Force monitoring apparatus for back muscles

摘要

A muscle function analysis system including a base; a restraint device supported by the base and shaped and arranged to receive and immobilize one portion of a person's body, the one portion retaining a muscle group concurrently activatable to produce a body function; an electrode array adapted for coupling to the muscle group so as to receive myoelectric signals generated by muscle activity therein; and a processing system coupled to the electrode array and adapted to process the myoelectric signals. Also included in the system is a constraint supported by the base and adapted to resist body movement in response to muscle activity in the muscle group, the constraint adapted to divide the force generated by the muscle activity into a plurality of components; sensing means coupled to the constraint and adapted to provide the processing system with a plurality of outputs each dependent on the value of a different one of the components; and an indicator coupled to the processing system and controlled thereby to provide the person with information determined by a comparison of the outputs. Providing indications of plural components of applied force components facilitates balancing of the applied force in a predetermined manner.