Apparatus for use for providing information on at least one muscle in a patient

Abstract

Apparatus (2) for providing information on at least one muscle (4) in a patient (6), which apparatus (2) comprises: (i) signal providing means (8) for providing measurement-enabling signals for the muscle (4); (ii) first contact electrodes (10) for enabling the measurement-enabling signals from the signal providing means to be received by the patient (6); (iii) measurement means (12) for measuring a parameter of the muscle (4), the parameter being such that it is affected by the measurement-enabling signals, and the parameter being such that it relates to at least one electrical property that is indicative of changes in tissue impedance caused by movement of the muscle (4); and (iv) a garment (14) which is for being worn over the muscle (4) in the patient (6) and which comprises an array (16) of separate electrically conducting areas (18), and the apparatus (2) being such that the first contact electrodes (10) are able to be positioned on the garment (14) at a predetermined precise position for obtaining the measured parameter and with the first contact electrodes (10) being in contact with those separate electrically conducting areas in the garment (14) that are over the predetermined position. The apparatus optionally includes neuromuscular stimulator means (46) for providing neuromuscular stimulation signals for the muscle (4).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.