performance. Movement monitoring system. 9. The electromyographic sensor muscle force signal and the goniometer device output signal are analog signals which are converted to digital signals by an analog-to-digital converter before being transmitted to the microprocessor. Physical exercise monitoring system. 10. An exercise training system for alerting a user when an exercise begins and recording the intensity of the exercise, which comprises an electromyographic sensor that sends a rectified and averaged signal to form a muscle force signal. Is provided with at least one electrode arranged in the vicinity of the muscle group for displaying the muscle force of the user's muscle group, and a clock for measuring the time interval and a predetermined time interval loaded in the control device are set. It is composed of a control device having an alarm device that warns the user that the exercise period has started as determined by the clock, and the user contracts and relaxes a predetermined muscle group according to the alarm device and is used in the exercise. An exercise training system characterized in that the muscle force is detected by an electromyographic sensor. 11. The exercise training system according to claim 10, further comprising a muscular force signal indicating muscular force from the electromyographic sensor and a recording device for recording time of the muscular force signal. 12. The exercise training system according to claim 11, further comprising a display device that displays a muscle force exerted on a user while contracting a muscle group near the electrodes of the electromyographic sensor. 13. The exercise training system of claim 12, wherein the display device comprises a device capable of displaying a visible bar graph. 14. The alarm device comprises two light emitting devices,
14. The exercise training system of claim 13, wherein the first light emitting device alerts the user to muscle contraction and the second light emitting device alerts to muscle relaxation. 15. The exercise training system according to claim 14, wherein the display device and the alarm device also include a speaker for transmitting an audible signal to the user. 16. The exercise training system according to claim 15, wherein the control device is a microprocessor and the recording device is an electronic memory. 17. The exercise training system of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor has an interface connectable with a compliance device for expressing the exercise of the user by programming the exercise parameters into the electronic memory and interrogating the electronic memory. 18. The exercise training system according to claim 17, wherein the electromyographic recording signal of the electromyographic sensor is an analog signal, but is converted into a digital signal by an analog-digital converter before being transmitted to the microprocessor. . 19. The exercise training system of claim 12, wherein the electromyographic sensor comprises three electrodes. 20. The exercise training system of claim 19, wherein the three electrodes of the electromyographic sensor are fixed to a strap wrapped by the user and the electrodes are located near the muscle groups. 21. The exercise training system of claim 20, wherein the packaging material is gauze laid in a layer of casting material to form a casting. 22. The athletic training system of claim 21, wherein the controller, recorder, and indicator are located in a housing adapted and configured to fit a layer of casting material forming a casting. 23. The three electrodes are fixed to a cylindrical member adapted and configured to be inserted into a natural body cavity formed by a user to measure muscle force that causes muscles to contract in the natural body cavity. Exercise training system described in. 24. A body movement monitoring system for monitoring a user's lifting movement, the belt device adapted and configured to be fastened to a user's waist circumference, and the lifting angle of the user's back being measured. And a goniometer device that outputs an output signal and is attached to the belt to measure the horizontal angle. 25. The body movement monitoring system of claim 24, further comprising a controller that receives the output signal from the goniometer and evaluates the lifting movement of the user to determine if the lifting movement exceeds a predetermined criterion. . 26. A display device further connected to the control device, wherein when the user's lifting motion exceeds a predetermined reference, the display device sends a signal to the user according to this state. Item 26. The physical activity monitoring system according to Item 25. 27. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 26, further comprising a recording device for recording the time of the output signal of the goniometer and the output signal of the subsequent reproduction. 28. The body movement monitoring system according to claim 27, wherein the control device comprises a microprocessor and the recording device comprises an electronic memory. 29. The body movement monitoring system of claim 28, wherein the microprocessor has an interface that can be connected to a compliance device for tabulating the user's lifting performance by querying the electronic memory. 30. The body movement monitoring system of claim 29, further comprising a processing sensor to detect if the belt has been wound on a user. 31. The body movement monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the processing sensor comprises a movement sensor. 32. The body movement monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the processing sensor comprises a temperature sensor.