Automated adaptive muscle stimulation method and apparatus
An automated adaptive muscle stimulation system and method are disclosed. The stimulation system includes at least one electrode assembly adapted to deliver a muscle stimulation signal to the tissue of a user, a sensor system adapted to detect a muscle response, and an electrical stimulation device operably coupled to the at least on electrode assembly and the sensor system, the electrical stimulation device including a control system operable to automatically diagnose at least one characteristic of a muscle from the detected muscle response and adjust at least one parameter of the muscle stimulation signal in response thereto to deliver an adjusted muscle stimulation signal. A dual mode muscle stimulation system adapted to accept first and second data sets and provide first and second levels of treatment data is also disclosed.
1. An adaptive stimulation system comprising:
an electrode assembly comprising an electrode that provides a stimulation signal and a sensor system that detects a muscle response, the electrode assembly configured to be applied to a user and deliver a stimulation signal to a target muscle of the user;
a control system operably coupled to the electrode assembly, the control system configured to:
prior to providing a stimulation program, determine a chronaxia of the target muscle of the user by providing a plurality of electrical pulses of different pulse durations with the electrode of the electrode assembly and determining muscle responses with the sensor system; and
during the stimulation program, adjusting a pulse width of a stimulation signal to equal the determined chronaxia.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor system comprises an accelerometer.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect a muscle response.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system automatically determines the chronaxia prior to initiating the stimulation program.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the chronaxia by:
determining a muscle response for each of the plurality of electrical pulses of different pulse durations using the sensor system; and
based on the determined muscle responses, determining the chronaxia of the target muscle.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein determining the chronaxia of the target muscle comprises mathematical curve fitting to a current-pulse duration curve.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is pre-programmed with a plurality of stimulation programs.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of stimulation programs is selected from the group consisting of a muscle fitness electrostimulation program, a muscle aesthetic electrostimulation program, a sport training electrostimulation program, a pain management electrostimulation program, a muscle rehabilitation electrostimulation program, and a vascular electrostimulation program.
9. A method for adaptive stimulation, the method comprising:
prior to providing a stimulation program with an electrode assembly comprising an electrode that provides a stimulation signal and a sensor system that detects a muscle response, determining a chronaxia of a target muscle of a user by:
providing a plurality of electrical pulses of different pulse durations with the electrode of the electrode assembly, and
determining muscle responses with the sensor system; and
during the stimulation program, adjusting a pulse width of a stimulation signal to equal the determined chronaxia.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sensor system comprises an accelerometer.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the accelerometer is configured to detect a muscle response.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the chronaxia occurs automatically prior when the stimulation program is initiated.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the chronaxia comprises:
determining a muscle response for each of the plurality of electrical pulses of different pulse durations using the sensor system; and
based on the determined muscle responses, determining the chronaxia of the target muscle.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the chronaxia of the target muscle comprises mathematical curve fitting to a current-pulse duration curve.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a user input indicative of a pre-programmed stimulation program to begin.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pre-programmed stimulation program is selected from the group consisting of a muscle fitness electrostimulation program, a muscle aesthetic electrostimulation program, a sport training electrostimulation program, a pain management electrostimulation program, a muscle rehabilitation electrostimulation program, and a vascular electrostimulation program.