JPH0696031B2 - Medical cane - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical cane used for rehabilitation of gait of surgical patients and patients with neurological diseases.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a cane has been used for rehabilitation for the purpose of recovering the walking function of a surgical patient who has had a fracture or an artificial joint implantation operation, or a patient with a neurological disease having a disuse syndrome. By using a cane, surgical patients perform gait training while reducing the load applied to the site being treated during walking, and gradually reduce the load on the cane according to the recovery of the site being treated, Allow walking without a cane. Also,
In the case of patients with neurological disorders, rehabilitation using a cane is to increase the walking distance using the cane, and the first goal is to be able to change direction and climb stairs using the cane. In the end, depending on the medical condition, I will be able to walk daily without a cane.

In the rehabilitation of a walking motion using such a cane, if it is possible to quantitatively grasp what kind of load is applied to the cane, the rehabilitation can be appropriately and systematically performed. From this point of view, JP-A-56-151046
The publication discloses a medical cane capable of displaying the amount of load received by the cane head and the number of times of load. In addition, JP-A-2-
Japanese Patent No. 503274 discloses a monitor device in which a measuring device for measuring a load force and a momentum is attached to a body of a subject or a cane used by the subject, and a measurement value of the measuring device is analyzed and displayed by an electronic unit. Is disclosed.

[0004]

In the rehabilitation of walking motion using the above-described walking stick, the three-direction components of the Cartesian coordinates of the load applied to the walking stick are recorded for each step, and the walking stick is based on this recording. It is necessary to adjust the force applied to
Particularly in the direction change and the rehabilitation of climbing up and down stairs for a patient with a neurological disease, it is required to strictly grasp the force applied to the cane in each coordinate axis direction and adjust the force applied to the cane. With the medical cane disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-151046, since the force applied to the cane head in the longitudinal axis direction of the cane is only displayed, the load in the three orthogonal directions is right at that time. It cannot be obtained unless the inclination of the cane is stored and calculated by the triangular function. In addition, JP-A-2-50327
The monitor device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4 is mainly used by being attached to the body of a subject, and is intended to detect the pressure load of that part. Therefore, the disclosed technique cannot be applied to a cane to obtain loads in three directions in rectangular coordinates applied to the cane.

The present invention has been made in view of the current state of the art relating to the medical cane as described above, and its purpose is to detect loads in three directions of Cartesian coordinates applied to the cane and inclination of the cane to detect the load. It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical cane with which it is possible to compare and examine the detected value and the inclination of the cane with a preset target value.

[0006]

The object is to detachably attach to a wand that is operated to assist a walking motion, and the force applied in the axial direction of the wand by the operation and the shaft. A load sensor that detects a force applied in two directions orthogonal to the core in a plane perpendicular to the core and outputs a detection signal for each, and an angle signal that is attached to the walking stick and detects the inclination of the walking stick. It is achieved by providing a directional sensor for outputting and a notification signal generating means for comparing the detection signal and the angle signal with a preset target value and outputting a notification signal. Further, by providing a memory for storing the detection signal with time in this configuration, the above object can be achieved more effectively.

[0007]

With this structure, the load sensor detachably attached to the cane rod is orthogonal to the force applied in the axial direction of the cane rod by operating the cane in a plane perpendicular to the axial center. The force applied in two directions is detected, and the direction sensor attached to the wand detects the tilt of the wand and outputs an angle signal. In addition, the notification signal generating means compares the detection signal of the load sensor and the angle signal of the direction sensor with a preset reference value, and outputs a notification signal of approval / disapproval based on the comparison result. Further, in the configuration in which the memory is provided, the detection signal of the weight sensor and the angle signal of the direction sensor are stored in the memory over time in addition to the above-described operation.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the embodiment, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the panel structure of the arithmetic unit of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the structure around the sensor of the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an example sensor, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a detection operation of the sensor of the example, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an output circuit of the sensor of the example, and FIG. 7 is a direction setting in the direction sensor of the example. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the direction sensor of the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, a direction sensor 41 is attached to the upper portion of the wand rod 1, a sensor 2 is attached to the tip end of the wand rod 1, and the sensor 2 is connected to a computing unit 4 via a preamplifier 3. This arithmetic unit 4 has a small and lightweight structure in which a subject using the wand rod 1 can hang it on his shoulder and carry it. The arithmetic unit 4 connects the input terminal of the comparison circuit 6 and the input terminal of the input circuit 7 to the signal processing circuit 5 and the target value setting circuit 8, respectively, and the output terminal of the comparison circuit 6 via the switch 7. The configuration is such that it is connected to the input terminal of the power amplifier circuit 9, the sound source oscillation circuit 10 is connected to the power amplifier circuit 9 via the switch 7, and the selection circuit 11 is connected to the signal processing circuit 5. A battery 12 is supplied with power from a power supply generation circuit 14 connected to a power switch 13 to the arithmetic unit 4, and a memory 15 can be connected to the signal processing circuit 5. There is.

As shown in FIG. 3, an attachment 25 is fixed to the tip of the wand 1, and a sensor shaft 26 integrally projects from the bottom surface of the attachment 25. Strain gauge 27 on the surface
Is a coordinate axis (X-axis and Y-axis) perpendicular to the axis of the sensor shaft 26.
2) are attached to each coordinate axis around the axis. The sensor shaft 26 is inserted into a tubular holder 28 via a flange bush 31, and the sensor plate 30 is fixedly held by the holder 28 and the tubular holder 29.
The protrusion 3 is formed on the surface of the sensor plate 30 facing the sensor shaft 26.
2 is provided, a strain gauge 33 is attached to the surface of the sensor plate 30 on the side opposite to the protrusion 32, centering on the axis (Z axis) of the sensor shaft 26, and the holder 29 has a rubber cap 34. Is fixed. Therefore, when the subject walks using the cane with the rubber cap 34 attached to the ground, the Z-axis component of the force applied to the cane rod 1 causes the sensor shaft 26 to move.
Slides along the flange bush 31 and a force in the Z-axis direction is applied to the protrusion 32. This force causes the strain gauge 3
3 is distorted as shown in FIG. 5, and the electric resistance of each strain gauge 33 incorporated in the bridge circuit is changed as shown in FIG. In this way, an electric signal corresponding to the Z-axis direction force applied to the wand 1 is transmitted to the bridge circuit 3
5 is output.

On the other hand, the forces applied in the X-axis and Y-axis directions to the wand 1 are also measured by the strain gauges 27 attached to the sensor shaft 26 in the same manner as the Z-axis forces described above. The bridge circuit corresponding to is configured,
Electrical signals corresponding to the forces in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction applied to the stick 1 are output from these bridge circuits.

The direction sensor 41 attached to the upper part of the stick 1 is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the stick 1 and the magnet pendulum 40 which can be three-dimensionally swung as shown in FIG. When the wand 1 is tilted from a position perpendicular to the ground as shown in FIG. 7, the wand 1 from the direction sensor 41 is directed to the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis of the rectangular coordinates. The angle signals corresponding to the angles θ, φ, ψ of are output. Then, in the walking training performed using the canes of the same length, the angles θ, φ, ψ of the cane rods 1 that are set are constant, and the directions of the cane rods 1 are actually determined by the angles ψ, θ. To be done.

As shown in FIG. 8, the direction sensor 41 includes a magnet pendulum 40 that swings due to an angle change of the wand 1, and a magnetoresistive element 42 arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the wand 1. ,
It is housed in a case, and oil is sealed in the case to enable smooth angle detection. When the magnet pendulum 40 swings in this case, the electric resistance of the magnetoresistive element 42 changes, and this change in electric resistance is taken out from the output terminal 43 as an angle signal.

The angle signal is amplified by the amplifier section, recorded in the memory coder together with the load signal, and at the same time, taken in and stored in the computer through the AD conversion board. These measured values can be
5 Hz, 3 Hz, 2 Hz, 1 Hz low-pass filter is applied and output to the printer. The angle signal output in the X-axis direction is zero when the long axis of the cane is perpendicular to the floor, and the angle is positive when the tip of the cane is swung out in the sagittal plane. The angle signal output in the Y direction is zero when the long axis of the cane is perpendicular to the floor, and the angle is positive when the tip of the cane is swung inward and outward in the frontal plane, and the maximum angle signal is measured. The angle is ± 50 degrees.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the panel of the arithmetic unit 4, a power switch 13, an operation switch 11S of a selection circuit 11, a warning sound and an appropriate sound changeover switch 1 are provided.
6 and a zero adjustment button 17, a panel meter 18 and a tilt indicator 40 are provided on the front of the panel, and a range setting button 19, a speaker 20 and a battery check 21 are provided above and below the panel meter 18 and the tilt indicator 40, respectively.

In the configuration described above, the direction sensor 41 has a function of outputting angle signals corresponding to the angles θ, φ, ψ of the stick 1 with respect to the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis as described above. As described above, the sensor 2 also has a function of outputting, as a detection signal, an electric signal corresponding to the force applied to the stick 1 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and the preamplifier amplifies the angle signal and the detection signal. The signal processing circuit 5 has a function of
It has a low-pass filter of 0 Hz and a RAM, and has a function of amplifying the angle signal and the detection signal, shaping the waveform, and storing them in the RAM. Further, the target value setting circuit 8 has an X-axis,
The comparator circuit 6 has a function of setting a target value for the detection signals in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions and a target value for the angle signals related to the angles θ, φ, ψ, and the comparison circuit 6 sets the angle signal and the detection signal as the target values. The input circuit 7 has a function of comparing, and the input circuit 7 has a function of displaying a detection signal on the panel meter 18 and an angle signal on the tilt display 40. Further, the selection circuit 11 operates the operation switch 11S to detect the X-axis direction detection signal, the Y-axis direction detection signal, and the Z-axis direction detection signal, and the angles θ and φ.
The power switch 13 has a function of turning on / off the power to the computing unit 4, and the changeover switch 16 has a function of selecting an angle signal related to ψ. The function is generated from the speaker 20 via the. And the memory 15 is
The signal processing circuit 5 has a function of storing the data of the detection signal and the angle signal stored in the RAM, and the battery 12 and the DC power generation circuit 14 have a function of supplying power to the computing unit 4, and the battery check 21 Has a function of displaying the replacement time of the battery 12, the zero adjustment button 17 has a function of zero adjustment of the panel meter 18, and the threshold value setting button 1
Reference numeral 9 has a function of switching the display range of the panel meter 18.

Next, the operation of the embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

In consideration of the present medical condition and the degree of recovery of the subject in advance, the allowable value of the force that the subject may apply in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction of the stick 1. , Desired target angles θ, φ, ψ in the present state of the subject are determined, and these allowable values and target angles are set in the target value setting circuit 8. In this state, the power switch 13 is turned on, and the changeover switch 16 is changed over to either the warning sound side or the proper sound side. When the changeover switch 16 is switched to the warning sound side, when the force applied to the wand rod 1 exceeds an allowable value, or when the deviation of the angle of the wand rod 1 from the target angle exceeds a predetermined value, a warning sound is output from the speaker 20. When the sound is generated and switched to the proper sound side, the proper sound is emitted until the force applied to the stick 1 exceeds the allowable value or the deviation of the angle of the stick 1 from the target angle exceeds a predetermined value.
It occurs from 0, but here it is switched to the warning sound side. Then, when the range value setting button 19 is used to set the range of the panel meter 18 and the zero adjustment button 17 is used to perform zero adjustment, the state becomes measurable.

For example, when checking the applied force in the Z-axis direction of the cane rod 1, the examinee starts walking using the cane with the operation switch 11S switched to the Z-axis side. The sensor shaft 26 slides along the flange bush 31 due to the force in the Z-axis direction applied to the stick 1 as the subject walks, and the force in the Z-axis direction is applied to the protrusion 32. As a result, the strain gauges 33 are distorted, the electrical resistance of each strain gauge 33 incorporated in the bridge circuit changes, and an electrical signal corresponding to the force in the Z axis direction applied to the wand 1 is output from the bridge circuit 35 as a detection signal. Is output. This detection signal is compared with the allowable value in the Z-axis direction set in the target value setting circuit 8. If it is within the allowable value, no warning sound is emitted from the speaker 20, but if it exceeds the allowable value, the alarm sound is emitted from the speaker 20. Occurs. Therefore, the subject performs walking training while adjusting the force applied to the cane so that the warning sound is not generated.

When it becomes possible to walk without making a warning sound without paying particular attention to the predetermined tolerance value, the tolerance value at the next stage is set in the target value setting circuit 8 and a new permission value is set. Rehabilitation of walking is performed according to the value, and rehabilitation of walking motion is performed at each stage until the final target value is reached one after another. In this way, surgical patients who have had fractures or surgery for implanting artificial joints must rehabilitate until they can walk without using a cane and, in the case of patients with neurological disorders, use a cane. The walking distance is extended and the direction can be changed and the stairs can be climbed up and down by using a cane. Depending on the medical condition, rehabilitation can be performed until the patient can walk without a cane.

The rehabilitation for checking the force applied to the wand 1 in the Z-axis direction has been described above, but the same applies to the force applied in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by operating the operation switch 11S. In this way, it is possible to check the preset allowable value. In particular, when a patient with a neurological disorder is to perform rehabilitation of a walking motion that enables direction change and climbing and descending stairs using a cane, it is extremely important to check the force in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. It has been confirmed by the inventors' actual measurement that it has meaning.

When the angle of the cane is checked, the operating switch 11S is operated to switch the angles θ, φ, ψ to the angles to be checked, and the alarm sound is output from the speaker 20 using the cane. Performs walking motion so that does not appear.
In this case, when the deviation of any one of the angles θ, φ, ψ from the target angle exceeds a predetermined value, a warning sound is emitted from the speaker 20, so when the warning sound is emitted, the angle of the cane is adjusted. And adjust the angle so that the warning sound stops.

When the memory 15 is attached during operation, the data of the detection signals in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction during operation and the angle data regarding the angles θ, φ, ψ are stored in the memory 15. Since all and are stored, by analyzing the data stored in the memory 15 after rehabilitation, information that should be paid special attention in setting the allowable value and target angle in the next step and rehabilitation of walking can be obtained, and the subsequent rehabilitation Can be performed more accurately. Also, the subject can listen to the warning sound by using an earphone (not shown) instead of the speaker 20.

As described above, according to the embodiment, when a walking training using a cane is performed on a subject such as a surgical patient or a neurological disease patient, the cane bar 1 is in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. And Z
Set the allowable value of the force applied in the axial direction and the target value for the angles θ, φ, ψ, and operate the cane with the force and the target angle within each allowable value so that the final target walking can be performed. By performing the rehabilitation in 1), it becomes possible to steadily and efficiently perform the rehabilitation while achieving the target stepwise. In this case, as long as the sticks 1 of the same length are used, the angles θ, φ, ψ
The target value for is constant, and the target value is actually set by the angles ψ and θ.

[0025]

As described above, in the present invention, the force applied to the load sensor in the axial direction of the wand and the force applied in two directions orthogonal to each other in the plane perpendicular to the axial center. Is detected and the detection signal is output, the direction sensor detects the tilt of the wand and outputs an angle signal, and the notification signal generator compares the detection signal and the angle signal with a preset target value. , The force applied to the cane in three directions, that is, the axial direction and the two directions orthogonal to each other in the plane perpendicular to the axial center, and the inclination of the cane are compared with preset target values. However, it becomes possible to accurately and efficiently perform rehabilitation of walking by using a cane while knowing the possibility of that by a notification signal.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a panel configuration of an arithmetic unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration around a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a detection operation of the sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an output circuit of the sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of direction setting by the direction sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a direction sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Walking Stick 2 Sensor 3 Preamplifier 4 Operation Unit 5 Signal Processing Circuit 6 Comparison Circuit 7 Input Circuit 8 Target Value Setting Circuit 9 Power Amplifier Circuit 10 Power Oscillation Circuit 11 Selection Circuit 11S Operation Switch 12 Battery 13 Power Switch 14 DC Power Generation Circuit 15 memory 16 changeover switch 17 zero adjustment button 18 panel meter 19 threshold value setting button 20 speaker 25 attachment 26 sensor shaft 27 strain gauge 28, 29 holder 30 sensor plate 32 protrusion 33 strain gauge 34 rubber cap 40 tilt indicator

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A force, which is detachably attached to a wand rod operated to assist a walking motion, and is orthogonal to a force applied in the axial direction of the wand rod by the operation in a plane perpendicular to the axial center. And a load sensor that detects a force applied in two directions and outputs respective detection signals, and is attached to the wand.
A direction sensor that detects an inclination of the wand and outputs an angle signal; and a notification signal generation unit that compares the detection signal and the angle signal with a preset target value and outputs a notification signal. A medical cane. 2. The medical walking stick according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing the detection signal with time.