Dynamic Bone Quality Assessment via Heel Strike Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bone density measurement methods, such as DXA, assess bones under static conditions, failing to provide insights into dynamic bone quality and fracture risk, which occurs under realistic, in vivo loading conditions, particularly in osteoporosis diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A computer system and method using accelerometers and a force plate to measure bone damping values during heel strikes, processing acceleration and ground reaction force data to assess dynamic bone quality, providing a non-invasive and economical tool for diagnosing osteoporosis and predicting fracture risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If DXA is used to measure bone mineral density, then bone density data can be obtained under static conditions, but the assessment fails to capture dynamic bone quality and fracture risk under realistic loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static bone density measurement to dynamic bone quality assessment by having subjects perform heel strike movements on a force plate. This introduces motion and realistic loading conditions, allowing measurement of bone shock absorption properties during actual impact events rather than in a static position.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the measurement parameter from bone mineral density (BMD) alone to bone shock absorption (BSA) properties including damping ratio, resonance frequency, and impulse response characteristics. These dynamic parameters provide complementary information about bone quality that cannot be obtained from static density measurements.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional static bone density measurement is used, then the diagnostic tool is simple and economical, but it cannot provide insights into bone fracture risk under dynamic loading conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical bone strength testing with a simplified heel strike protocol on an instrumented force plate. The dynamic mechanical response is captured through accelerometers and force sensors, processing which yields bone shock absorption metrics that correlate with fracture risk without requiring complex biomechanical testing apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The subject's own body weight and natural heel strike motion serve as the loading mechanism, eliminating the need for external loading devices. The body's natural dynamics during gait provide the necessary impact forces to assess bone shock absorption properties.
3Adaptability or versatility
If bone shock absorption measurement under dynamic conditions is implemented, then dynamic bone quality and fracture risk can be assessed, but the measurement system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The force plate serves multiple functions: it measures ground reaction forces during heel strike, provides a standardized impact surface, and captures temporal characteristics of the impact event. The same apparatus can assess different bone sites (foot, ankle, knee, hip) by placing accelerometers at various locations, making the system versatile without requiring separate devices for each measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces signal processing algorithms and computational models as intermediaries between the raw sensor data and the bone quality assessment. These computational tools transform complex multi-channel sensor signals into simplified bone shock absorption metrics, managing the complexity of the measurement system through software rather than hardware complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively quantifies bone shock absorption properties, differentiating between healthy and osteoporotic bones, thereby improving osteoporosis diagnosis and fracture risk assessment by measuring bone damping values, which are sensitive indicators of bone structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of accelerometers, each accelerometer adapted to contact an exterior surface of a human subject at a load-bearing anatomical site of the subject and to receive input from each point of contact comprising acceleration response data
Implementation Method 2
a force plate adapted to receive input comprising vertical ground reaction force data provided by a heel strike on the force plate
Implementation Method 3
The BSA variable, bone damping (ζ), is a sensitive measure of the bone's structural integrity
Implementation Method 4
The transmission, absorption and attenuation of energy that intakes to the skeleton due to heel strike is an important component of bone physiology and pathology
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system for assessing dynamic bone quality is provided, including a memory that stores executable instructions, a central processing unit (CPU) capable of accessing the memory and executing the instructions to provide an output, and a receiver for receiving data input and transmitting it to the CPU, wherein the receiver is operably connected to: (1) a plurality of accelerometers, each accelerometer adapted to contact an exterior surface of a human subject at a load-bearing anatomical site and to receive input from each point of contact including acceleration response data; and (2) a force plate adapted to receive input including vertical ground reaction force data provided by a heel strike on the force plate, wherein the CPU executes the instructions to process the input data transmitted from the receiver to provide the output as a bone damping value. A method for assessing dynamic bone quality is also provided.