Method and apparatus for measuring cost of physical activity

• US 4,299,235 A
• Filed: 09/21/1979
• Issued: 11/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leonard A. Cohen
• Original Assignee: Leonard A. Cohen
• Inventors: Cohen, Leonard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US06/078,583
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 128/670-671, 128/733, 128/718, 128/903, 364/413, 364/415
• US Class Current: 600/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for measuring the cost of physical activity includes the steps of correlating the integrated EMGs of selected muscles and the heart rate of an individual to oxygen consumption. Once correlated the integrated EMGs of the selected muscles and heart rate are measured while the individual is freely ambulatory. The physical and emotional cost of the physical activity is then measured. This cost is compared with the cost of the normally functioning muscles to determine the cost of a functional disability.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the cost of physical activity of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring the consumption of oxygen while at rest;

measuring the consumption of oxygen and the integrated electromyogram of at least one muscle while in a controlled state of activity;

correlating said at least one electromyogram to said oxygen consumption;

measuring the integrated electromyogram of said at least one muscle while said person is freely ambulatory;

correlating said integrated electromyogram to said oxygen consumption; and

determining the change in consumption of oxygen for said freely ambulatory activity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

measuring the heart rate while in said controlled state of activity;

correlating the heart rate while in said controlled state of activity to said oxygen consumption;

measuring the heart rate of said person while freely ambulatory;

correlating said measured heart rate while freely ambulatory to said oxygen consumption; and

determining the difference between the oxygen consumption correlated to said at least one electromyogram and the oxygen consumption correlated to said heart rate.

3. A method of measuring the physiological disability of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring the energy consumed by said person when at rest;

measuring the integrated electromyogram of at least one selected muscle;

correlating the integrated electromyogram of said at least one selected muscle with the energy consumed by said person in a controlled state of activity;

measuring the integrated electromyogram of said at least one muscle of said person while said person is freely ambulatory; and

determining from said measured consumption of energy at rest and from said measured integrated electromyogram, the physical cost of said freely ambulatory activity.

4. A method of measuring the physiological disability of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring the energy consumed by said person when at rest;

measuring the integrated electromyogram of at least one selected muscle;

correlating the integrated electromyogram of said at least one selected muscle with the energy consumed by said person in a controlled state of activity;

measuring the integrated electromyogram of said at least one muscle of said person while said person is freely ambulatory;

determining from said measured consumption of energy at rest and from said measured integrated electromyogram, the physical cost of said freely ambulatory activity;

correlating the heart rate of said person to the energy consumed by said person while in said controlled state of activity;

measuring the heart rate of said person when freely ambulatory;

determining the emotional cost of said freely ambulatory activity from said measured heart rate, said consumption of energy at rest and said integrated electromyogram; and

determining the physiological disability of said person by summing said physical cost and said emotional cost of said freely ambulatory activity.

5. A method of measuring the cost of physical activity of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring a parameter having a high correlation to physical energy consumption in a person while said person is in a controlled state of activity;

measuring a second parameter of said person having a high correlation to said first parameter while said person is in said controlled state of activity, said second parameter having a low correlation to emotional energy consumption in both the controlled and freely ambulatory states of activity;

correlating the measurements of said second parameter to said first parameter;

measuring said second parameter while said person is freely ambulatory; and

determining from said measured first parameter and said measured second parameter the physical cost of said freely ambulatory activity.

6. A method of measuring the cost of freely ambulatory activity of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring oxygen consumption of said person while at rest, said oxygen consumption having a high correlation to energy consumption;

measuring the electromyogram of a least one muscle of said person, said electromyogram having a correlation to said oxygen consumption, said measurement of said integrated electromyogram being taken while in a controlled state of activity;

correlating said measured integrated electromyogram to said oxygen consumption;

measuring said integrated electromyogram while said person is freely ambulatory; and

determining from said measured oxygen consumption and said integrated electromyogram the physical cost of said freely ambulatory activity.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

measuring the heart rate while said person is in said controlled state of activity;

correlating said measured heart rate to said oxygen consumption;

measuring said heart rate while in a freely ambulatory state; and

determining from said oxygen consumption, said heart rate and said electromyogram, the emotional cost of said freely ambulatory activity.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of:

measuring the oxygen consumption while said person is in said controlled state of activity.

9. A method of measuring the physiological state of activity of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring a parameter having a high correlation to physical energy consumption in a person while said person is in a controlled state of activity;

measuring a second parameter of said person having a high correlation to said first parameter while said person is in said controlled state of activity, said second parameter having a low correlation to emotional energy consumption in both the controlled and freely ambulatory states of activity;

measuring a third parameter having a correlation to total physiological activity and to said first parameter of said person while said person is in said controlled state of activity;

correlating said second and third parameters to said first parameter and to a selected common unit of measurement;

measuring said second and third parameters while said person is freely ambulatory; and

subtracting the correlated measured value of said second parameter from the correlated measured value of said third parameter to determine the emotional cost of activity.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said first parameter is oxygen consumption, said second parameter is the integrated electromyogram and said third parameter is the heart rate.

11. A method of measuring the cost of physiological activity of a person comprising the steps of:

measuring a parameter having a high correlation to physical energy consumption in a person while said person is in a controlled state of activity;

measuring a second parameter of said person having a high correlation to said first parameter while said person is in said controlled state of activity, said second parameter having a low correlation to emotional energy consumption in both the controlled and freely ambulatory states of activity;

measuring a third parameter having a correlation to the total physiological cost of activity while said person is in a controlled state of activity;

correlating said second and third parameters to a common unit of measurement with said first parameter;

measuring said second and third parameters while said person is freely ambulatory; and

determining from said measuring first, second and third parameters the total physiological cost of said freely ambulatory activity.