KR20140103694A - Apparatus for Strengthening Exercises of Pelvic Floor Muscle using EMG - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pelvic floor muscle augmentation assisting device using an electromyogram, and in order to strengthen a pelvic floor muscle of a user, an electromyogram sensor is attached to a cushion in contact with the vicinity of the anus and perineum, The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for training a user to exercise more effectively.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using electromyography in which a user measures and analyzes the electromyogram of a user's pelvic floor muscle in a cushion for pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise, An assist device comprising: an electromyogram sensor for measuring an electromyogram of a pelvic floor muscle on a surface of a cushion contacting a pelvic floor muscle of the user; And a signal processor for analyzing the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram sensor and displaying the motion state according to a user's pelvic floor muscle contraction or relaxation intensity.

Description

[0001] Apparatus for Strengthening Exercises of Pelvic Floor Muscle using EMG [

In the present invention, an EMG sensor electrode is attached around the anus of a cushion for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles of a user, and the user analyzes the EMG signal measured from the EMG sensor during Kegel exercise to determine whether the user is correcting the exercise , And a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram to guide a user to exercise more effectively.

In general, Kegel exercise (ie, the perineum, anus and contractions of the contraction / relaxation exercise repeatedly, treatment / prevention of urinary incontinence, and sexual enhancement is very effective exercise.

By the way, it is extremely unusual for many people to know exactly how to exercise in the Kegel exercise. In other words, rather than giving strength to the pelvic floor muscles, such as giving strength to the lower belly or legs are often wrong.

In a typical hospital, a biofeedback sensor is inserted into the perineum to induce the patient to exercise correctly.

Conventionally, a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise device capable of strengthening muscles of the pelvic floor muscle by electric stimulation of a commercial low-frequency pulse and a method of controlling the same are disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1227749.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening training device according to the prior art. The pelvic floor muscle strengthening training device U includes an upper body case 1 and a lower body 2 as an injection- (B) constituted by a case (2), and a circuit board (PCB) for housing an electric circuit for operation is accommodated in an inner hollow portion of the device body (B).

The electrode pad (P) for transmitting the generated low-frequency electrical stimulus to the pelvic floor muscle of the patient is provided with a conductive material such as a hydrogel type, a silicon + carbon coating type or a metal electrode. For example, as the electrode pad P, a gel pad, carbon (carbon rubber), or metal may be used, or it may be formed of a material such as a sponge soaked with water.

This prior art technique of the pelvic floor reinforcement exercise device strengthens the muscles of the pelvic floor muscles by the electrical stimulation of the low frequency pulses to electrically stimulate the pelvic floor muscles both for the female as well as for the male and to repeat the contraction, It has the effect of strengthening pelvic floor muscles.

However, the conventional device for pelvic floor reinforcement exercises strengthens muscles by electrical stimulation of low-frequency pulses. However, it is a massage effect rather than muscle strengthening in the characteristic of low-frequency pulses, Is the most effective exercise to repeat the contraction / relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles with their own will.

Therefore, in order to strengthen the user's pelvic floor muscles, the user attaches an electromyogram sensor to the cushion in contact with the vicinity of the anal / perineum, analyzes the electromyogram signal measured from the electromyogram sensor during the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise, And to provide a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting device using an electromyogram for guiding a user to exercise more effectively.

In order to accomplish the object of the present invention, a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram is a pelvic floor exercise apparatus in which a user measures and analyzes an electromyogram of a user's pelvic floor muscle in a cushion for pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise, An electromyographic sensor for measuring an electromyogram of a pelvic floor muscle on a surface of a cushion in contact with the user's pelvic floor muscle, And a signal processor for analyzing the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram sensor and displaying the motion state according to a user's pelvic floor muscle contraction or relaxation intensity.

Here, the signal processing apparatus includes an electromyogram signal sensing unit for acquiring an electromyogram signal input through the electrodes of the electromyogram sensor; A microcontroller for analyzing an EMG signal of the EMG signal sensing unit to determine the degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles performed by the user step by step, informing the user of the EMG signal level, and displaying the operation state of the user and the overall operation state of the signal processing device; A shrinkage intensity display unit for indicating a shrinkage degree of the pelvic floor muscle analyzed by the microcontroller; A status display unit for displaying a user's creation status, a charging status, an on / off status, and an operating status under the control of the microcontroller; And a power supply unit for supplying power to the signal processing device and each of the sensors.

A voice message storage unit for storing the user guidance voice message in addition to the microcontroller and providing the voice guidance message under the control of the microcontroller when the guide button of the user is selected; And a voice output unit for amplifying the voice guidance message at a predetermined volume under the control of the microcontroller and outputting voice through a speaker.

The pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using the electromyography according to the present invention attaches an electromyography sensor to a cushion in contact with the vicinity of the anus, analyzes the electromyogram signal measured from the electromyogram sensor, , It is visually confirmed to be visually confirmed, or a voice guidance message is outputted. Thus, the user can judge whether or not the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise is correct, so that the user can exercise more accurately and effectively, There is an effect that can exercise.

1 is a configuration diagram of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening training device according to the prior art,
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an EMG according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the signal processing apparatus in FIG. 2,
FIGS. 4 to 6 are views illustrating a cushion including a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state of use of a cushion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The construction and operation of the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using the electromyogram according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, an electromyogram sensor electrode and a pressure sensor (FSR) 104 for measuring an EMG signal in contact with a user's pelvic floor muscles An electromyogram signal measured at each of the electromyographic sensor electrodes (+, -, Ground) 101 to 103 of the cushion 100 is inputted through the connection connector 105 and analyzed to determine the position of the pelvic floor muscles A signal processing device 110 for judging the degree of shrinkage, displaying the degree of shrinkage, outputting a voice guidance message so as to more accurately apply force to the pelvic floor muscles, and a shrinking degree and voice guidance message output from the signal processing device 110 A smart device 130 or a personal computer 140 including a smart phone, a smart pad, etc. for receiving and displaying data wirelessly.

Here, the electromyographic sensor electrodes 101 to 103 attached to the cushion 100 are attached to the surface of the cushion by the fabric electrode, that is, the portion of the user who is in contact with the anus or the perineum, Respectively.

The sensing signals of the sensor units 101 to 104 of the cushion are connected to the connector 105 connected to the signal processing unit 110 and the sensor unit through a wire to receive signals.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of a signal processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The signal processing apparatus 110 includes an electromyogram signal acquisition unit 110 for acquiring an electromyogram signal input through the electrodes 101 to 103 of the electromyogram sensor, And a controller 110 for analyzing the EMG signals of the EMG signal sensing unit 111 to determine the degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles performed by the user in stages and informing the user of the degree of contraction, A shrinkage intensity display unit 115 for displaying the shrinkage degree of the pelvic floor muscles analyzed by the micro larch troller 120 and a control unit for controlling the microcontroller 110 A state display unit 116 for displaying the presence / absence of the user, the state of charge of the battery, the power on / off state, and the entire operation state, a number of exercise times for the user to control the number of times of pelvic floor muscle exercise A motion count display unit 114 for sensing the selection of the number of times of movement 113 and the number of times of exercise adjustment button 113 by the microcontroller 120 and decrementing the target number of times by counting the selected number of times of exercise, A voice message storage unit 122 for storing the user guidance voice message in addition to the microcontroller 120 and providing the voice guidance message under the control of the microcontroller 120 when the guide button 112 of the user is selected, A voice output unit 123 including a codec, a volume controller, an amplifier, and a speaker for outputting the voice guidance message at a predetermined volume under the control of the microcontroller 120; A power supply unit 125 including a power supply switch 125 for supplying power to each of the sensors, a battery unit, a battery charging unit, and the like, A USB type external connection connector 126 for charging the battery of the power source unit 124 and debugging the microcontroller 120 and a microcomputer 120 for controlling the shrinkage intensity display unit 115, A wireless communication unit 121 for outputting each display data of the number-of-times display unit 114, the audio-number display unit 114, and the voice guidance message output through the audio output unit 123 to wireless data and outputting them to a smart device or a personal computer, ).

Hereinafter, the operation of the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using the electromyogram according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

FIG. 2 is a schematic overall view of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram according to an embodiment of the present invention. When the user sits on a cushion provided with a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus, And transmits a user sensing signal to the signal processing apparatus 110 through the connector 105. The signal processing apparatus 110 senses the position of each electrode 101 to 103 of the electromyogram sensor attached to the cushion 100, To obtain an EMG signal.

An EMG signal obtained by the signal processing device 110 is analyzed by a user to calculate the degree of motion of the pelvic floor muscles, that is, the degree of contraction, and displays the EMG signal visually or through a speaker through LEDs so that the user can recognize the EMG signal .

In addition, the data is transmitted to the smart device 130 or the personal computer 132 connected to the signal processing apparatus 110 by a wireless communication method such as Bluetooth, RFID, Zigbee, etc., And the user of the smart device 130 displays the score of the game using the contraction intensity of the pelvic floor muscle, such as golf ball, golf ball, etc., so that it gives interest and fun to the user and performs the pelvic floor muscle exercise .

In addition, the personal computer 132 can be used in various training programs such as respiration and anus correction in combination with a group training program, yoga, and the like.

  FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of a signal processing device of a pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.

First, when the user turns on the power switch 128, the microcomputer 120 determines whether or not the user is seated from the pressure sensor 104, , A power-on state, and a user seating state.

The microcontroller 120 senses that the user is seated on the cushion 100 for exercising the pelvic floor muscles and the EMG signal sensing unit 111 senses the position of the electrodes 101-90 of the EMG sensor attached to the cushion 100, 103 and outputs the electromyogram signal to the microcontroller 120 through an amplifier Amp.

The microcontroller 120 converts the inputted EMG signal into a digital signal, stores the EMG signal in a register, and calculates an EMG value through an electromyogram value calculation algorithm including a filtering process.

The microcontroller 120 transmits the computed electromyogram value to the outside through the wireless communication unit 121 as wireless data and displays the operation of the electromyogram sensor and the normal electromyogram value extraction status through the status display unit 115. [

In addition, the electromyogram value is set to five levels, and the intensity of the calculated step is displayed on the contraction intensity display unit 115. [ Here, the EMG value setting step of 5 steps sets the threshold value of each step through the test process in consideration of the envelope value, the integral value, and the time, .

The microcontroller 120 extracts the shrinkage intensity guidance message stored in the sound output storage unit 122 according to the shrinkage intensity and guides the sound through the speaker through the sound output unit 123, The user is able to exercise more intensively because it guides the muscle contraction intensity and frequency.

In addition, since the shrinkage intensity is guided to the user through the shrinkage intensity display unit 115 or the voice output unit 123, the user himself / herself gives a lot of strength. However, when the shrinkage intensity is displayed at a low level, , But rather that it gives strength to the belly or leg.

When the guide button 112 is selected by the user, the microcontroller 120 recognizes the guide button 112 and extracts the voice from the voice output storage unit 122 and transmits the announcement voice message through the voice output unit 123 And output to the speaker.

When the user selects the withdrawal control button 113, the microcontroller 120 senses the number of times of contraction of the pelvic floor muscle and the exercise number display unit 114 ).

The number displayed on the number-of-exercise display unit 114 indicates the number of exercises if the electromyogram value detected by the microcontroller 120 is equal to or greater than a preset threshold as the user performs pelvic floor muscle exercise, The number displayed on the screen is deducted. The threshold value for the subtraction of the exercise frequency can be used as the exercise frequency counter value if the EMG value is equal to or greater than the EMG value of the lowest stage calculated in the step of setting the EMG value.

The battery of the power supply unit 128 monitors the charged state of the battery in real time in the microcontroller 120 and displays it on the status display unit 115 so that the user can check whether the battery is charged or not.

 Charging of the built-in battery can be performed using the USB type charging cable / connector through the external connection connector 126.

When the microcontroller 120 detects the smart device 130 requested to be paired through the wireless communication unit 121, the microcontroller 120 transmits the request to the smart device 130 through the wireless communication unit 121 The value of the exercise frequency, the value of the pelvic floor muscle contraction intensity, and the like, so that the smart device 130 can also check the exercise status.

In addition, since the game is performed using the intensity value of the pelvic floor muscle contraction in conjunction with the game program such as ball game or golf of the smart device 130, the exercise is more interesting and enjoyable.

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views showing a perspective view, a front view and a side sectional view of a cushion equipped with an assist device for pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise using an electromyogram according to an embodiment of the present invention. (+, -) 101 and 102 of the cushion 100 in contact with the anus or the perineum of the user are attached to the cushion and the electrode ) 103 so as to obtain the user's EMG signal.

Each of the electrodes 101 to 103 is formed of a cloth electrode so as to obtain the most accurate EMG signals even when the user wears clothes without wearing clothes. .

As described above, the pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using the electromyogram according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously changed according to the electromyogram signal measuring method, The present invention can be variously changed according to the display in the smart device or the method of interworking with various games using the above-mentioned technology. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above- There is a technical spirit to the extent that anyone can make various changes.

100: cushion 101, 102, 103: electromyogram sensor electrode
104: Pressure sensor 105: Connector
110: Signal processor 111: EMG signal detector
112: Guide button 113: Frequency adjustment button
114: number of exercise times display part 115: shrinkage intensity display part
116: status display section 120: microcontroller
121: wireless communication unit 122: audio output storage unit
123: Audio output unit 124: Power supply unit
125: Power switch 126: External connection connector
130: smart device 140: personal computer

Claims (9)

The present invention relates to a pelvic floor muscle-strengthening exercise assisting apparatus using an electromyogram to induce a user's more accurate bone-strengthening exercise by measuring and analyzing an electromyogram of a user's pelvic floor muscle in a cushion for pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise,
An electromyography sensor for measuring the electromyogram of the pelvic floor muscle on the surface of the cushion contacting the pelvic floor of the user;
And a signal processor for analyzing the electromyogram signal measured by the electromyogram sensor and displaying a motion state according to a user's degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein each of the electrodes (+, -, Ground) of the electromyogram sensor is arranged around a center of a cushion contacting the anus and the perineum of the user, wherein each electrode is composed of a fabric electrode. Auxiliary device.
The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a pressure sensor connected to the inside of the cushion to determine whether the user is seated and transmit the detected presence or absence of seating to the signal processing device.
The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a smart device or a personal computer for wirelessly receiving the analysis result data of the electromyogram signal transmitted from the signal processing device in addition to the signal processing device and displaying and outputting the voice on the screen. Muscle strengthening aids.
The method according to claim 1,
The signal processing apparatus comprising: an electromyogram signal sensing unit for acquiring an electromyogram signal input through an electrode of the electromyogram sensor;
A microcontroller for analyzing an EMG signal of the EMG signal sensing unit to determine the degree of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles performed by the user step by step, informing the user of the EMG signal level, and displaying the operation state of the user and the overall operation state of the signal processing device;
A shrinkage intensity indicator for indicating a shrinkage degree of the pelvic floor muscles analyzed in the micro big troller;
A state display unit for displaying the presence / absence of a user in a sitting state, a charged state of the battery, a power on / off state, and an overall operating state under the control of the microcontroller; And
And a power supply unit for supplying power to the signal processing apparatus and the sensors, respectively.
6. The method of claim 5,
A movement number adjustment button for the user to control the number of pelvic floor muscle movements; And
Wherein the microcontroller senses a selection of the exercise number adjustment button and displays a subtraction display on the target number of times by counting the selected target exercise number. Device.
6. The method of claim 5,
A voice message storage unit for storing a user guidance voice message in addition to the microcontroller and providing a voice guidance message under the control of the microcontroller as the user's guide button is selected; And
And a voice output unit for amplifying the voice guidance message at a predetermined volume under the control of the microcontroller and outputting voice through a speaker.
6. The method of claim 5,
And a wireless communication unit for converting the shrinkage intensity display unit, the status display unit, the movement frequency display unit, and the voice guidance message into wireless data by the microcontroller and transmitting the wireless data to a smart device or a personal computer capable of wireless peripheral connection.
6. The method of claim 5,
And an external connection connector connected from the outside of the signal processing apparatus for charging the battery of the power supply unit and debugging the microcontroller.

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