A System for Lengthening Contraction Training of Muscle

描述（由申请人提供）：介绍：骨骼肌萎缩和无力影响老年人，经常导致虚弱，跌倒，骨折，行动不便和住院。在任何年龄，这种下降都可以通过进行性阻力训练（PRT）来改善。在传统的负重PRT中，激动剂（目标）肌肉通过缩短收缩（SC）举起重物，然后通过延长收缩（LC）降低相同的重量。最近的随机对照试验表明，与传统的SC-LC训练相比，在训练周期的lc阶段，消除sc阶段并对激动剂肌肉施加比正常负荷更大的负荷（仅lc训练）可以在更低的急性代谢成本和更低的感知劳累率下获得更大的力量增加。然而，仅训练LC，往往更具体地提高LC力量比SC力量。通过将低负荷SC与高负荷LC训练相结合，SC和LC的动态强度和肌肉形态都有更大的增加，这对老年人和能量受损的成年人特别有吸引力。尽管这种方案具有优势和必要性，但目前还没有一种商业系统能够灵活地同时实现适合老年人的低负荷SC和高负荷LC训练，并可供更广泛的公众独立使用。创新：生物逻辑工程公司通过开发一种创新的计算机控制和机动系统来解决这一需求，该系统可以通过速度控制的缩短收缩（VSC）和延长收缩（VLC）训练方案实现安全有效的力量训练。该系统在每次重复训练的VSC和VLC阶段提供跨运动范围的可编程可变阻力目标轨迹。学员调整他们的努力水平，以遵循定制的目标轨迹，可视化显示与实时力-位置反馈。独特的设计非常适合老年人，因为VLC阶段的目标轨迹的大小（强度）可以被编程为相对于VSC阶段显着提高。这项技术目前正被开发成一种腿部按压机，以提高老年人的活动能力，但也可用于其他肌肉群的训练。第二阶段的目标：将改进系统的机械、电子和软件，以提高安全性、易用性、灵活性和动态性能。临床表现将被评估36名健康老年人随机分为两个不同的16周PRT组，按性别分层：（1组）9名男性和9名女性将进行传统的负重堆SC-LC训练，（2组）9名男性和9名女性将进行电机驱动的VSC-VLC训练。待验证的假设是：通过在标准的一次重复最大SCs、一次重复最大VSCs和等距收缩期间测量的最大自主腿部伸展力量，VSC-VLC组对16周PRT的适应性反应将大于SC-LC组。商业机会：考虑到该系统在健康俱乐部、健康中心、物理治疗诊所、辅助生活社区、医院和学术机构的应用，该系统的潜在市场是巨大的。这项研究的目的是继续开发、完善和测试一种新的计算机控制的力量训练系统，以帮助对抗骨骼肌减少症。骨骼肌减少症是一种与年龄相关的骨骼肌进行性损失，导致肌肉力量、力量和活动能力下降。工作假设是，用新的计算机控制系统进行16周的渐进式阻力训练，通过运动范围和肌肉延长阶段的增加负荷来实现可变阻力，将使老年人比传统的重量训练方法获得更大的力量增长。这项研究的长期目标是使一种创新的设备和方法广泛使用，以提高进行性阻力力量训练的效果，特别是在老年人中。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Introduction: Skeletal muscle atrophy and weakness affect older adults and often lead to frailty, falls, fractures, immobility and institutionalization. At any age this decline can be ameliorated by progressive resistance training (PRT). During traditional PRT with weights, the agonist (target) muscles lift a weight with a shortening contraction (SC) and then lower the same weight with a lengthening contraction (LC). Recent randomized controlled trials suggest that eliminating the SC-phase and applying a larger-than-normal load to the agonist muscles during the LC-phase of the training cycle (LC-only training) can result in greater strength increases at a lower acute metabolic cost and a lower rate of perceived exertion than traditional SC-LC training. LC-only training, however, tends to be more specific to improving LC strength than SC strength. Even larger increases in both SC and LC dynamic strength and muscle morphology are achieved by combining lower-load SC with higher-load LC training which is particularly attractive for older and energetically impaired adults. Despite the advantages and need for such a regimen, no commercial system exists that has the flexibility to enable both lower-load SC and higher-load LC training that is suitable for older adults and accessible to the broader public for independent use. Innovation: Bio Logic Engineering Inc. is addressing this need by developing an innovative computer controlled and motorized system that enables safe and effective strength training with velocity-controlled shortening contraction (VSC) and lengthening contraction (VLC) training protocols. The system provides programmable variable-resistance force target trajectories across the range-of-motion in both VSC and VLC phases of each training repetition. Trainees modulate their level of exertion to follow customized target trajectories that are visually displayed along with real-time force-position feedback. The unique design is ideally suited for older adults since the magnitude (intensity) of the target trajectory for the VLC phase can be programmed to be significantly elevated with respect to the VSC phase. The technology is currently being developed as a leg press machine to improve mobility in older adults but is transferable to training of other muscle groups. Aims of Phase II: System mechanics, electronics and software will be refined to improve safety, ease-of-use, flexibility and dynamic performance. Clinical performance will be assessed with 36 healthy older adults randomized into two different 16-week PRT groups stratified by gender: (GROUP 1) 9 males and 9 females will perform traditional SC-LC training with the weight-stack and (GROUP 2) 9 males and 9 females will perform motor-driven VSC-VLC training. The hypothesis to be tested is: the adaptive response to 16-weeks of PRT will be greater for the VSC-VLC group than the SC-LC group as measured by the maximum voluntary leg extension strength during standard one-repetition maximum SCs, one-repetition maximum VSCs, and isometric contractions. Commercial Opportunity: The potential market for the system is large considering its use in health clubs, wellness centers, physical therapy clinics, assisted-living communities, hospitals, and academic institutions. The objective of this research is to continue to develop, refine and test a novel computer-controlled strength training system to assist in combating sarcopenia which is an age-related progressive loss of skeletal muscle that leads to a decline in muscular strength, power and mobility. The working hypothesis is that 16 weeks of progressive resistance training with the new computer-controlled system, which enables variable-resistance through the range-of-motion and elevated loading during the muscle lengthening phase, will lead older adults to greater increases in strength than with traditional weight training methods. The long-term goal of this research is to make widely available an innovative apparatus and method to improve the efficacy of progressive resistance strength training, especially in older adults.