Method and Apparatus for Applying Vibromyographic Technology to the Assessment of Muscle Force and Balance

Background:

Method and apparatus is disclosed which shows how vibromyographic recordings can be processed in order to extract muscle force information from muscle sound. Hardware signal processing combined with wavelet packet analysis techniques provide the ability to obtain recording which demonstrate a correlation to muscle force which exceeds 90%. Reproducibility of measures between days has been shown to exceed 95%. 

 Technology Overview:

 Breakthrough vibromyography (VMG) technology enables clinicians and trainers to perform real-time muscle assessment during typical functional activities (activities involving substantial human movements). The VMG technology kit simultaneously measures muscle forces generated by complementary, supplementary, and/or antagonistic muscle
pairs and real-time muscle effort ratios can be calculated. This is a tool that provides objective measurements that professionals can use to diagnose musculoskeletal injuries and pains associated with muscle imbalances, as well as to develop a performance/recovery training program.    

 Advantages:

 

• VMG is the only portable technology which exists which provides an estimate of muscle activity. 
• Muscle dynamometers can be used to measure joint torque, and muscle forces may be extrapolated from the torque measurements, but such equipment is expensive, non-portable, and requires training to operate.
• The disclosed technology is inexpensive, portable, and sufficiently simple to operate that the patient or athlete could utilize the technology without technical support.

  Intellectual Property Summary:

  • U.S. 9,402,579