Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.
Department of Medicine of Sensory and Motor Organs, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1601, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 4;20(2):915. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20020915.
A novel and fun exercise robot (LOCOBOT) was developed to improve balance ability. This system can control a spherical robot on a floor by changing the center of pressure (COP) based on weight-shifting on a board. The present study evaluated leg muscle activity and joint motion during LOCOBOT exercise and compared the muscle activity with walking and sit-to-stand movement. This study included 10 healthy male adults (age: 23.0 ± 0.9 years) and examined basic LOCOBOT exercises (front-back, left-right, 8-turn, and bowling). Electromyography during each exercise recorded 13 right leg muscle activities. Muscle activity was represented as the percentage maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Additionally, the joint motion was simultaneously measured using an optical motion capture system. The mean %MVIC differed among LOCOBOT exercises, especially in ankle joint muscles. The ankle joint was primarily used for robot control. The mean %MVIC of the 8-turn exercise was equivalent to that of walking in the tibialis anterior, and the ankle plantar flexors were significantly higher than those in the sit-to-stand motion. Participants control the robot by ankle strategy. This robot exercise can efficiently train the ankle joint muscles, which would improve ankle joint stability.
一种新颖有趣的运动机器人（LOCOBOT）被开发出来以提高平衡能力。该系统可以通过在板上改变重心（COP）来控制在地板上的球形机器人，从而实现这一功能。本研究评估了 LOCOBOT 运动期间腿部肌肉活动和关节运动，并将肌肉活动与行走和坐立站起运动进行了比较。本研究纳入了 10 名健康男性成年人（年龄：23.0 ± 0.9 岁），并检查了 LOCOBOT 的基本运动（前后、左右、8 字和保龄球）。在每个运动中记录了 13 个右腿肌肉的肌电图。肌肉活动以最大随意等长收缩百分比（%MVIC）表示。此外，关节运动也同时使用光学运动捕捉系统进行测量。LOCOBOT 运动之间的平均%MVIC 不同，尤其是在踝关节肌肉中。踝关节主要用于机器人控制。8 字运动的平均%MVIC 与行走时的胫骨前肌相当，而踝关节跖屈肌的比坐立站起运动时显著更高。参与者通过踝关节策略控制机器人。这种机器人运动可以有效地训练踝关节肌肉，从而提高踝关节稳定性。
