Instrumented device for analysing and quantifying physiological parameters of the upper limbs of a sports person, and associated method

Abstract

An instrumented interface for quantifying at least one physiological parameter of the upper limbs of a person, capable of being secured to a gripping device, and including at least one gripping system which the person can hang from, the instrumented interface including at least one force sensor which measures a deformation of the interface when a person exerts a force on the interface via the one gripping device, and is capable of producing a value that translates a force value.

Claims

1. A method for modelling an exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs, implemented by an intelligent device, said method comprising: a step of configuration, consisting in receiving at least one message containing a weight value, a value representing a notion of difficulty and a value representing a gripping technique; a step of reception of measuring data consisting in receiving at least one measurement message containing at least one force value associated with a time value transmitted by an instrumented interface, said instrumented interface: securely attached to a gripping device, the gripping device having at least one gripping system allowing the individual to be suspended, said instrumented interface including at least one force sensor measuring a deformation of said instrumented interface when an individual exerts a force on said instrumented interface via said gripping device, and the at least one force sensor configured to produce a value representing a force value; a step of calculation of at least one physiological parameter representative of the performance of an individual's forearms or arms, from at least said difficulty value and a force value associated with a time value; a step of transmission consisting in transmitting at least one message containing a value representative of a physiological parameter representing the performance of an individual's forearms or arms, calculated in the previous step.

2. The method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs according to claim 1, wherein said weight value and/or said value representing a notion of difficulty and/or value representing a gripping technique is a local value entered by a Man-Machine Interface or a value received from a remote source via a communication system.

3. The method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs according to claim 1, wherein said value representing a notion of difficulty is a value relative to the gripping thickness of the at least one gripping system or a value relative to the inclination of the at least one gripping system.

4. The method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs according to claim 1, further comprising a step of assistance consisting in transmitting at least one message containing a value relative to a start and an end of an exercise to be performed by said individual.

5. The method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs according to claim 1, wherein the calculation step consists in calculating: an index representative of the force of the forearms, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value, and a function of an equation which is a function of said value representing a notion of difficulty and of the selected gripping technique and/or; an index representative of the resistance of the individual's forearms, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value and/or; an index representative of the endurance of the forearms, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value.

6. The method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs according to claim 1, wherein the calculation step consists in calculating: an index representative of the capacity of said individual to perform a succession of pull-ups, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value and/or; an index representative of the power of the individual's arms, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value and of said weight value and/or; an index representative of said power of said individual's arms, as a function of said weight value, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value and of said weight value; an index representative of the exercise load generated by the various muscle groups of said individual, where the index is a function of said force value associated with a time value and of said selected gripping technique.

7. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded which includes program code instructions for the implementation of the steps of the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be seen clearly on reading the description below, with reference to the appended figures.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically an instrumented device for assessing the physiological abilities of an individual's upper limbs, such as an individual practicing climbing.

(3) FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the main steps of the method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs, implemented by a smart device co-operating with the said instrumented device according to the invention.

(4) In all the figures the common elements have the same references unless otherwise stipulated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE IMPLEMENTATION

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically an example implementation of an instrumented device according to the invention enabling the physiological capacities of the upper members of an individual 140 to be analysed, and particularly of a person practicing climbing, a fitness enthusiast or alternatively a body-builder, by quantifying physiological parameters.

(6) Instrumented device 100 according to the invention includes: a gripping device formed by a board 130 including at least one gripping means 131, 132; where the said gripping means enables an individual 140, such as a climber, to be suspended from it and/or to perform pull-ups on it, and to exert a roughly vertical force on it; an instrumented interface 120, which may for example be positioned between said board 130 and a bracket 110 (illustrated as an example in FIG. 1), able to hold said device 100, where said instrumented interface 120 contains sensors capable of providing a force value, advantageously a vertical force value, for example by measuring a deformation of said interface 120. software means 160 able to receive the measurements of the sensors of instrumented interface 120, and able to model the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs.

(7) Said instrumented interface 120 also contains means enabling device 100 to be attached to bracket 110.

(8) According to the implementation illustrated in FIG. 1, said instrumented interface 120 is an independent, removable part of said board 130, such that various boards can be interchanged and paired with various gripping means with different shapes and sizes, using a single instrumented interface 120.

(9) According to a second implementation, said instrumented interface 120 and said board 130 are securely attached to one another so as to form a monobloc assembly.

(10) According to a third implementation, said instrumented interface 120 is integrated directly in said board 130.

(11) As represented in FIG. 1, gripping means 131, 132 are formed by holds enabling them to be gripped using one or two hands. The holds of board 130 can have shapes and sizes enabling the possible grips by the climber to be varied.

(12) According to a variant implementation, board 130 contains a plurality of gripping means advantageously having different shapes and sizes. The sizes and shapes of the holds forming the gripping means are advantageously coupled in pairs, such that the climber has an identical hold for each hand.

(13) The holds forming the gripping means can be holds sculpted directly in said board 130, or alternatively separate holds, which can be removable or securely and permanently attached on board 130.

(14) Instrumented interface 120 also contains communication means allowing communication with smart device 150, for example a computer, phone, tablet, laptop, smart watch, specialist device, etc. also containing communication means to dialogue with said instrumented interface 120.

(15) It should be noted that the term specialist device is understood to mean a smart device which is directly integrated in said interface 120 or in said board 130.

(16) The communication means consists, for example, of wireless communication means as illustrated in FIG. 1, or any other means allowing the transmission of data.

(17) Smart device 150 contains software means 160 able to implement a method for modelling the physiological capacity or performance of a climber 140 involved when this climber applies a force with their upper limbs, on the basis of data measured by said instrumented interface 120. More specifically, software means 160 enable the physiological parameters representative of performance of the forearms and/or of the arms of a climber to be quantified.

(18) Smart device 150 also contains a Man-Machine interface, and display means to display the results delivered by software means 160.

(19) Device 100 according to the invention thus enables force data correlated with time data from instrumented surface 120 to be collected. This data derived from measurements is then transformed into useful and quantifiable data for a climber or trainer. This transformation is accomplished by means of software means 160.

(20) By virtue of the invention, climbers and/or trainers thus have a quantified and accurate assessment of the physiological parameters representing the performance of a climber's forearms and arms. The results obtained by the software are given in the form of an index or score, for example as a percentage. This data in the form of scores enable it such scores to be compared easily in the course of a training season, or in comparison with other climbers, such as, for example, the best current high-level climbers, where the best current climbers can be used to calibrate a maximum score of 100%.

(21) Such a calibration can of course change over time as changes to the best world performances occur. It is then envisaged to update software means 160 by ad hoc means.

(22) More specifically, software means 160 enable the force, resistance and endurance level (also called continuity level) of a climbing practitioner to be analysed and quantified in the form of an index or score. These three indices thus enable the fingers' capacities for production of force to be targeted according to different levels of fatigue.

(23) The term force is understood to mean the ability of an individual to produce force with the ends of their fingers during a short period (of the order of several seconds, not exceeding 30 seconds). The force score SCORE.sub.force thus indicates the climber's ability to cross very short and very intense climbing sections with small holds.

(24) The term resistance is understood to mean the ability of an individual to make one or more high-intensity efforts (for example between 80% and 100% of maximum force), over a period (of the order of several tens of a second to several minutes) without a decline in performance due to the effects of muscle fatigue. Resistance score SCORE.sub.resistance thus indicates the climber's ability to cross climbing sections with a succession of several very difficult movements without any intermediate relaxation (i.e. rest periods).

(25) The term endurance, or continuity, is understood to mean the said individual's ability to produce force when the effects of muscle fatigue make themselves felt. Endurance score SCORE.sub.endurance thus indicates the climber's ability to cross climbing sections involving a large number of movements with or without intermediate relaxation (i.e. rest periods).

(26) Software means 160 also enables the ability of an individual to perform pull-ups to be assessed by the quantification in the form of an index, or score, of four physiological parameters such as the energy expended by the individual, the power developed by the individual, the individual's weight/power ratio, and the muscular exercise load borne by each muscle group of the said individual.

(27) Energy score SCORE.sub.energy is thus representative of the said individual's ability to perform a succession of pull-ups. This ability is required in particular when the climber crosses a climbing section requiring them to pull themselves up using their arms with a large number of movements.

(28) Developed power score SCORE.sub.power represents the ability of the climber's arms to pull them up as powerfully and as rapidly as possible. This ability is required in particular during climbing sections requiring fast, dynamic movements and/or dynos (jumps from one hold to another).

(29) Weight/power ratio score SCORE.sub.weight/power ratio represents the climate's ability (overall) to pull themselves up as powerfully and rapidly as possible using their arms. This ability is sought in particular during fast, dynamic movements and/or dynos (jumps from one hold to another).

(30) Muscular exercise load score SCORE.sub.muscle is representative of the exercise load generated by the various muscle groups during the pull-up exercise. The term supported effort is understood to mean the force (expressed in Newtons or kilograms) developed by the individual's muscles over the period, together with the maximum peak forces. This exercise load score is given for each muscle group involved in performing the pull-ups, such as for example the elbow's group of flexor muscles, the elbow's group of extensor muscles, the group of muscles of the anterior trunk, and the group of muscles of the posterior trunk.

(31) FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the main steps of the method for modelling the exercise capacity of an individual's upper limbs, implemented by smart device 150, co-operating, via the communication means, with said instrumented device 100 according to the invention.

(32) In a first step 210, called the configuration step, the individual enters configuration parameters, such as a value representing a gripping technique I.sub.tech and a value representing a notion of difficulty I.sub.duff.

(33) The value representing a gripping technique (I.sub.tech) is chosen from among the gripping techniques known in the climbing field, such as a half-crimp grip, a slope grip, a full-crimp grip, or a pinch grip. The value representing the gripping technique (I.sub.tech) can also be chosen from among the techniques for gripping a pull-up bar known in the body-building field, i.e. the various methods of gripping with the wrist (supination, pronation or alternatively neutral), together with the various methods of positioning the hands relative to the width of the shoulder (hands wide apart, hands close together, etc).

(34) The value representing a notion of difficulty I.sub.duff is for example thickness ep of the hold of the gripping device selected for the assessment. This value could also relate to the number of fingers used, inclination of the hold, etc.

(35) Thus, during this first step 210, the individual selects a type of hold and a gripping technique which will be used to determine the physiological capacities.

(36) During this first configuration step it is also possible to enter a weight value I.sub.weight. The weight value is equal to the weight of the individual or to their weight loaded with additional masses.

(37) These choices are advantageously made so that the individual is able to take the said hold for a maximum period of between 5 and 15 seconds, advantageously of the order of 10 seconds.

(38) This first configuration step 210 can be accomplished using the Man-Machine interface, for example by the individual directly selecting the configuration parameters. However, this step can also be automated, for example during a step of confirmation, during which the climber keeps themselves suspended for several seconds with the selected hold or holds of board 130, so as to confirm the correct choice of hold, and so as to transmit and enter automatically the configuration parameters relating to weight I.sub.weight and possibly to the notion of difficulty I.sub.duff by choosing the hold with which the climber keeps themselves suspended.

(39) In a second step 220 the individual follows a programme of exercises, for example a fatigue programme. The type of exercise to be followed during this step depends on the physiological parameters which the individual wishes to quantify, i.e. the parameters representing the performance of the forearms or the performance of the arms.

(40) According to a variant implementation the programme of exercises contains all the exercises required to determine the physiological parameters representative both of the performance of the forearms and of the performance of the arms.

(41) Thus, to quantify and assess the performance of the forearms, the individual follows a programme of fatigue of the forearms, during which they exert on the selected hold a maximum force for 10 seconds, and then release it for a few seconds, for example 6 seconds. This operation is repeated several times to allow the forearms to become fatigued. Advantageously, this operation is repeated 24 times, corresponding to an exercise lasting 384 seconds.

(42) To quantify and assess the performance of the arms the individual follows a programme of explosive pull-ups, during which they start with a static suspension lasting several seconds (for example 5 seconds), with the arms stretched, and then perform, within a predetermined time interval, for example between 30 seconds and 1 minute, the highest possible number of pull-ups using the selected hold(s).

(43) When monitoring the exercise programme (fatigue programme or explosive pull-ups programme), the individual can be assisted by the transmission of visual and/or audio messages via the Man-Machine interface, the transmission of messages indicating, for example, the start and/or the end of the various phases of the exercises to be performed.

(44) During this second step 220, instrumented interface 120 measures various values representing a vertical force value applied to board 130, where each force value is associated with a time value.

(45) This data is received by smart device 150 via the communication means. This data can be received in real time when the exercise programme is being performed, or at the end of the programme, in the form of a data packet.

(46) In a third step 230, called the calculation step, software means 160 determines, in the form of a score, at least one physiological parameter representative of the individual's arms and/or forearms.

(47) In a first calculation sub-step 231, software means 160 determines an average maximum force value Fmax.sub.i for each repetition of the exercise programmes, where i represents the index of the repetition.

(48) To accomplish this, software means 160 determines the maximum force value of the repetition, noted pic F(t).sub.i, and determines an average maximum force value of the repetition by calculating the average of the force within a time interval, noted int, centred around the maximum force value pic F(t).sub.i as follows:

(49) ${\mathrm{Fmoy}}_i=\frac{1}{\mathrm{int}}\underset{\mathrm{pic}F\left(t\right)-\mathrm{int}/2}{\overset{\mathrm{picF}\left(t\right)+\mathrm{int}/2}{.Math.}}{F\left(t\right)}_i$

(50) In a second calculation sub-step 232, software means 160 determines first index SCORE.sub.force representative of the maximum force of the individual's forearms, where index SCORE.sub.force is a function of the said force value associated with a time value, and a function, for example, of a 4.sup.th order polynomial equation, which is itself a function of the said value representing a notion of difficulty I.sub.duff and selected gripping technique I.sub.tech (for example, a half-crimp grip, open-hand grip, full-crimp grip, pinch grip)

(51) Thus, as an example, the first index representing a force score of the forearms is determined by the following relationship:

(52) $\mathrm{SCOREforce}=\frac{F_{\mathrm{MAX}}}{\left(a{I}_{\mathrm{diff}}^4+b{I}_{\mathrm{diff}}^3+c{I}_{\mathrm{diff}}^2+d{I}_{\mathrm{diff}}\right)}$

(53) where: F.sub.MAX: the highest value of average maximum force values Fmoyi determined for all the repetitions; I.sub.cuff: the value relative to difficulty, i.e. thickness (e.sub.p) of the selected hold in our example implementation; , a, b, c, d: specific coefficients which are a function of configured gripping value I.sub.tech.

(54) Thus, as an example, for a grip of the open-hand type, the first index representing the force score of the individual's forearms is determined by the following relationship:

(55) ${\mathrm{SCORE}}_{\mathrm{force}}=\frac{1000F_{\max }}{\left(-9.74e_p^4+98.97e_p^3-362.7e_p^2+634.2e_p\right)2}$

(56) Software means 160 also determines second index SCORE.sub.resistance representative of the resistance of the individual's forearms, where index SCORE.sub.resistance is a function of the said force value measured by instrumented interface 120 associated with a time value.

(57) This, in a general sense, the second index representing the resistance score of the forearms is determined by the following relationship:

(58) $\mathrm{SCORE}\mathrm{resistance}=\left(\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{i=n}{.Math.}}\left({\mathrm{Fmax}}_i\right)>F_{\mathrm{MAX}}}{F_{\mathrm{MAX}}n}\right)$

(59) where: F.sub.MAX: the highest value of average maximum force values Fmoyi determined for all the repetitions; , : specific coefficients which are a function of configured gripping value I.sub.tech. n: number of force repetitions made in the fatigue programme, i.e. 24 in the example described above

(60) More specifically, the second index representing the resistance score of the individual's forearms is determined by the following relationship:

(61) $\mathrm{SCORE}\mathrm{resistance}=\left(\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{i=n}{.Math.}}\left({\mathrm{Fmoy}}_i\right)>0.8F_{\mathrm{MAX}}}{F_{\mathrm{MAX}}24}\right)1000$

(62) Software means 160 also determines third index SCORE.sub.endurance representative of the endurance of the individual's forearms, where index SCORE.sub.endurance is a function of the said force value measured by instrumented interface 120 associated with a time value.

(63) More specifically, the third index representing the endurance score of the forearms is determined by the following relationship:

(64) ${\mathrm{SCORE}}_{\mathrm{endurance}}=\left(\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{i=n}{.Math.}}\left({\mathrm{Fmoy}}_i\right)<{\mathrm{threshold}}_{\mathrm{endurance}}}{F_{\mathrm{MAX}}}\right)1000$

(65) where: threshold.sub.endurance=1.1average (minpics (Fmoy.sub.i) minpics (Fmoy.sub.i): the 5 smallest values of average maximum force Fmoy.sub.i exerted during the exercise, i.e. during the repetitions. : number of repetitions in which the average maximum force of the repetition is less than threshold.sub.endurance

(66) Software means 160 also determines a fourth index SCORE.sub.energy representative of the ability of the said individual to perform a succession of pull-ups; where SCORE.sub.energy is a function of the said force value measured by instrumented interface 120 associated with a time value.

(67) More specifically, the fourth index representing the score of energy expended is determined by the following relationship:

(68) ${\mathrm{SCORE}}_{\mathrm{nergie}}=\underset{i=0}{\overset{i=x}{.Math.}}\mathrm{pic}\left(W\left(i\right)\right)$

(69) where: W(i): the energy expended during pull-up i; x: number of pull-ups performed during the exercise.

(70) Software means 160 also determines a fifth index SCORE.sub.power representative of the power of the individual's arms. More specifically, the fifth index representing the power score is determined by calculating the average of the 5 highest power values observed during the exercise.

(71) More specifically, the fifth index representing the power score is determined by the following relationship:
SCORE.sub.power=average(Pics.sub.max of P(F(t)))

(72) where: P(F(t)): Power of F(t) during the i repetitions; Pics.sub.max: the 5 highest power values observed during the exercise.

(73) Software means 160 also determines a sixth index SCORE.sub.weight/power ratio representative of the said power of the arms of the said individual as a function of said weight value I.sub.weight. More specifically, the sixth index representing the score for the weight/power ratio is determined by calculating the ratio between weight value I.sub.weight and the average of the 5 highest power values observed during the exercise of the power score, i.e.:

(74) ${\mathrm{SCORE}}_{\mathrm{weight}/\mathrm{power}\mathrm{ratio}}=\frac{I_{\mathrm{weight}}}{\mathrm{average}\left({\mathrm{Pics}}_{\max }\mathrm{deP}\left(F\left(t\right)\right)\right)}$

(75) Software means 160 also determines a seventh index SCORE.sub.muscle representative of the pull-up exercise load, where SCORE.sub.muscle is a function of the said force value measured by instrumented interface 120 associated with a value for the time and the selected gripping technique (I.sub.tech). Seventh index SCORE.sub.muscle is expressed as a plurality j of SCORE.sub.muscle, where each SCORE.sub.muscle group j is associated with the exercise load borne by a specific muscle group.

(76) More specifically, the seventh index representing the power score is determined by the following relationship:
SCORE.sub.muscle group j=k(j,I.sub.tech),SCORE.sub.energy

(77) where: k: specific coefficient which is a function of configured gripping value I.sub.tech and of the selected muscle group; j: index corresponding to the different muscle groups.

(78) In a fourth step 240 software means 160 transmits a message including at least one score calculated above, such that they can be displayed in a display device communicating with software means 160. Advantageously, the display device is the display device of smart device 150.

(79) Instrumented device 100 according to the invention has been described principally to assess and quantify a climber's physiological performance. However, instrumented device 100 can also be used as a training tool in order to perform appropriate training for the scores obtained by each individual. Indeed, software means 160 is designed to generate exercise programmes specific to each individual, on the basis of the scores obtained and the type of training profile sought by the individual.

(80) The invention has been described in particular in the field of climbing; however the invention can also be used in other related fields, in particular for physiological assessment of persons affected by a pathology of the hand, or more generally of the upper limbs. Such a tool would therefore enable a measurable and quantifiable physiological assessment of the individuals to be obtained, and specific physiotherapy programmes to be developed on the basis of the individual's actual physiological abilities.

(81) The invention can also be used in the field of weight-training and fitness. In this case the gripping device described as a climbing board can also easily be replaced by a simple chin-up bar, or alternatively by an advanced chin-up bar which may involve different types of grips and/or different inclinations.