JP2021010649A - Measuring instrument, muscle hardness measuring system, and measuring method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a measuring instrument whose wearability on a subject is improved and a muscle hardness measuring system using the measuring instrument.SOLUTION: A measuring instrument 10 comprises: a cylindrical member 1 having an open end surface 1a; a contact indenter 2 to be brought into contact with a measurement object; an elastic member 3 having one end to which the contact indenter 2 is connected; and a sensor 4 that on the basis of a deformation amount of the elastic member 3, senses force applied from the measurement object to the contact indenter 2. The elastic member 3 elastically energizes at least part of the contact indenter 2 so that it tends to protrude from the end surface 1a of the cylindrical member 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a measuring instrument for measuring muscle hardness, a muscle hardness measuring system, and a measuring method.

Hardness (hereinafter referred to as muscle hardness) is used as an index for evaluating the activity status and fatigue of muscles or muscles (hereinafter, muscles and muscles are collectively referred to as muscles unless otherwise specified). The muscle hardness is evaluated from the amount of deformation of the muscle when a force is applied to the muscle.

As a conventional device for measuring muscle hardness, for example, the muscle hardness tester shown in FIG. 13 is known. The conventional muscle hardness tester 90 shown in FIG. 13 uses the pressing portion 91, the coil spring 92, the guide 93 for deforming the coil spring 92 without buckling, and the displacement of the coil spring 92 as the movement of the pointer 94. It has a mechanism for conversion. The conventional muscle hardness tester 90 is an elongated device that measures the displacement of a cylindrical coil spring 92, and estimates muscle hardness from the repulsive force generated by pressing the pressing portion 91 at the tip of the device against the body surface 99. To do. Measurement with a muscle hardness tester is a simple evaluation method for muscle hardness, and has been easily used in various fields such as medical treatment and sports.

Further, as an apparatus for measuring the hardness of the surface to be measured, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an elongated rod-shaped apparatus. Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus for measuring the hardness of a living body. In the technique described in Patent Document 2, a vibrating portion that generates mechanical vibration is attached to the base of the user's finger, and the vibration of the vibrating portion is conducted to the detection portion via the finger to obtain a polymer piezoelectric film and a static device. The hardness of the living body is measured using a pressure sensor.

Further, as a state-of-the-art technique for evaluating muscle hardness, for example, ultrasonic elastography and elastography using MRI are known.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-84684 JP-A-2006-247332

Regardless of whether you are a professional athlete or an amateur athlete, for example, in the field of sports, you are suffering from muscle spasms that occur mainly in the gastrocnemius muscle and hamstring, and it is required to monitor the muscle hardness during exercise. There is. However, the conventional muscle hardness tester 90 and the hardness measuring device of Patent Document 1 described in FIG. 13 are elongated rod-shaped devices for measuring the displacement of the spring, and have a problem in wearability. In order to measure the displacement of the spring, the device needs to have a certain length, and it is difficult to measure the muscle hardness of the subject who exercises while the elongated rod-shaped device is attached substantially vertically to the subject. Regarding the wearability to an exercising subject, the conventional muscle hardness tester 90 and the like have problems in terms of size, weight, and the like. Since the technique described in Patent Document 2 conducts the vibration of the vibrating portion to the detecting portion, the amount of deformation of the measured portion when a force is applied to the measured portion is not measured. The technique described in Patent Document 2 does not measure muscle hardness. Ultrasound elastography, which is a state-of-the-art technique, and elastography using MRI are also difficult to measure muscle hardness during exercise. In order to measure the muscle hardness during exercise, the muscle hardness tester is required to improve the wearability to the subject.

An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring instrument having improved wearability to a subject and a muscle hardness measuring system using the measuring instrument.

The present invention for achieving the above object includes, for example, the following aspects.
(Item 1)
A tubular member with an open end face and
A contact indenter for contacting the object to be measured,
An elastic member to which the contact indenter is connected to one end,
A sensor that senses the force applied to the contact indenter from the measurement object based on the amount of deformation of the elastic member.
With
The elastic member is a measuring instrument that elastically biases at least a part of the contact indenter so as to protrude from the end face of the tubular member.
(Item 2)
At least one end face of the tubular member is open.
The elastic member has the contact indenter connected to one end thereof, is arranged in the cavity of the tubular member, and stands on its own in a compressed state.
Item 2. The measuring instrument according to Item 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor that is arranged on the other end side of the elastic member in the cavity of the tubular member and senses pressure due to deformation of the elastic member.
(Item 3)
Item 2. The measuring instrument according to Item 2, wherein the elastic member is a conical spring.
(Item 4)
Between the pressure sensor and the other end of the elastic member,
A holding member to which the elastic member is connected to one end,
A sensor indenter arranged on the other end side of the holding member and transmitting the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member to the pressure sensor.
The measuring instrument according to Item 2 or 3, further comprising.
(Item 5)
The elastic member extends inward of the tubular member, one end connected to the tubular member and the other end connected to the contact indenter.
Item 2. The measuring instrument according to Item 1, wherein the sensor is a strain sensor that is arranged on the elastic member and senses strain due to deformation of the elastic member.
(Item 6)
Item 5. The measuring instrument according to Item 5, wherein the elastic member is a leaf spring.
(Item 7)
Item 2. The measuring instrument according to any one of Items 1 to 6, wherein the tubular member has a width of 10 mm to 40 mm and a height of 5 mm to 15 mm.
(Item 8)
The measuring instrument according to any one of Items 1 to 7 and
Based on the signal input from the measuring instrument, a calculation unit that calculates a numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument is mounted, and
A muscle hardness measurement system equipped with.
(Item 9)
Equipped with multiple said measuring instruments
Item 8. Muscle hardness measurement according to Item 8, wherein the calculation unit calculates a numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to each position where the measuring instrument is mounted, based on signals input from the plurality of measuring instruments. system.
(Item 10)
Item 8. The muscle hardness measuring system according to Item 8 or 9, further comprising a display unit for displaying the muscle hardness measurement result.
(Item 11)
The step of attaching the measuring instrument according to any one of Items 1 to 7 to the subject, and
Based on the signal input from the measuring instrument, the step of calculating the numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument is mounted, and
Muscle hardness measurement method including.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a measuring instrument having improved wearability to a subject and a muscle hardness measuring system using the measuring instrument.

It is a figure which shows the measuring instrument which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the usage method of the measuring instrument which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the typical structure of the muscle hardness measurement system which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the circuit structure of the muscle hardness measurement system which concerns on one Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the exercise performed by a subject in the 1st measurement example. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent output of the pressure sensor in the 1st measurement example. It is a figure which shows the attachment part of the plurality of measuring instruments which are attached to the subject in the 2nd measurement example. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent output of a plurality of pressure sensors attached to different parts. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent output of a plurality of pressure sensors attached to different parts. It is a graph which shows the time-dependent output of a plurality of pressure sensors attached to different parts. It is a perspective view which shows the measuring instrument which concerns on other embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the usage method of the measuring instrument which concerns on other embodiment. It is a figure which shows the conventional muscle hardness tester.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or similar components, and thus duplicate description of the same or similar components will be omitted.

[Measuring instrument]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a measuring instrument according to an embodiment. (A) is an exploded perspective view of the measuring instrument, and (B) is a perspective view of the measuring instrument having only a tubular member as a cross section.

The measuring instrument 10 (10A) according to the embodiment includes a tubular member 1 (1A), a contact indenter 2 (2A), an elastic member 3 (3A), a sensor 4 (pressure sensor 4A), and a holding member. 5, a sensor indenter 6, and a bottom lid 7 are provided. The measurement by the measuring instrument 10A is performed in a state where the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A and the contact indenter 2A are arranged in contact with the skin 9 of the subject.

The measuring instrument 10A is attached so that the side of the open end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A faces the skin 9 at a position corresponding to the muscle of the subject. The contact indenter 2A is urged so as to protrude from the end face 1a by the elastic force of the elastic member 3A. When the contact indenter 2A is pressed against the skin 9, the elastic member 3A deforms in the compression direction. The degree to which the elastic member 3A is deformed changes according to the reaction force of the pressing force. This reaction force changes according to the hardness of the skin 9. The measuring instrument 10A senses the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member 3A by the pressure sensor 4A, and outputs a signal corresponding to the muscle hardness of the subject corresponding to the position of the skin 9 at the wearing site.

Illustratively, the dimensions of the measuring instrument 10A are such that the tubular member 1A has a width w of about 10 mm to about 40 mm and a height h of about 5 mm to about 15 mm. Illustratively, the measuring instrument 10A weighs about 12 g to about 15 g.

The tubular member 1A is a member in which at least one end face 1a is open, and functions as an exterior of the measuring instrument 10A. An elastic member 3A, a pressure sensor 4A, a holding member 5, and a sensor indenter 6 are housed in the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1A. When the measuring instrument 10A is used, a part or all of the contact indenter 2A is housed in the cavity 1c.

In the present embodiment, a metal cylinder is used for the tubular member 1A. The shape of the tubular member 1A may be tubular, and the shape of the end face 1a is not limited to a circle but may be, for example, a rectangle or a polygon. The material of the tubular member 1A may be any material harder than the skin 9, and not limited to metal, for example, various resins and the like can be used.

The contact indenter 2A is a member for contacting the skin 9 which is an object to be measured. The contact indenter 2A is elastically urged by the elastic member 3A so that at least a part thereof protrudes from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A.

In the present embodiment, a resin columnar member is used for the contact indenter 2A. The shape of the contact indenter 2A is not limited to the shape shown in the figure, and may be any shape and size that can be accommodated in the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1A at the time of use. The material of the contact indenter 2A may be any material harder than the skin 9, and various metals and the like can be used as well as the resin.

The elastic member 3A is a self-standing member in which a contact indenter 2A is connected to one end 3a and is arranged in the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1A and is in a compressed state. Being self-supporting in the compressed state means that it does not buckle or bend in the compressed state. Further, the elastic member 3A elastically biases at least a part of the contact indenter 2A so as to protrude from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A. The elastic member 3A preferably has linear spring characteristics.

In this embodiment, a metal conical spring is used for the elastic member 3A. The conical spring is a spring whose diameter continuously increases in the compression direction, and has a property of being resistant to buckling or bending. The conical spring used preferably has a shape in which the wire rods (also referred to as strands) of the coil do not adhere to each other even during compression (for example, the shape of a spiral incense stick), and more preferably a substantially flat surface at the time of maximum compression. By using a conical spring for the elastic member 3A, the initial height of the elastic member 3A can be lowered. The material of the coil is not limited to metal, and may be made of resin such as polycarbonate. Further, the elastic member 3A is not limited to a conical spring, and may be, for example, a disc spring or a wave spring. Further, an elastic body such as rubber can be used for the elastic member 3A. It is preferable that the elastic body used has a linear compressive force and deformation, and its characteristics do not change even if it is repeatedly deformed.

The pressure sensor 4A is arranged on the other end 3b side of the elastic member 3A in the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1A, and senses the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member 3A. As the pressure sensor 4A, various types of pressure sensors such as an electric resistance change type pressure sensor whose electric resistance changes when pressure is applied to the sensor and a capacitance change type can be used. For the pressure sensor 4A, for example, it is preferable to use a thin pressure sensor manufactured by using a polymer thick film (Polymer Thick Film). In this embodiment, the FSR 400 short manufactured by Interlink Electronics of the United States is used for the pressure sensor 4A.

The holding member 5 and the sensor indenter 6 are arranged between the pressure sensor 4A and the other end 3b of the elastic member 3A.

An elastic member 3A is connected to one end of the holding member 5, and functions as a spring receiver. It is preferable that an opening 5c for determining the position of the sensor indenter 6 is provided substantially in the center of the holding member 5.

In the present embodiment, a metal disk-shaped member is used as the holding member 5. The shape of the holding member 5 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure, and may be any shape and size that functions as a spring receiver. The material of the holding member 5 is not limited to metal, and various resins and the like can be used.

The sensor indenter 6 is arranged on the other end side of the holding member 5, and transmits the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member 3A to the pressure sensor 4A. It is preferable that a part of the sensor indenter 6 is inserted into the opening 5c of the holding member 5.

In the present embodiment, the sensor indenter 6 uses a resin member in which hemispheres having different diameters are combined. The shape of the sensor indenter 6 is not limited to the shape shown in the figure, and may be any shape and size that functions as an indenter. The material of the sensor indenter 6 is not limited to resin, and various metals and the like can be used.

The bottom lid 7 is arranged on the other end surface 1b of the tubular member 1A. A pressure sensor 4A is arranged on the surface of the bottom lid 7. A pressure sensor 4A, a sensor indenter 6, a holding member 5, an elastic member 3A, and a contact indenter 2A are stacked in this order on the surface of the bottom lid 7. In the present embodiment, the bottom lid 7 and the pressure sensor 4A are fixed by adhesion, and the sensor indenter 6, the holding member 5, the elastic member 3A, and the contact indenter 2A are connected to each other by adhesion. At the time of measurement, the pressure sensor 4A and the sensor indenter 6 are in contact with each other, but they are not connected or fixed.

In the present embodiment, the bottom lid 7 on which the pressure sensor 4A is arranged is covered with a protective cloth (not shown) together with the elastic member 3A, the holding member 5, and the sensor indenter 6, and the pressure sensor 4A and the elastic member 3A are covered. The positional relationship with is maintained by this protective cloth. In the present embodiment, the contact indenter 2A, the elastic member 3A, the holding member 5, and the sensor indenter 6 which are covered with a protective cloth (not shown) and constitute a movable portion are formed in the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1A. It displaces without engaging with the tubular member 1A. After the bottom lid 7 and the like are covered with a protective cloth, they are adhered to the other end surface 1b of the tubular member 1A by, for example, adhesion. As the material of the bottom lid 7, various materials such as metal or resin can be used.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tubular member 1A uses a member in which both end faces 1a and 1b are open. For example, one of the end faces is not open and the tubular member 1A has a bottom plate. If it has, the bottom lid 7 can be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining how to use the measuring instrument according to the embodiment. (A) indicates a state in which the measuring instrument is not used. (B) shows a state in which the measuring instrument is pressed against a hard surface. (C) shows a state in which the measuring instrument is pressed against a soft surface.

As shown in (A), when the measuring instrument 10A is not used, at least a part of the contact indenter 2A protrudes from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact indenter 2A as a whole protrudes from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1A.

As shown in (B), when the measuring instrument 10A is pressed against a hard surface (for example, hard skin 9a), the elastic member 3A arranged in series with the contact indenter 2A is compressed and contracted, so that the contact indenter 2A Is in a state where its tip is displaced to the end face 1a of the tubular member 1A. On the other hand, as shown in (C), when the measuring instrument 10A is pressed against a soft surface (for example, soft skin 9b), the contact indenter 2A is at least partially end face 1a of the tubular member 1A due to the reaction force of the elastic member 3A. It will be in a state of protruding from.

When the skin 9 becomes hard due to muscle activity or fatigue, the state shown in (C) approaches the state shown in (B), and the degree of deformation (displacement) of the elastic member 3A due to compression deformation also changes. Therefore, the pressure sensor 4A determines the pressure according to the deformation (displacement) of the elastic member 3A when the hardness of the skin 9 changes from the state shown in (C) to the state shown in (B) due to the exercise of the subject. By detecting with, the muscle hardness of the subject can be detected as pressure. The change in pressure according to the deformation (displacement) of the elastic member 3A depends on the muscle hardness of the subject.

The measuring instrument 10A is attached to the skin 9 (9a, 9b) of the subject using an elastic tape or bandage such as a kinesiology tape. A bandage tape or the like may be further wrapped so as to cover the elastic tape. The means for mounting the measuring instrument 10A on the subject may not interfere with the muscle activity at the mounting site.

As described above, according to the measuring instrument 10 (10A), the wearability to the subject can be improved. Conventionally, the displacement of the spring has been measured, but the measuring instrument 10A senses the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member 3A by the pressure sensor 4A. As a result, the measuring instrument 10A is made thinner. Further, in the measuring instrument 10A, since the elastic member 3A does not buckle in the compressed state, a guide for limiting the movement when the elastic member 3A is compressed and deformed is unnecessary. As a result, the measuring instrument 10A is made thinner. By reducing the thickness of the measuring instrument 10A, the wearability to the subject is improved, and the muscle hardness of the subject can be measured even during exercise.

Further, in order to quantitatively evaluate muscle activity, a mechanism for measuring passive changes from the skin surface is not sufficient, and a mechanism for applying a load to the skin surface is required. In the measuring instrument 10A, the quantification of the motion analysis is realized by forming the load mechanism by the tubular member 1A and the elastic member 3A.

As another method for measuring muscle activity, in the fields of sports and rehabilitation, myoelectric potential measurement that detects a weak change in an electric potential signal from a muscle is also used, but myoelectric potential measurement is the contact state and electrical resistance of the measurement site. It is easily affected by changes in the measurement environment, which limits the measurement environment. On the other hand, since the measuring instrument 10A senses the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member 3A by the pressure sensor 4A, it is not easily affected by changes in the state of the measuring part such as sweat and moisture of the subject, and is accompanied by sweating. It is possible to measure the muscle hardness of a subject even during long-term exercise. As factors that induce muscle spasm, muscle fatigue due to overload on muscles and long-term tension, and muscle electrolyte abnormalities due to excessive sweating have been reported. According to measuring instrument 10A, this induces muscle spasms. Even if the subject is in such a state, it is possible to appropriately monitor the muscle hardness of the subject.

[Muscle hardness measurement system]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a muscle hardness measurement system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a circuit configuration of the muscle hardness measurement system according to the embodiment.

The muscle hardness measuring system 30 according to one embodiment includes a measuring instrument 10 (10A), a calculation unit 21, a switching device 22, a communication unit 23, and a display unit 24. In the present embodiment, the calculation unit 21, the switch 22, and the communication unit 23 are housed in the case 20, and the display unit 24 is arranged on the surface of the case 20. The switch 22, the communication unit 23, and the display unit 24 can have any configuration. The case 20 also houses a power source (not shown) for driving each part of the muscle hardness measuring system 30.

The muscle hardness measuring system 30 includes at least one measuring instrument 10. In the present embodiment, the muscle hardness measuring system 30 includes a plurality of measuring instruments 10 (10a to 10h). The muscle hardness measuring system 30 can simultaneously measure signals from a plurality of measuring instruments 10 worn on the subject. As a result, the time change of the muscle hardness of the subject during exercise can be simultaneously monitored for each of a plurality of wearing sites, and the muscle activity of the subject during exercise can be evaluated.

The calculation unit 21 measures the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument 10 is mounted, based on the signal input from the measuring instrument 10. When the muscle hardness measuring system 30 includes a plurality of measuring instruments 10, the calculation unit 21 corresponds to each position where the measuring instruments 10a to 10h are mounted based on the signals input from the plurality of measuring instruments 10a to 10h. Measure the muscle hardness.

The measurement of muscle hardness means, for example, converting the value of the pressure signal, which is the output of the pressure sensor 4A, into the value of the pushing reaction force by the muscle. The value of the converted indentation reaction force corresponds to the muscle hardness of the subject at the wearing site. The measurement result of the muscle hardness means, for example, a time change of the muscle hardness (graph of the output of the pressure sensor over time) shown in the graph of FIG. 8 described later. The correspondence between the signal input from the measuring instrument 10 and the magnitude of the pushing reaction force can be determined in advance by, for example, a calibration experiment using a load cell.

The calculation unit 21 is provided with a processor such as a CPU that performs data processing and a memory that the processor uses for a work area of data processing as a hardware configuration. In the present embodiment, the calculation unit 21 temporarily records the data of the voltage signal from the pressure sensor 4A as the signal input from the measuring instrument 10, for example, together with the information of the measurement time.

In the present embodiment, the arithmetic unit 21 uses a single board computer such as Arduino (registered trademark) having an A / D converter built-in. Alternatively, the arithmetic unit 21 may be used in combination with a single board computer such as Raspberry Pi (registered trademark) and an A / D converter.

The switch 22 is connected between the measuring instrument 10 and the calculation unit 21, and switches and outputs signals input from the plurality of measuring instruments 10a to 10h at predetermined time intervals. The switch 22 functions as a relay circuit. If the number of measuring instruments 10 included in the muscle hardness measuring system 30 is one, or if the calculation unit 21 can accept a plurality of signals from the plurality of measuring instruments 10, the switching device 22 can be omitted.

In the present embodiment, the multiplexer switch CD74HC4067E manufactured by Texas Instruments, Inc. of the United States is used as the switch 22.

The communication unit 23 can transmit the signal data input from the measuring instrument 10 or the muscle hardness measurement result measured by the calculation unit 21 to an external server device (not shown) wirelessly or by wire. it can. For the communication unit 23, the Bluetooth (registered trademark) module mounted on the above-mentioned Arduino (registered trademark) can be used.

The display unit 24 displays the measurement result of the muscle hardness measured by the calculation unit 21. For the display unit 24, for example, a small organic EL display module can be used.

[Measurement example]
In the muscle hardness measuring method according to one embodiment, the measuring instrument 10 (10A) is attached to the subject, and the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument 10 is attached is measured based on the signal input from the measuring instrument 10. To do.

In the first measurement example, the correlation between the force exerted by the subject during exercise and the output of the pressure sensor is confirmed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the exercise performed by the subject in the first measurement example. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the output of the pressure sensor over time in the first measurement example.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the first measurement example, the measuring instrument 10 was attached to the biceps brachii muscle of the subject, and the weight was lifted. The weight of the weight was gradually increased by 1 kg from 1 kg to 5 kg. The measurement results are shown in FIG. The vertical axis of the graph shown in FIG. 6 is the pushing reaction force by the muscle of the subject at the wearing site, and is converted from the value of the pressure signal which is the output of the pressure sensor 4A into the value of the force (unit: N [Newton]). There is.

Of the five peaks existing in the graph of FIG. 6, the leftmost peak is the output of the pressure sensor 4A when the subject lifts a weight of 1 kg, and the rightmost peak is the output of the subject weighing 5 kg. This is the output of the pressure sensor 4A when the weight is lifted. As the weight of the weight lifted by the subject increases, the peak value of the output of the pressure sensor 4A also increases almost linearly. As a result, it was possible to confirm the correlation between the signal strength of the pressure sensor 4A when the maximum muscle strength was exerted and the weight of the weight lifted by the subject, and it was possible to confirm the usefulness of the measuring instrument 10.

In the second measurement example, pressure sensors are attached to a plurality of parts of the subject's muscles to confirm changes in muscle activity for each muscle part.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing mounting sites of a plurality of measuring instruments to be mounted on a subject in the second measurement example. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the subject's right leg below the knee is viewed from behind the subject. 8 to 10 are graphs showing the temporal output of a plurality of pressure sensors mounted at different parts.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the second measurement example, eight measuring instruments 10 (10a to 10h) were attached to the gastrocnemius muscle of the right leg of the subject, and the operation of extending the toes was repeatedly performed. The measurement was performed in a long sitting position, and the operation of weakening for 2 seconds and then extending the toes for 2 seconds was repeated 5 times with the gastrocnemius muscle of the right leg floating using two chairs. Sites 1 to 4 are the inner part of the lower leg, and parts 5 to 8 are the outer part of the lower leg. Measuring instruments 10a to 10h were attached to each of the parts 1 to 8. Kinesiology tape and bandage tape were used to attach the measuring instruments 10a to 10h to the gastrocnemius muscle. The measurement results are shown in FIGS. 8 to 10.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the output over time of the pressure sensors mounted on the respective mounting sites from the site 1 to the site 8.

It is known that muscles become stiffer when muscular strength is exerted compared to when muscular strength is exerted. From the graph of FIG. 8, in the intervals of 0 seconds to 2 seconds, 4 seconds to 6 seconds, 8 seconds to 10 seconds, 12 seconds to 14 seconds, and 16 seconds to 18 seconds corresponding to the weakening, the detected push-back reaction was detected. The force is about 0.2 N [Newton] or less. In the sections of 2 seconds to 4 seconds, 6 seconds to 8 seconds, 10 seconds to 12 seconds, 14 seconds to 16 seconds, and 18 seconds to 20 seconds corresponding to the time when the toes are extended, 7 places excluding part 3 At the mounting site, a pushing reaction force of about 0.2 N at the minimum and about 1.4 N at the maximum was detected. Although there was a difference in the magnitude of the pushing reaction force detected depending on the mounting site, it was possible to monitor the change in muscle hardness of each muscle site due to the exercise of the subject's muscle strength at each mounting site.

In the graph of FIG. 8, the magnitude of the measured pushing reaction force is slightly reduced in the sections of 14 seconds to 16 seconds and 18 seconds to 20 seconds in which the toes are extended. This is because muscle spasm occurred in the sole of the subject during the previous 10 to 12 second movement, and in the subsequent movement, the toes were not fully extended and the movement was changed to the metatarsophalangeal joint. It is a change due to what was done.

FIG. 9A is a graph showing the time-dependent output of the pressure sensors attached to the parts 1 and 2, and FIG. 9B is a graph showing the time-dependent output of the pressure sensors attached to the parts 5 and 6. It is a graph which shows the output.

At site 1, site 2, site 5, and site 6, the entire measuring instrument 10 is attached to the gastrocnemius muscle. Site 1 and site 2 are sites corresponding to the medial gastrocnemius head, and site 5 and site 6 are sites corresponding to the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Comparing the graph of FIG. 9 (A) corresponding to the part 1 and the part 2 with the graph of FIG. 9 (B) corresponding to the part 5 and the part 6 regarding the output of the pressure sensor, the detected indentation reaction There is a marked difference in the magnitude of the force. The magnitude of the detected pushing reaction force is larger at the site 1 and the site 2 than at the site 5 and the site 6. This indicates that the action of extending the toes is performed by the action of the gastrocnemius medial head corresponding to site 1 and site 2 rather than the action of the gastrocnemius lateral head corresponding to site 5 and site 6. ..

As a result, it was possible to attach pressure sensors to a plurality of parts of the subject's muscles and confirm changes in muscle activity for each part of the muscles.

FIG. 10A is a graph showing the time-dependent output of the pressure sensor mounted on the part 3, and FIG. 10B is a graph showing the time-dependent output of the pressure sensor mounted on the part 1, the part 2 and the part 4. It is a graph which shows the output.

Sites 1 to 4 are all sites corresponding to the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. Of the sites 1 to 4, site 3 is the site where the gastrocnemius medial head transitions to the tendon. Comparing the graph of FIG. 10 (A) corresponding to the part 3 with the graph of FIG. 10 (B) corresponding to the part 1, the part 2 and the part 4, the output of the pressure sensor is detected. The magnitude of the force is smaller at site 3. Further, although a large signal change is obtained at the site 1, the site 2 and the site 4, the signal change obtained at the site 3 is small. It is considered that this is because the site 3 is a site that transitions from the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle to the tendon.

As a result, it was possible to attach pressure sensors to a plurality of parts of the subject's muscles and confirm changes in muscle activity for each part of the muscles.

As described above, according to the muscle hardness measuring system 30, it is possible to provide a muscle hardness measuring system using a measuring instrument having improved wearability to a subject. By reducing the thickness of the measuring instrument 10, the wearability to the subject is improved, and the muscle hardness of the subject can be measured even during exercise. By using the muscle hardness measurement system 30, it is possible to quantitatively evaluate the difference in muscle hardness over time, which was conventionally determined by palpation, and it is also possible to detect changes in muscle activity due to movement. become.
[Other forms]

Although the present invention has been described above by the specific embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

The measuring instrument 10 is not limited to the measuring instrument 10A according to the above-described embodiment. In another embodiment, the measuring instrument 10 may be, for example, the measuring instrument 10B illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. That is, the measuring instrument 10 includes a tubular member 1 having an open end surface 1a, a contact indenter 2 for contacting the object to be measured 9, an elastic member 3 to which the contact indenter 2 is connected to one end, and an elastic member. A sensor 4 that senses a force applied to the contact indenter 2 from the object 9 to be measured based on the amount of deformation of 3 is provided, and the elastic member 3 has at least a part of the contact indenter 2 as an end face of the tubular member 1. The measuring instrument 10 can be made to elastically urge the tendency to protrude from 1a.

Unless otherwise specified, the configuration of the measuring instrument 10B according to the other embodiment described below is the same as the configuration of the measuring instrument 10A according to the above-described embodiment, and thus redundant description will be omitted.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a measuring instrument according to another embodiment.

The measuring instrument 10 (10B) according to the other embodiment includes a tubular member 1 (1B), a contact indenter 2 (2B), an elastic member 3 (3B), and a sensor 4 (strain sensor 4B). .. The measurement by the measuring instrument 10B is performed in a state where the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1B and the contact indenter 2B are arranged in contact with the skin 9 of the subject.

The measuring instrument 10B is attached so that the side of the open end surface 1a of the tubular member 1B faces the skin 9 at a position corresponding to the muscle of the subject. The contact indenter 2B is urged so as to protrude from the end face 1a by the elastic force of the elastic member 3B. When the contact indenter 2B is pressed against the skin 9, the elastic member 3B is deformed. The degree to which the elastic member 3B is deformed changes according to the reaction force of the pressing force. This reaction force changes according to the hardness of the skin 9. The measuring instrument 10B detects the strain due to the deformation of the elastic member 3B by the strain sensor 4B, and outputs a signal corresponding to the muscle hardness of the subject corresponding to the position of the skin 9 at the wearing site.

Illustratively, the dimensions of the measuring instrument 10B are about 10 mm to about 40 mm in width and about 5 mm to about 15 mm in height in the tubular member 1B.

The elastic member 3B extends inward of the tubular member 1B. One end of the elastic member 3B is connected to the tubular member 1B, and the other end is connected to the contact indenter 2B. In the illustrated embodiment, one end of the elastic member 3B is connected to the end surface 1b side of the tubular member 1B, and the contact indenter 2B is connected to the surface of the elastic member 3B facing the tubular member 1B. The elastic member 3B elastically biases at least a part of the contact indenter 2B so as to protrude from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1B. The elastic member 3B preferably has linear spring characteristics.

In the illustrated embodiment, a metal leaf spring is used for the elastic member 3B. The shape of the elastic member 3B is not limited to the plate shape shown in the figure, and may be, for example, a rod shape. The material of the spring is not limited to metal, and may be made of resin such as polycarbonate. Further, an elastic body such as rubber can be used for the elastic member 3B. It is preferable that the elastic body used has a linear compressive force and deformation, and its characteristics do not change even if it is repeatedly deformed.

The strain sensor 4B is arranged on the elastic member 3B and senses the strain due to the deformation of the elastic member 3B. As the strain sensor 4B, various types of strain sensors such as an electric resistance type can be used.

In the present embodiment, the contact indenter 2B and the elastic member 3B constituting the movable portion are displaced without engaging with the cavity 1c of the tubular member 1B.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining how to use the measuring instrument according to another embodiment. (A) indicates a state in which the measuring instrument is not used. (B) shows a state in which the measuring instrument is pressed against a hard surface. (C) shows a state in which the measuring instrument is pressed against a soft surface.

As shown in (A), when the measuring instrument 10B is not used, at least a part of the contact indenter 2B protrudes from the end surface 1a of the tubular member 1B. As shown in (B), when the measuring instrument 10B is pressed against a hard surface (for example, hard skin 9a), the elastic member 3B to which the contact indenter 2B is connected to the other end bends, so that the contact indenter 2B becomes The tip is displaced to the end face 1a of the tubular member 1B. On the other hand, as shown in (C), when the measuring instrument 10B is pressed against a soft surface (for example, soft skin 9b), the contact indenter 2B has at least a part of the end face 1a of the tubular member 1B due to the restoring force of the elastic member 3B. It will be in a state of protruding from.

When the skin 9 becomes hard due to muscle activity or fatigue, the state shown in (C) approaches the state shown in (B), and the degree of deformation (deflection) of the elastic member 3B due to the restoring force also changes. Therefore, when the hardness of the skin 9 changes from the state shown in (C) to the state shown in (B) due to the exercise of the subject, the strain according to the deformation (deflection) of the elastic member 3B is measured by the strain sensor 4B. By detecting with, the muscle hardness of the subject can be detected as strain. The change in strain according to the deformation (deflection) of the elastic member 3B depends on the muscle hardness of the subject.

As described above, according to the measuring instrument 10B according to the other embodiment, the wearability to the subject can be improved. Conventionally, the displacement of the spring has been measured, but the measuring instrument 10B senses the strain due to the deformation of the elastic member 3B by the strain sensor 4B. As a result, the measuring instrument 10B is made thinner. By reducing the thickness of the measuring instrument 10B, the wearability to the subject is improved, and the muscle hardness of the subject can be measured even during exercise.

In the above embodiment, the muscle hardness measuring system 30 includes the measuring instrument 10A according to one embodiment, but the muscle hardness measuring system 30 relates to another embodiment instead of the measuring instrument 10A according to one embodiment. The measuring instruments 10B can be provided, and these measuring instruments 10A and 10B can be mixed and provided.

1 (1A, 1B) Cylindrical member 2 (2A, 2B) Contact indenter 3 (3A, 3B) Elastic member 4 (4A, 4B) Sensor (pressure sensor, strain sensor)
5 Holding member 6 Sensor indenter 7 Bottom lid 9 (9a, 9b) Skin 10 (10A, 10B) Measuring instrument 10a to 10h Multiple measuring instruments 20 Case 21 Calculation unit 22 Switching device 23 Communication unit 24 Display unit 30 Muscle hardness measurement system 90 Muscle hardness tester 91 Pressing part 93 Guide 94 Guideline 99 Body surface

Claims (11)

A tubular member with an open end face and
A contact indenter for contacting the object to be measured,
An elastic member to which the contact indenter is connected to one end,
A sensor that senses the force applied to the contact indenter from the measurement object based on the amount of deformation of the elastic member.
With
The elastic member is a measuring instrument that elastically biases at least a part of the contact indenter so as to protrude from the end face of the tubular member. At least one end face of the tubular member is open.
The elastic member has the contact indenter connected to one end thereof, is arranged in the cavity of the tubular member, and stands on its own in a compressed state.
The measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor that is arranged on the other end side of the elastic member in the cavity of the tubular member and senses pressure due to deformation of the elastic member. The measuring instrument according to claim 2, wherein the elastic member is a conical spring. Between the pressure sensor and the other end of the elastic member,
A holding member to which the elastic member is connected to one end,
A sensor indenter arranged on the other end side of the holding member and transmitting the pressure due to the deformation of the elastic member to the pressure sensor.
The measuring instrument according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising. The elastic member extends inward of the tubular member, one end connected to the tubular member and the other end connected to the contact indenter.
The measuring instrument according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a strain sensor that is arranged on the elastic member and senses strain due to deformation of the elastic member. The measuring instrument according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member is a leaf spring. The measuring instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tubular member has a width of 10 mm to 40 mm and a height of 5 mm to 15 mm. The measuring instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
Based on the signal input from the measuring instrument, a calculation unit that calculates a numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument is mounted, and
A muscle hardness measurement system equipped with. Equipped with multiple said measuring instruments
The muscle hardness according to claim 8, wherein the calculation unit calculates a numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to each position where the measuring instrument is mounted, based on signals input from the plurality of measuring instruments. Measurement system. The muscle hardness measuring system according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising a display unit for displaying the muscle hardness measurement result. The step of attaching the measuring instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to a subject,
Based on the signal input from the measuring instrument, the step of calculating the numerical value corresponding to the muscle hardness corresponding to the position where the measuring instrument is mounted, and
Muscle hardness measurement method including.

Images