DEVICE FOR TESTING LEG MUSCLE POWER IN THE ELDERLY

描述：（改编自申请人摘要）这个二期STTR项目包括继续开发一种安全、低成本、便携式的设备来测量髋关节和膝关节基本运动时产生的最大随意肌力。目标是提供一个客观和敏感的老年工具，方便地评估身体领域，最好地预测成功阻止正在进行的跌倒的能力。执行快速的步骤需要恢复平衡需要高水平的髋关节和膝关节力量，这可能超过老年人的能力。然而，在老年评估中很少测量腿部力量，因为用于测量的准确、便携、经济有效的设备还没有市售。因此，Bio Logic Engineering将对第一阶段的原型进行改进和商业化，以提供在无重力平面上进行孤立的髋关节和膝关节运动时的发电措施。将40名健康的年轻人、40名健康的老年人和20名较慢的老年女性步行者的力量和力量测量结果与在标准等速系统上获得的结果进行比较。因为更高的速度运动似乎更相关，所以我们将测试240度/秒的力量数据比120度/秒的数据更能解释向前跌倒恢复测试中的变异性。建议的商业应用：我们的主要目标是提供一种工具来改善老年评估和康复，并在长期可能的帮助下减少老年人的跌倒。考虑到它在老年研究、骨科康复、运动医学、团体实践、医疗中心、医院、辅助生活中心、运动训练等方面的应用，该设备的市场是广泛的。我们预计销量将在数千到数万个单位，估计零售价为5,000美元每个。如果未来的研究证实了它在帮助评估老年人从失去平衡中恢复的身体能力方面的临床效用，那么它的商业潜力可能会大大增加。

DESCRIPTION: (adapted from applicant's abstract) This Phase II STTR project involves the continued development of a safe, low-cost, portable device to measure maximum voluntary muscle power generated during fundamental movements of the hip and knee. The goal is to provide an objective and sensitive geriatric tool for easily assessing the physical domain that best predicts the ability to successfully arrest an on-going fall. The execution of rapid steps needed to regain balance requires high levels of hip and knee power that may exceed the capacity of an elderly individual. Nevertheless, leg power is rarely measured during geriatric assessments because accurate, portable, cost effective devices for the measurement are not commercially available. Consequently, Bio Logic Engineering will enhance and commercialize the Phase I prototype to provide measures of power generation during isolated hip and knee movements performed in the gravity free plane. Power and strength measures from 40 healthy younger, 40 healthy older subjects, and from 20 slower older female walkers will be compared with results obtained on a standard isokinetic system. Because higher speed movements appear more relevant, the hypothesis will be tested that 240 deg/sec power data will explain more of the variability on a forward fall recovery test than do 120 deg/sec data. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Our primary goals are to provide a tool to improve geriatric assessment and rehabilitation, and in the long-term possibly aid in the reduction of falls suffered by the elderly. The market for the device is widespread considering its use in geriatric research, orthopedic rehab, sports medicine, group practices, medical centers, hospitals, assisted living centers, athletic training, etc. We anticipate sales volume to be in the thousands to many tens of thousands of units at an estimated retail cost of $5,000 each. A considerable increase in commercial potential may be realized if future research validates its clinical utility in aiding in the assessment of the physical capacity of an elderly individual to recover from a loss of balance.