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Method and apparatus for adaptive closed loop electrical stimulation of muscles
| Details |
Inventors: Lieber, Richard L.;
Assignee: The Regents of the University of California (Berkeley, CA)
Primary Examiner: Jaworski; Francis
Assistant Examiner: Manuel; George
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brown, Martin, Haller & McClain
A method and apparatus for strengthening skeletal muscles through maximizing muscle tension in which electrical stimulation signals are applied to the selected muscles at a predetermined frequency, pulse width, and amplitude, and work output by the muscles in response to stimulation signals is determined over a fixed period of time. The work output is compared to a defined value which can be a target value or a value measured during a previous stimulation period. The amount of electrical energy coupled into the muscles by the stimulation signals is varied in response to the results of the comparison in order to maximize the amount of work output by the muscles during a treatment period. This is accomplished by adjusting the frequency or pulse width during stimulation treatment in response to the work output measured. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The method and apparatus of the present invention provide functional electrical stimulation of muscles for increasing muscle strength through long term muscle work or activity.
This is accomplished in the present invention by varying the frequency of an applied stimulation signal in response to the work or torque exerted by the stimulated muscles so that as the work increases the frequency increases and as the work decreases the frequency decreases over a predetermined exercise period.
The steps utilized to implement the method of the present invention are illustrated in flow chart form in FIG.
1.
In FIG.
1, step 12 illustrates that, as in any stimulation protocol, the frequency of operation for the stimulation signals must be set along with various other stimulation parameters known in the art, such as amplitude, pulse duration, etc.
Typically a stimulation signal transmitter is constructed to produce a single or very narrow range of frequencies, of which one is selected for operation.
However, in the present invention, the signal generation or transmission apparatus is capable of adjustment over a range of frequencies and pulse widths, as discussed below.
The stimulation signal frequency is chosen from those frequencies which are known to induce muscle contraction in human patients.
A typical frequency range for physiologically induced muscle contraction is in the range of 10 to 100 Hertz.
Therefore, for the present method, frequencies within this range are employed for maximum muscle response.
The initial stimulation frequency can be set anywhere within the chosen range and depends on the type of muscle fiber being stimulated which is discussed in more detail below.
The initial frequency is preferably set to begin stimulation near where the maximum muscle response occurs which is typically 50 to 60 Hertz for fast muscles and lower for slow muscles.
After the necessary oscillators, power amplifiers and associated control equipment have been assembled into a, preferably programmable, stimulation apparatus and tested, a series of transcutaneous electrodes, as known in the art, are connected between the stimulator output and the muscle region to be stimulated
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Exercise Devices 
