Palpation technique education system using the muscle nodule dummy

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500520
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biological material science
• Research Institution: Tokoha University (2013-2015); Hamamatsu University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: ISOGAI Kaoru 常葉大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (00549496)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAMADA Yoji 名古屋大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (90166744)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OKAMOTO Shogo 名古屋大学, 大学院工学研究科, 講師 (10579064)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 皮膚皮下組織 / 筋 / 応力－ひずみ特性 / 筋硬結 / 触診 / 徒手的理学療法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

For the purpose of developing the muscle nodule palpation simulator, we measured the hardness of the human gluteal tissues. And, we manufactured eight types of urethane dummy models that differed in the number of rubber layers and the included fabric sheets. Then, ten practicing therapists evaluated the urethane models in terms of the similarities with the actual human gluteal region. Furthermore, we investigated the size and the mechanical properties of the muscle nodule which the clinicians imagine. As a result, the therapists preferentially selected a few models whose stress-strain characteristics were close to those of the human gluteal tissues. So, our method of tuning the hardness property of the models was effective in forming a urethane dummy that presents the haptic sensations experienced from palpating the actual human gluteal tissue. And, the average size of muscle nodule was about 31 mm in length, about 16 mm in width, and about 19 mm in thickness.

Free Research Field

理学療法学、触覚学