Exercise device for use with electrical stimulation and related methods

摘要

A device includes a brace that may be used in conjunction with neuromuscular electrical stimulation to induce isometric contractions in one or more muscles of a subject's limb muscles by way of a series of stimulation cycles. The device may include a controller for stimulating the leg muscles, and for autonomously adjusting the stimulation based on a measured force exerted by the leg on the brace. The controller may adjust the stimulation based on the measured force from a previous cycle as compared with a goal force. Additionally, the adjustment may be based on the comparison of the measured force within that cycle to the goal force, analyzed on a continuous basis within that cycle.

主权项

1. A device for use by a human subject in a seated, upright condition in conjunction with one or more electrodes for transmitting electrical stimulation to at least one muscle of a leg to perform an isometric contraction of the muscle, said device comprising:
a brace including a seat adapted for receiving and supporting an upper portion of the leg of the subject in the seated, upright condition, the brace including a lower extension depending from the seat and configured to constrain a lower portion of the leg in order to allow the isometric contraction of the muscle to be achieved; a stimulator for transmitting electrical stimulation to at least one muscle to cause the isometric contraction of the muscle; and a controller for controlling the stimulation through the electrodes based at least partially on the sensed force; wherein the controller is adapted to use an adaptive feed forward control algorithm to compare a sensed force during a first contraction cycle to a predetermined force goal and to adjust the stimulation during a subsequent contraction cycle based on said sensed force.