O-ring test method and apparatus for human body

Abstract

In a voluntary-muscle strength measurement method and a muscular tonus state judgment method, the muscle strength of a voluntary muscle and the muscular tonus state can be measured accurately and objectively. The muscle strength of a voluntary muscle as the examiner pulls apart an O-ring shape formed with the thumb and another finger of subject's hand is measured with a first sensor placed at at least one point on the two fingers forming O-ring shape, and it is detected whether or not two fingers forming O-ring shape were pulled apart with a second sensor placed between two fingers forming O-ring shape, and the muscle strength at the time two fingers forming O-ring shape were pulled apart is measured by the detected outputs of the first and second sensors. Thereby, the O-ring test can be executed accurately and the muscle strength of a voluntary muscle can be measured with high reliability. The pressure is applied to an O-ring shape formed with the thumb and another finger of subject's hand from outside through a pressure sensor by a pressure applying unit, and the applied pressure is measured from the output of the pressure sensor. The muscle tonus state when the pressure is applied to the O-ring shape can be judged by the period of time in which the result of measurement is higher than the predetermined value.