Automatic device for optimized muscular stimulation |
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申请号 | EP00830072.5 | 申请日 | 2000-01-31 | 公开(公告)号 | EP1121956A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2001-08-08 |
申请人 | Bosco, Carmelo; | 发明人 | Bosco, Carmelo; | ||||
摘要 | The invention relates to an automatic device for optimised muscular stimulation, the stimulation providing periodical contractions with constant frequency of one or more muscles of a user, the device comprising a central electronic unit (1), connected to a memory unit (2), to one or more muscular electrical activity detectors (4), each one applied on a corresponding muscle of the user to be subjected to stimulation, and to muscular stimulation means (5) actuated by the central unit (1), the central unit (1) managing and controlling the automatic device, processing the data coming from the detectors (4) in such a way to determine, within a range included between a lower limit frequency and an upper limit frequency, an optimum frequency of the periodical contractions in correspondence of which the sum of the amplitude of the signals provided by the detectors (4) from the corresponding muscles of the user as a response to the stimulation is the maximum one, the central unit (1) setting the muscular stimulation means (5) in such a way to produce periodical contractions of the muscle to be stimulated at the determined optimum frequency. | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | The present invention relates to an automatic device for optimised mechanical muscular stimulation andlor stressing. More specifically, the invention concerns a device of the above kind, the stimulation of which, preferably mechanically produced, provides constant frequency periodical contractions of a muscle of a user, providing the preliminary detection of the frequencies of the periodical contractions corresponding to the best electromyographycal response for the muscle to be stimulated, and a following stimulation of the same muscle at the optimum frequency sensed, the device being highly reliable and efficient. It is known that when a muscle is stimulated by application of mechanical vibrations, it contracts in a reflex way very similarly to what happens when the muscle is operated by voluntary contractions, e.g. during the execution of physical works. Particularly, varying the frequency of the mechanical vibrations, it is possible to make selectively working fast or slow muscular fibres. Recently, many mechanical devices for the muscular stimulation have been developed, such as a board, for the leg muscles, or a vibrator, for the arm muscles. Said devices are useful for training of agonistic level athletes, since they allow to obtain the same results of the standard physical exercises within the gymnasium in a shorter time, to obtain a good muscular tono by few application minutes at home, and for physical therapy uses aimed to the maintenance of the muscular tone or to the functional recover of the muscles, for example during or after immobilisation periods due to fractures or surgical intervention. However, present mechanical muscular stimulation devices has some drawbacks. Main drawback is represented by the fact that the mechanical vibration frequency, that can be manually set, is not optimised either for the specific fibres of a determined muscle of the specific user and for the whole body. In fact, specific fibres of any muscle of any single user has a response to the micro - vibrations variable while varying the frequency of the applied vibration. Particularly, it can be individuated a frequency range, which can be defined "activity range", within which specific fibres of the particular muscle respond to the stimulations and, within said range, it can be determined an optimum mechanical frequency in correspondence of which said response is the maximum one. In case the set frequency is different with respect to the optimum one, the work of the interested muscle is not efficient for its toning up and, in case frequency set is not included within the activity range, muscular work is completely null. In some cases, the wrong set of the vibration frequency could even produce harmful results. Similar drawbacks are present in electrical muscle stimulation devices, the frequency off the electrical signal of which, applied to the specific muscle, is not optimised. In this situation, it is suggested the solution according to the present invention, allowing to solve all the above mentioned drawbacks. Therefor, the object of the present invention is that of providing a preferably mechanical device, which is reliable, efficient and simple to be used, for the muscular stimulation, able to determine in an automatic way the optimum periodic stimulated contraction frequency for which the specific fibres of the particular interested muscle have the maximum, not only muscular, but also generally speaking biological, response. Still an object of the present invention is that of providing such a device for the muscular electro-stimulation, able to automatically determine the optimum frequency of the electronic signal to be applied at the particular interested muscle in such a way to stimulate periodic contractions with an optimum frequency. It is therefore specific object of the present invention an automatic device for optimised muscular stimulation, the stimulation providing periodical contractions with constant frequency of one or more muscles of a user, the device comprising a central electronic unit, connected to a memory unit, to one or more muscular electrical activity detectors, each one applied on a corresponding muscle of the user to be subjected to stimulation, and to muscular stimulation means actuated by the central unit, the central unit managing and controlling the automatic device, processing the data coming from the detectors in such a way to determine, within a range included between a lower limit frequency and an upper limit frequency, an optimum frequency of the periodical contractions in correspondence of which the sum of the amplitude of the signals provided by the detectors from the corresponding muscles of the user as a response to the stimulation is the maximum one, the central unit setting the muscular stimulation means in such a way to produce periodical contractions of the muscle to be stimulated at the determined optimum frequency. Preferably, according to the invention, the lower limit frequency is 1 Hz and/or the upper limit frequency is 1000 Hz. Still preferably, according to the invention, muscular stimulation means are mechanical means. Always according to the invention, the mechanical means can provide a support structure on which a jumpy board is placed, on which the user is placed, comprising a metallic plate at which at least engine is coupled having an eccentric mass, able to produce the vibration of the plate, piloted by an electronic device comprising an inverter connected to a potentiometer adjusting the vibration frequency, the central unit setting said vibration frequency. Furthermore according to the invention, the mechanical means can provide a support structure on which a tilting board is placed. Still according to the invention, the muscular stimulation means can be electrical means. Further, according to the invention, the detector can comprise medical electrodes, amplified in situ, an insulation amplifier and a signal converter providing at the outlet a digital signal read by the central unit. Always according to the invention, each one of said one or more detectors can comprise medical electrodes, amplified in situ, an insulation amplifier and a signal converter providing at the outlet a digital signal read by the central unit. Furthermore, according to the invention, the central unit can follow a determination method of the optimum frequency comprising the phases of:
Still according to the invention, consecutive repetition frequencies can have each other a constant difference. Furthermore, according to the invention, the consecutive repetition frequencies can have a difference variable and increasing as a function of the absolute value of the frequency of the preceding repetition. Still according to the invention, the central unit can perform a determination method of the optimum frequency, comprising the phases of:
Preferably, according to the invention, for the first iteration, the first lower frequency coincides with the lower limit frequency and/or the second upper frequency, with the upper limit frequency. Still preferably according to the invention, for each iteration i following to the first one, the range between the first lower frequency and the second upper frequency comprises the best frequency individuated at the preceding iteration as intermediate frequency. Furthermore, according to the invention, the automatic device can also comprise an inlet/outlet interface, preferably comprising a display. Always according to the invention, the central unit can visualise on the display signals detected by detectors and the value of the optimum frequency individuated. Still according to the invention, the device can provide, by the interface, the manual setting selection of the periodical contractions of the muscle. Furthermore, according to the invention, the interface can be provided with reading and/writing devices for memory movable supports. The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:
In the following explicit reference will be made for illustrative but not limitative purposes to an embodiment of the device according to the invention the stimulation means of which are mechanical means. However, it must be noted that other embodiments of the device according to the present invention can provide that the muscular stimulation means are electrical or electromechanical means, always remaining within the scope of the present invention. Making reference to figure 1, it can be noted that the preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention comprises a central electronic unit 1, connected to a memory unit 2 and to an inlet/outlet interface 3. Central unit 1 is also connected to a detector 4 of muscular electric activity and to mechanical stimulation mechanical means 5. Detector 4 comprises medical electrodes 6, amplified in situ, an insulation amplifier and a signal converter providing at the outlet a digital signal read by the central unit 1. Mechanical means 5 provides, in the preferred embodiment, for the stimulation of the leg muscles, a support structure on which a jumpy board is placed, on which the used is placed, comprising a metallic plate, rest on rubber shims allowing its vibration. Two engines are coupled with the plate, having eccentric masses, able to produce the vibration of the plate, piloted by an electronic device comprising an inverter connected to a potentiometer adjusting the vibration frequency, the central unit setting said vibration frequency. Particularly, central unit 1 sets said vibration frequency. Support structure can provide a rod or handle for the user. As it known, the vibration mechanical frequency of the mechanical means 5 of the stimulation coincides with the frequency of the periodical contractions of the muscle induced by the stimulation. Central unit 1 manages and controls all the components of the automatic device, processing data coming form detector 4 in such a way to determine within said range included between a lower limit frequency, preferably equal to 1 Hz, and an upper limit frequency, preferably 1000 Hz, the optimum vibration frequency of the tilting board in correspondence of which the specific muscle has the maximum response to the stimulation and consequently setting vibration frequency of the mechanical means 5. In a first embodiment of the device according to the invention, it is provided a method for the determination of the optimum frequency comprising the phases of:
Preferably, frequencies of consecutive repetitions during the data acquisition has a constant difference each other; however, it can be provided also a variable and increasing difference in function of the absolute value of the frequency of the preceding repetition. Once determined the optimum frequency, it can be started the muscular stimulation phase, during which the central unit 1 activates vibration of mechanical means 5 with said optimum frequency for a time established before or selectable by the user by interface 3. For exemplificative purposes, figure 2 and 3 show the time run of signal detected by detector 4, during the execution of the described method for the individuation of the optimum frequency, during which medical electrodes are respectively applied to the lateral crureus muscle and to the front tibialis muscle of an user. Particularly, number of repetitions provided is 6 (N=6) and duration of the constant vibration frequency of the mechanical means 5 is 10 seconds (Δt=10). Vibration frequencies of the six repetitions are 22.5 Hz, 25 Hz, 27.5 Hz, 30 Hz, 32.5 Hz and 35 Hz, respectively. It is evident from the above figures that optimum frequency (frequency at which average of amplitude has maximum value) for the lateral muscle is the fourth one, i.e. 30 Hz, while for the front tibialis muscle is the third one , i.e. 27.5 Hz. Particularly, lower limit frequency and upper limit frequency could be variable in function of the specific fibres of the particular muscle to be stimulated, and settable by the interface 3. A second preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention provides that the method for the individuation of the optimum frequency, comprising the following phases:
In other words, method described in the above determines optimum frequency individuating, by a progressively better resolution, the vibration frequency for which the specific muscle has the maximum response. Said method is faster with the cost of a slightly higher processing load. Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention provide visualisation by the interface 3 that can comprise a display for signal detected by detector 4 and of the value of the optimum frequency individuated. Other preferred embodiments can provide that the user can select manual setting of the vibration frequency by interface 3. Further preferred embodiments can provide that values of optimum frequencies corresponding to the various muscles of a same user are memorised on memory movable supports, such as cards of magnetic and/or optical discs, by interface 3, to be then read by interface, avoiding further executions of the method for the determination of the optimum frequency. Eventually, optimum frequencies corresponding to an user can be memorised within memory unit 2 and recalled by association, and insertion by interface 3, of an identification code of the user. Other embodiments can provide that muscular stimulation mechanical means provide a oscillating, rather than jumpy, board, or vibrating means. Still, further preferred embodiment can provide more than one muscular electrical activity detector, each one applied to one muscle of the user, to stimulate different muscles at the same time. For example, different muscles of a leg can be stimulated inducing contractions at the frequency for which the whole of the responses from the muscles on which are applied the detectors is bigger. In this case, interface 3 can visualise on display all the signals detected by the detector. Said embodiments can be used for diagnostic uses. For example, detectors can be applied on homologous muscles of the two upper limbs or of the two lower limbs. During the execution of the method for the determination of the optimum frequency, in case that one of the two limbs has been subjected to surgical intervention, and thus a mechanical insult has been made on the biological tissue (for example muscles and/or chorda and/or capsule and/or ligaments), response detected for the limb subjected to a surgical intervention is different with respect to the laudable one. Amount of the response difference of the two limbs indicates the amount of the difference of response of propioceptors ad, thus, amount of damage received from the person at the limb subjected to surgical intervention. The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims. |