Method For Assessing The Mechanical Load Of An Individual

Abstract

The invention deals with a method for assessing the mechanical load by an individual, said method comprising the following steps:—acquisition, over an analysis period, of three directional acceleration data using at least one acceleration measurement device carried by the individual,—transmission of the acceleration data thus acquired to a processing module and—determination by said module of at least one value assessing the mechanical load of said individual, characterized in that the processing module is adapted to implement on the acceleration data a calculation which result is independent of the spatial orientation of said device, said result assessing the mechanical load of said individual for a given time interval.

1 . A method for assessing the mechanical load of an individual, said method comprising the following steps:
 acquisition ( 10 ), over an analysis period, of three directional (X, Y, Z) acceleration data using at least one acceleration measurement device ( 2 ) carried by the individual in the upper back zone, preferentially between the scapulae,   transmission ( 11 ) of the acceleration data thus acquired to a processing module ( 7 ) and   determination ( 12 ) by said module ( 7 ) of at least one value assessing the mechanical load of said individual,   
       characterized in that the processing module ( 7 ) is adapted to implement on the acceleration data a calculation of a scalar index, said scalar index comprising a term proportional to the absolute value of the difference of the acceleration norms determined at two different times, said scalar index being independent of the spatial orientation of said device ( 2 ), said scalar index assessing the mechanical load of said individual for the given time interval. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of transmitting ( 13 ) the value thus calculated to at least one interface means ( 8 ), where it is displayed as an assessment of the physical activity of the individual over said period of analysis. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the calculation of the scalar index is equal to the absolute value of the difference between:
 the square root of the sum of the square of the accelerations along the different directions recorded at a given time, and   the square root of the sum of the square of the accelerations following the different directions recorded during the preceding or following time.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein during the acquisition step ( 10 ) angular velocity measurements and/or relative angles or rotations around the three axes of the space are measured, the determination implemented by the processing module being also a function of these measurements. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising an integration step ( 15 ) in which several values assessing the mechanical load are integrated over time. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing module ( 7 ) or the interface module ( 8 ) combines the value of the mechanical load with at least one other relative datum to the quantification of the physical activity of the individual selected among physiological parameters, spatiotemporal parameters of the displacement, subjective parameters of force perception, parameters of global mechanics and/or parameters of articular mechanics. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it uses, on values of the mechanical load successively determined in time, one or more different phases of activity. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration data are stored in a memory ( 4 ) during the acquisition step ( 10 ), the data being extracted during the implementation of the estimation method performed when the acquisition step ( 10 ) is completed. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein that the at least one acceleration measurement device ( 2 ) comprises a single tridimensional accelerometer. 
     
     
         10 . Computer program comprising code elements configured to carry out the implementation of the method for assessing the mechanical load of an individual according to one of the  claims 1  to  9 . 
     
     
         11 . Device for assessing the mechanical load of an individual comprising i) an acceleration data acquisition device ( 2 ) making it possible to detect accelerations in the three directions (X, Y, Z) of the space, ii) means for storing ( 4 ) the recorded data, iii) interface means ( 8 ) with a user and iv) means for implementing the computer program according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         12 . A method of adapting the physical activity of an individual, comprising the steps of:
 i/ implementing the method according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 ,   ii/ comparing measurements of mechanical load of said individual with corresponding values obtained at a different time, and   iii/ adapting the physical activity of the individual according to the result of the comparison of the previous step.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , in which the comparison of different measurement values according to step ii) shows an overactivity of the individual, adapting the physical activity according to step iii) then consisting in a decrease in the level of physical activity of said individual to prevent injuries or to reduce the training load. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the comparison of different physical activity measurement values according to step ii) shows a defect in the physical activity of the individual, the adaptation of the physical activity according to step iii) then consisting of an increase in the level of physical activity of said individual to optimize the effects of physical activity.