JP2011024911A - Leg training device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the ability to maintain a standing posture.
SOLUTION: A user has a footrest surface on which both feet are placed and functional electric stimulation is applied to the lower limbs of the user standing on the footrest surface so that the user's feet on the footrest surface can be improved. Stimulation means for changing the position of the center of gravity and control means for controlling the operation of the stimulation means are provided.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a lower limb training apparatus that can improve the maintenance power of a user's standing posture.

  When standing or walking, the posture is adjusted by the contact pressure of the soles and the posture information feedback from the semicircular canal, but if this function is reduced, it will be staggered or fallen. Therefore, it is important to prevent the deterioration of the function and enhance the function by training the ability to detect that the position of the center of gravity has shifted and the posture adjustment ability to return the shifted position of the center of gravity.

  On the other hand, paying attention to the ground pressure information on the sole and giving the skin pressure information by vibration to the user's sole from the outside in addition to the ground pressure information, pay attention to the ground pressure information of the part that gave the skin stimulus information. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-133707 discloses an improvement in balance sensation based on a sense of contact by arousing and performing posture adjustment.

JP 2007-268012 A

  However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 changes the part where the skin stimulation information gives the skin stimulation information on the sole regardless of the actual posture of the user, and the center of gravity where the stimulation is felt. In order to increase the ability to detect the shift of the center of gravity position and the ability to adjust the posture to return the shifted center of gravity position. Can not get valid results.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, Comprising: It aims at providing the leg training apparatus which can aim at the capability improvement of a standing posture maintenance.

  The present invention includes a footrest surface on which a user stands on both feet and adds functional electrical stimulation to the user's lower limb standing on the footrest surface to allow the user on the footrest surface. The present invention is characterized in that it includes stimulation means for changing the position of the center of gravity and control means for controlling the operation of the stimulation means.

  The center of gravity position detecting means for detecting the position of the center of gravity of the user standing on the footrest surface is provided, and the control means is configured to detect a stimulus applied to the user by the stimulation means according to the output of the center of gravity position detecting means. If the strength is adjusted, it is possible to prevent a situation where the center of gravity moves too much.

  The center of gravity position detecting means for detecting the position of the center of gravity of the user standing on the footrest surface is provided, and the control means determines the stimulation means to be operated next in accordance with the output of the center of gravity position detecting means. Also good. The center-of-gravity movement can be increased by applying functional electrical stimulation so that the center-of-gravity movement occurs from the current center-of-gravity position to a place that is symmetric with respect to the center of gravity without stimulation (reference center-of-gravity).

  A center-of-gravity position detection unit that detects the position of the center of gravity of the user standing on the footrest surface and a center-of-gravity position display unit that displays the detected center-of-gravity position may be provided. For the user, it is possible to clearly recognize the movement of the center of gravity accompanying the stimulus and the operation of adjusting the position of the center of gravity for the movement of the center of gravity.

  The stimulation means is preferably one that selectively applies stimulation to each toe side and each heel side of the left and right feet, from the viewpoint that the center of gravity can be moved back and forth and left and right.

  Further, it is provided with a stimulating means for stimulating a user's sole that is placed on the footrest surface and stands on the footrest surface, and a stimulus means that is attached to the lower leg of the user's leg. It is also preferable.

  In the present invention, the functional electrical stimulation applied to the user's foot by the stimulation means trains the user's lower limb, and the functional electrical stimulation is provided to the user in the standing posture. The movement of the user's center of gravity caused by the addition will induce the user to move against this, improving the user's ability to adjust the posture and detect the deviation of the position of the center of gravity. It is something that can be done.

It is a block diagram in an example of an embodiment of the invention. The footrest is shown in the same figure, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. (a) is explanatory drawing of an example of an operation | movement same as the above, (b) is a time chart. (a) is explanatory drawing of the other example of operation | movement same as the above, (b) is a time chart. In other examples, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a rear view of the lower leg with the stimulating means attached, and (c) is a front view of the lower leg with the stimulating means attached. .

  Describing the present invention in detail based on an embodiment, FIG. 2 shows a lower limb training apparatus 1 according to the present invention. The lower limb training apparatus 1 in the illustrated example, which has a flat upper surface and is sized so that the user can stand on both feet, includes load sensors S1 to S4 at the four corners that contact the floor. These load sensors S1 to S4 constitute a center-of-gravity sway meter, and four functional electrical stimuli are applied to the user's sole on the footrest surface 10 with which the user's sole on the upper surface contacts. Stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 are provided. Each stimulation means L 1, L 2, R 1, R 2 is formed by a pair of electrodes, and a pulse wave is applied by the control means 2. Here, the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, and R2 are arranged to provide functional electrical stimulation to four locations on the left toe side, the left toe side, the right toe side, and the right toe side.

  In addition, the footrest surface 10 is provided with a foot shape indicating a position where both feet are placed, and this foot shape is provided so that the toe side is opened with an angle α (for example, 20 °).

  The center-of-gravity detecting means 3 in FIG. 1 is composed of the load sensors S1 to S4, and the center-of-gravity position calculating means 4 is based on the output of the center-of-gravity detecting means 3 and the coordinates of the load sensors S1 to S4. The center of gravity of the user standing on the top is calculated. That is, when the coordinates of the load sensors S1 to S4 and the detected load are (Sx1, Sy1, Sw1), (Sx2, Sy2, Sw2), (Sx3, Sy3, Sw3), (Sx4, Sy4, Sw4), If the user's center of gravity position Gw (Gwx, Gwy) at an arbitrary point in time is Sw1 + Sw2 + Sw3 + Sw4 = W,

Calculate with

  In FIG. 1, 5 is a gravity center position display means including a liquid crystal display for displaying the calculated gravity center position, 6 is an alarm notification means for notifying the alarm when the calculated gravity center position exceeds a predetermined threshold value from the reference gravity center position, 7 Is a storage unit that stores the order in which the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, and R2 are operated, the stimulation intensity, and the threshold value.

  The pulse wave applied by the control means 2 to the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 has a pulse width of about 0.2 ms and a voltage of about 17 to 42 V, for example, and has a predetermined frequency of 0.3 Hz to 50 Hz. It is assumed that the voltage is applied continuously several times at intervals or at random.

  An example of the functional electrical stimulation given to the user's sole by the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 is shown in FIG. Here, stimulation is given at intervals of 1 to 1.5 seconds in the order of the left toe side (L1), the right toe side (R2), the left toe side (L2), and the right toe side (R1). As shown in FIG. 4, a pulse wave is simultaneously applied to the left toe side (L1) and the right toe side (R1), and then a pulse wave is simultaneously applied to the left toe side (L2) and the right toe side (R2). You may make it do.

  Here, the leg of the user to whom the functional electrical stimulation is given by the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 causes muscle contraction, and the user standing on the lower limb training apparatus 1 determines which stimulation means L1 , L2, R1, and R2, the position of the center of gravity on the lower limb training apparatus 1 is moved back and forth or left and right depending on which muscle contracts when functional electrical stimulation is applied. In addition, the muscles are further worked to maintain the standing posture against the movement of the center of gravity.

  In other words, when functional electrical stimulation moves the muscle and the user's center of gravity moves due to this movement, the user reflexively moves the muscle in an attempt to maintain a standing posture. Can improve the ability to detect the shift of the center of gravity position and the ability to adjust the posture to return the shifted center of gravity position.

  Further, if the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, and R2 for applying the pulse wave are sequentially switched as described above, the direction of the center of gravity movement due to the functional electrical stimulation also changes sequentially, so that it moves against the center of gravity movement. The muscles to be changed will also change sequentially, and all the muscles necessary for maintaining the standing posture can be trained.

  By the way, since the intensity of functional electrical stimulation varies among individuals depending on the thickness of the skin, the site, etc., even if the same pulse wave is applied to each stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2, the response varies depending on the individual. However, the response varies depending on which part is stimulated. For this point, if the sole sense can be measured in advance using the 2-point separation method or the wire method, the wire method uses the distance ratio between the two points as the strength ratio. Then, it is only necessary to set the intensity by using the value obtained by converting the sense to the load as the ratio of the intensity, and the intensity setting of each stimulation part is, for example, a ratio based on the sole sense of the sole of the right footpad, Set the strength.

  In addition, by gradually changing the stimulation intensity at each part and operating the switch when the user feels the same intensity, the intensity can be selected or the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 It is also possible to apply the stimulus by changing the strength in order, and set the strength when the amount of movement of the center of gravity at that time becomes the same (for example, the moving distance is 5 mm).

  In addition, the movement of the user's center of gravity caused by applying functional electrical stimulation by the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 to the sole of the user exceeds the threshold value that is preset and stored in the storage unit 7. If so, the stimulus addition by the functional electrical stimulation by the stimulation means L1, L2, R1, R2 is stopped and the alarm notification means 6 notifies the alarm. In addition, said threshold value shall each be set with the moving direction of a gravity center position. In particular, a position that the user feels as a limit at which the user can maintain a standing posture when the user moves the center of gravity by tilting the body forward, backward, left, and right on the lower limb training apparatus 1 is set in advance. For example, the threshold value is preferably a position where 70% of the limit value is reached.

  With respect to the stimulation intensity, it is also preferable that the gravity center position does not exceed the threshold value by adaptive control in which the intensity is set based on the difference between the current gravity center position and the threshold value.

  Further, which stimulation means L1, L2, R1, and R2 are used to apply functional electrical stimulation to the sole of the user is performed in the order determined in advance and stored in the storage unit 7, and the gravity center position calculation means 4 The control means 2 may determine based on the position of the center of gravity calculated in (1). For example, when the current center-of-gravity position is at the rear, functional electrical stimulation is applied by the front stimulation means L1, R1 so that the front-side center of gravity is located.

  When a set time has passed after moving the center of gravity, a functional electrical stimulus is applied so that the center of gravity moves in a preset direction, or the next center of gravity position is symmetrical with respect to the center of gravity when no stimulus is applied. It may give a stimulus. In this case, since the center of gravity movement amount can be increased, the center of gravity movement can be clearly recognized by the user.

  FIG. 5 shows another example. This is a device in which stimulation means L3, L4, R3, and R4 that can be further attached to the lower leg are added to the lower limb training apparatus 1, and each stimulation means L3, L4, R3, and R4 including a pair of electrodes is provided. For example, by attaching to the anterior tibial muscle or gastrocnemius muscle, functional electrical stimulation to the lower limbs can be more accurately added.

  In this case, since the anterior tibial muscle is a muscle involved in the dorsiflexion of the foot and the gastrocnemius is a muscle involved in the plantar flexion of the foot, functional electrical stimulation is applied to the anterior tibial muscle of the left foot by the stimulation means L4. If added, the left foot is dorsiflexed by the muscle contraction of the anterior tibial muscle of the left foot, the body tilts to the left front side, and if functional electrical stimulation is applied to the gastrocnemius muscle of the right foot by the stimulation means R3, As a result, the right foot is bent to the bottom and the body tilts to the right rear side, and the tilt direction and tilt angle can be changed by adjusting the stimulation intensity. For this reason, the center of gravity can be moved more effectively by combining with stimulation to the sole.

  Stimulation means L1, for adding functional electrical stimulation to the sole, has only stimulation means L3, L4, R3, R4 for applying functional electrical stimulation to the anterior tibial and gastrocnemius muscles of the lower leg It may not have L2, R1, and R2.

1 Lower limb training apparatus 2 Control means 3 Center of gravity detection means R1, R2 stimulation means L1, L2 stimulation means

Claims (6)

  The user is provided with a footrest surface on which both feet are placed, and a functional electrical stimulation is applied to the user's lower limb standing on the footrest surface to change the position of the user's center of gravity on the footrest surface. A lower limb training apparatus comprising: a stimulating unit that controls the operation of the stimulating unit.   The center of gravity position detecting means for detecting the position of the center of gravity of the user standing on the footrest surface is provided, and the control means is configured to detect a stimulus applied to the user by the stimulation means according to the output of the center of gravity position detecting means. The lower limb training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the strength is adjusted.   It is provided with a center-of-gravity position detecting means for detecting the position of the center of gravity of the user standing on the footrest surface, and the control means determines a stimulation means to be operated next according to the output of the center-of-gravity position detecting means. The lower limb training apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   The center-of-gravity position detection means for detecting the center-of-gravity position of the user standing on the footrest surface and the center-of-gravity position display means for displaying the detected center-of-gravity position are provided. The lower limb training apparatus described in 1.   The lower limb training apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stimulation means selectively applies stimulation to each toe side and each heel side of the left and right feet.   A stimulating means for stimulating a sole of a user who stands on the footrest surface and is placed on the footrest surface; and a stimulating means attached to the lower leg of the user's leg, The lower limb training apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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