Method for diagnosis and/or training of proprioceptor feedback capabilities in a muscle and joint system of a human patient

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the patient performance goal is an isokinetic performance goal, and wherein the movement perturbing means causes the resistance applying means to at least momentarily cause the part of the body to move nonisokinetically.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the perturbation function is a function of time.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the resistance applying means includes a shaft which rotates in response to movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the exercise parameter is a shaft position as a function of time.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the exercise parameter is torque applied to the shaft as a function of shaft position.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the exercise parameter is shaft velocity.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the resistance applying means includes control means for producing a resistance control signal which determines the resistance applied to the movement of the patient's body part, the resistance control signal being derived from the function of the selected exercise parameter.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the movement perturbing means modifies the resistance control signal with a value of the perturbation function during movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the perturbation function is a variable function defined over the entire range of motion.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the movement perturbing means modifies the resistance control signal in a semi-random manner.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the movement perturbing means modifies the resistance control signal for producing a sudden change in the resistance applied to the movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the movement perturbing means modifies the resistance control signal for producing a sudden and unexpected change in the resistance applied to the movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 14 wherein the patient performance goal is an isokinetic performance goal, and wherein the resistance control signal modifying step comprises the step of at least momentarily causing the part of the body to move nonisokinetically.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 14 wherein the perturbation function is a function of time.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 14 wherein the resistance applying step comprises the step of rotating a shaft in response to movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 17 wherein the exercise parameter is a shaft position as a function of time.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 17 wherein the exercise parameter is torque applied to the shaft as a function of shaft position.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 17 wherein the exercise parameter is shaft velocity.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 14 wherein the resistance control signal modifying step further comprises the step of modifying the resistance control signal with a value of the perturbation function during movement of the patient's body part within the range of motion.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 21 wherein the perturbation function is a variable function defined over the entire range of motion.

Claim 25

The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of modifying the resistance control signal further comprises the step of modifying the resistance control signal in a semi-random manner.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of modifying the resistance control signal further comprises the step of modifying the resistance control signal for producing a sudden change in the resistance applied to the movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 27

The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of modifying the resistance control signal function comprises the step of modifying the resistance control signal for producing a sudden and unexpected change in the resistance applied to the movement of the patient's body part.

Claim 28

The method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of attempting, by the patient, to match the patient performance goal despite the deviation from the performance goal.

Claim 29

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities in a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a resistance value determined by a resistance control signal, the steps of: defining a patient performance goal as a real time function of preselected exercise parameters; defining a perturbation function for controllable resistance over an exercise motion; modifying the resistance control signal by the perturbation function value during the exercise motion for unexpectedly altering the resistance value; attempting, by the patient, to match the patient performance goal despite the alteration of the resistance value; displaying said defined performance goal during the patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during the patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during the exercise motion.

Claim 30

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities in a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a resistance value determined by a resistance control signal, the steps of: defining a patient performance goal as a real time function of preselected exercise parameters; defining a perturbation function for controllable resistance over an exercise motion; modifying the resistance control signal by the perturbation function value during the exercise motion for unexpectedly altering the resistance value; attempting, by the patient, to match the patient performance goal despite the alteration of the resistance value; displaying said defined performance goal during the patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during the patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during the exercise motion.

Claim 31

The method of claim 27, wherein said step of defining a patient performance goal comprises collecting data on one or more preselected exercise parameters during an actual exercise motion by the patient and defining said patient performance goal as a function of said collected data.

Claim 32

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities in a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a patient attachment device mounted for movement through space, a resistive component coupled to said patient attachment device to resist the movement of said patient attachment device with a resistance value determined by a resistance control signal, and having means for tracking position of said attachment, and means for tracking force applied to said attachment, the steps of: profiling the parameters of actual patient exercise movements by collecting data on position of said attachment device as a function of time, force on said attachment device as a function of position, and the value of said resistance control signal as a function of position; producing patient exercise profile curves from said collected data and storing representations of said profile curves; deriving from said stored curve representations a patient goal performance function selected as one of position as a function of time and torque as a function of position; defining a perturbation function for said stored curve representation for said resistance control signal value as a function of time; applying during a subsequent patient exercise motion a resistance control signal value as a function of actual position derived from said patient exercise profile curves modified by the current value of said perturbation function for unexpectedly altering the resistance value; attempting, by the patient, to match the goal despite the altered resistance value; displaying said defined performance goal during said subsequent patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during said subsequent patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during the subsequent exercise motion.

Claim 33

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities in a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a patient attachment device mounted for movement through space, a resistive component coupled to said patient attachment device to resist the movement of said patient attachment device with a resistance value determined by a resistance control signal, and having means for tracking position of said attachment, and means for tracking force applied to said attachment, the steps of: profiling the parameters of actual patient exercise movements by collecting data on position of said attachment device as a function of time, force on said attachment device as a function of position, and the value of said resistance control signal as a function of position; producing patient exercise profile curves from said collected data and storing representations of said profile curves; deriving from said stored curve representations a patient goal performance function selected as one of position as a function of time and torque as a function of position; defining a perturbation function for said stored curve representation for said resistance control signal value as a function of time; applying during a subsequent patient exercise motion a resistance control signal value as a function of actual position derived from said patient exercise profile curves modified by the current value of said perturbation function for unexpectedly altering the resistance value; attempting, by the patient, to match the goal despite the altered resistance value; displaying said defined performance goal during said subsequent patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during said subsequent patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during the subsequent exercise motion.

Claim 34

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities of a muscle and joint system of a human patient using an exercise system having a patient attachment device and means for controlling parameters of an exercise movement in response to a control signal derived from one or more measured exercise parameters, the steps of: defining a patient performance goal as a real time function of preselected exercise parameters; defining a perturbation signal function for said control signal; modifying said control signal by said perturbation function value to produce an unexpected perturbation signal during a patient exercise motion; attempting, by the patient, to match the performance goal despite said modified control signal; displaying said defined performance goal during said patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during said patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during said patient exercise motion.

Claim 35

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities of a muscle and joint system of a human patient using an exercise system having a patient attachment device and means for controlling parameters of an exercise movement in response to a control signal derived from one or more measured exercise parameters, the steps of: defining a patient performance goal as a real time function of preselected exercise parameters; defining a perturbation signal function for said control signal; modifying said control signal by said perturbation function value to produce an unexpected perturbation signal during a patient exercise motion; attempting, by the patient, to match the performance goal despite said modified control signal; displaying said defined performance goal during said patient exercise motion; tracking and displaying actual patient performance relative to said performance goal during said patient exercise motion; and measuring as an error value the difference between actual patient performance and said patient performance goal during said patient exercise motion.

Claim 36

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities of a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a hydraulic actuator with complementary hydraulic fluid chambers and a shaft, a lever arm coupled to said actuator shaft and a flow control valve coupled to said actuator for controlling the degree of resistance applied to said lever arm by said actuator in response to a valve position command signal, means for measuring the lever position and means for measuring the torque applied to said shift, the steps of: collecting and storing patient exercise profile data during a series of actual patient exercises on the system for both flexion and extension exercise movements, including collecting and storing data sets comprising lever position as a function of time from the last turnaround of the lever, torque as a function of lever position, and valve position command signal as a function of lever position; determining from said stored lever position data a maximum and minimum lever position for said profiled patient exercise; calculating curve fit polynomial factors for said stored data sets; receiving and storing input goal type, perturbation type, and perturbation scale factor selections; constructing and storing for each of flexion and extension exercise movements a set of data tables comprising valve setting command values as a function of lever position, exercise goal values based on input goal type, and perturbation values based on input perturbation type and scale factor; receiving and storing values of current lever position and torque; determining an active data set from current lever position and torque values; selecting a perturbation value from said data table of perturbation values based on a time factor; selecting an unperturbed valve setting command from said data table based on current lever position; determining a perturbed valve setting command by combining said unperturbed valve setting command with said perturbation value; communicating said perturbed valve setting command to said flow control valve to set the current value of exercise resistance to an unexpected perturbation value of said exercise resistance; determining the current goal parameter value in said goal data set; displaying said current goal parameter value and the associated current exercise value; and determining and storing a current error value based on the difference between said current goal parameter value and said associated current exercise value.

Claim 37

In a method for measuring proprioceptor feedback capabilities of a muscle and joint system of a human patient using a controllable resistance exercise system having a hydraulic actuator with complementary hydraulic fluid chambers and a shaft, a lever arm coupled to said actuator shaft and a flow control valve coupled to said actuator for controlling the degree of resistance applied to said lever arm by said actuator in response to a valve position command signal, means for measuring the lever position and means for measuring the torque applied to said shift, the steps of: collecting and storing patient exercise profile data during a series of actual patient exercises on the system for both flexion and extension exercise movements, including collecting and storing data sets comprising lever position as a function of time from the last turnaround of the lever, torque as a function of lever position, and valve position command signal as a function of lever position; determining from said stored lever position data a maximum and minimum lever position for said profiled patient exercise; calculating curve fit polynomial factors for said stored data sets; receiving and storing input goal type, perturbation type, and perturbation scale factor selections; constructing and storing for each of flexion and extension exercise movements a set of data tables comprising valve setting command values as a function of lever position, exercise goal values based on input goal type, and perturbation values based on input perturbation type and scale factor; receiving and storing values of current lever position and torque; determining an active data set from current lever position and torque values; selecting a perturbation value from said data table of perturbation values based on a time factor; selecting an unperturbed valve setting command from said data table based on current lever position; determining a perturbed valve setting command by combining said unperturbed valve setting command with said perturbation value; communicating said perturbed valve setting command to said flow control valve to set the current value of exercise resistance to an unexpected perturbation value of said exercise resistance; determining the current goal parameter value in said goal data set; displaying said current goal parameter value and the associated current exercise value; and determining and storing a current error value based on the difference between said current goal parameter value and said associated current exercise value.