System and method for determining muscle dysfunction
First Claim
1. A method for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a plurality of sites on the subject for sensing muscle electrical activity;
(b) calculating adipose thickness factors for the plurality of sites;
(c) making electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites; and
(d) analyzing the electrical activity measurements and determining thereby analysis values for a plurality of muscles, each of the plurality of muscles corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of sites, and in determining the analysis values, factoring the adipose thickness factors into the electrical activity measurements.
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Abstract
A system and method for determining back muscle dysfunction comprises data collection and data analysis elements. The system collects electrical muscle activity measurements by applying a plurality of electrodes in a pattern across a patient'"'"'s or test subject'"'"'s back, measuring the electrical activity at each of the electrodes and storing the measurements. One or more normative or examined patient databases comprising measurements and results from a number of individuals are used for comparison against the patient'"'"'s measurements. A patient'"'"'s back muscle activity is characterized by collecting electrical muscle activity measurements for the patient and comparing an analysis of the patient'"'"'s electrical muscle activity to the results of the normative or previously examined group.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a plurality of sites on the subject for sensing muscle electrical activity;
(b) calculating adipose thickness factors for the plurality of sites;
(c) making electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites; and
(d) analyzing the electrical activity measurements and determining thereby analysis values for a plurality of muscles, each of the plurality of muscles corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of sites, and in determining the analysis values, factoring the adipose thickness factors into the electrical activity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) selecting a plurality of sites on the subject for sensing muscle electrical activity;
(b) making electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites; and
(c) performing an analysis of the electrical activity measurements, the analysis comprising steps of determining from the electrical activity measurements analysis values for each of a plurality of muscles and determining from the analysis values a degree of departure from a normal condition, wherein the degree of departure for the analysis values is normalized with respect to the plurality of muscles. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrical activity sensors for measuring electrical activity at a respective plurality of sites on the subject; and
(b) a processor for determining adipose thickness factors based on at least one general characteristic of the subject for the plurality of sites on the subject, and for analyzing the electrical activity and determining therefrom analysis values for a plurality of muscles, each of the plurality of muscles corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of sites, wherein determining analysis values comprises factoring the adipose thickness factors into the measured electrical activity. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrical activity sensors for making electrical activity measurements for a respective plurality of sites on the subject; and
(b) a processor for analyzing the electrical activity measurements and determining therefrom analysis values for each of a plurality of muscles, and determining for each of the plurality of muscles a degree of departure from a normal condition by normalizing the analysis values with respect to the plurality of muscles. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer readable medium having stored therein one or more sequences of instructions for analyzing for muscle dysfunction of a subject, said one or more sequences of instructions causing one or more processors to perform a plurality of acts, said acts comprising:
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(a) calculating adipose thickness factors for a predetermined plurality of sites on the subject; and
(b) analyzing electrical activity measurements and determining therefrom analysis values for a plurality of muscles, each of the plurality of muscles corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of sites, and in determining the analysis values, factoring the adipose thickness factors into the electrical activity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer readable medium having stored therein one or more sequences of instructions for analyzing for muscle dysfunction of a subject, said one or more sequences of instructions causing one or more processors to perform a plurality of acts, said acts comprising:
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(a) calculating adipose thickness factors for a predetermined plurality of sites on the subject;
(b) determining analysis values for each of a plurality of muscles from electrical activity measurements for the plurality of sites; and
(c) determining from the analysis values, a degree of departure from a normal condition, the degree of departure being normalized with respect to the plurality of muscles. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A back muscle dysfunction evaluation network for determining muscle dysfunction of subjects comprising:
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(a) at least one data collection system for making electrical activity measurements at a respective plurality of sites on each of the subjects;
(b) a data analysis system for analyzing the electrical activity measurements and determining therein analysis values for a plurality of muscles, each of the plurality of muscles corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of sites; and
(c) a communications link linking the data analysis system and the data collection system, for transmitting the electrical activity measurements of subjects to the data analysis system. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A system for determining muscle dysfunction of a subject, the system comprising:
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(a) a means for making electrical activity measurements for a respective plurality of sites on the subject; and
(b) a means for analyzing the electrical activity measurements and determining therein analysis values for each of a plurality of muscles from the electrical activity measurements, and for determining from the analysis values for each of the plurality of muscles a degree of departure from a normal condition by normalizing the analysis values with respect to the plurality of muscles.
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60. A muscle dysfunction report comprising:
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(a) a reference to a tested muscle; and
(b) an impairment value representing a degree of departure of the muscle from an ideal normal condition, wherein different muscles having the same degree of departure have the same impairment values. - View Dependent Claims (61)
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Specification