Balance assessment system

Abstract

A body movement assessment device for measuring a position of a center of gravity of a person at a plurality of time intervals relative to a recordable event, such as ball impact in a golf swing, and displaying those measurements for analysis. The body movement assessment device is useful in analyzing the tempo of body movement of a person, the consistency of body movement over two or more repetitions of a movement, the weight shift and postures of the person, and balance of the person. The body movement assessment device may include a visual recording device that enables a visual image of the person to be recorded and replayed together with other analytical information for increased analysis and understanding by the person. In at least one embodiment, the body movement assessment device may be configured to analyze a golf swing.

1 . A body movement assessment device, comprising: 
 at least one body movement sensor for determining a position of a center of gravity of a person relative to at least one body movement sensor;    at least one recordable event sensor for activating storage of data produced by the at least one body movement sensor relative to a recordable event;    at least one display screen for displaying the position of the center of gravity of the person at time intervals relative to the recordable event; and    at least one central processing unit in communication with the at least one body movement sensor, the at least one recordable event sensor, and the at least one display screen, wherein the central processing unit is configured to record and display on the display screen a plurality of marks representing the position of the center of gravity of a person at time intervals relative to the recordable event, thereby enabling analysis of movement tempo of the person to be analyzed.    
   
   
       2 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one body movement sensor comprises at least one force plate with at least one flat surface for supporting a person.  
   
   
       3 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the recordable event sensor is capable of being activated upon detecting a ball strike event and the recordable event is the ball strike event.  
   
   
       4 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 3 , wherein the ball strike event is selected from the group consisting of a golf club strike, a baseball bat strike, a softball bat strike, a tennis racket strike, a soccer ball strike, a racket ball racket strike, a hand ball hand strike, a football kick, and a cricket bat strike.  
   
   
       5 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the recordable event sensor is adapted to be activated upon detecting a ball release event and the recordable event is the ball release event.  
   
   
       6 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 5 , wherein the ball release event is selected from the group consisting of a ball throw, a basketball shot, a tennis serve toss, a lacrosse throw, a bowling ball throw, a bowling ball release, and a horseshoe throw.  
   
   
       7 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the time interval between center of gravity measurements is about in 1/100 of a second.  
   
   
       8 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual recording device for recording the movement of the person relative to the recordable event wherein the at least one display screen is configured to display the movement and is configured to replay a recording of the movement of the person.  
   
   
       9 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 8 , wherein the central processing unit is capable displaying on the at least one display screen a screen with center of gravity positions together with a visual recording of the person moving before and after the recordable event.  
   
   
       10 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit is capable of displaying a percentage of weight of the person in contact with the at least one body movement sensor for each of left foot toe region, left foot heel region, right foot toe region, and right foot heel region simultaneously.  
   
   
       11 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one alarm triggered when the center of gravity of the person moves outside of a predetermined area.  
   
   
       12 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one alarm is triggered when a threshold weight percentage for one or more center of gravity quadrants for the person is exceeded.  
   
   
       13 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 12 , wherein each center of gravity quadrant includes an alarm that, when actuated, is different from an alarm of other center of gravity quadrants for the person, wherein a threshold for each alarm is adjustable independent of other center of gravity quadrant alarms, and wherein each center of gravity quadrant alarm is independently activated.  
   
   
       14 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit displays marks on the at least one display screen in a first manner indicating movement of the person in a first lateral direction and displays marks on the at least one display screen in a second manner indicating movement of the person in a second, generally opposite, lateral direction.  
   
   
       15 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one display screen displays percentage of body weight on each foot and a center of gravity track so that both can be analyzed together.  
   
   
       16 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one display screen displays at least one arrow indicating the direction of shear force produced by a foot of a person.  
   
   
       17 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one display screen indicates the amount of shear force produced by the foot of a person.  
   
   
       18 . A body movement assessment device, comprising: 
 at least one body movement sensor having at least one surface for determining a position of a center of gravity of a person relative to at least one body movement sensor;    at least one recordable event sensor for activating storage of data produced by the at least one body movement sensor relative to a recordable event;    at least one display screen for displaying the position of the center of gravity of the person;    a visual recording device for recording the movement of the person relative to the recordable event and wherein the at least one display screen is configured to display the movement and is configured to replay a recording of the movement of the person; and    at least one central processing unit in communication with the at least one body movement sensor, the at least one ball-strike sensor, the at least one display screen, and the visual recording device, wherein the central processing unit is configured to record and display on the display screen a plurality of marks representing the position of the center of gravity of a person at time intervals relative to the recordable event.    
   
   
       19 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein the central processing unit is capable displaying on the at least one display screen a balance screen with center of gravity positions together with a visual recording of the person moving relative to the recordable event.  
   
   
       20 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein the central processing unit is capable of displaying a percentage of weight of the person in contact with the at least one body movement sensor for each of left foot toe region, left foot heel region, right foot toe region, and right foot heel region simultaneously.  
   
   
       21 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein each center of gravity quadrant includes an alarm signifying that the person is out of balance and that, when actuated, is different from an alarm of other center of gravity quadrants for the person, wherein a threshold for each alarm is adjustable independent of other center of gravity quadrant alarms, and wherein each center of gravity quadrant alarm is independently activated.  
   
   
       22 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein the central processing unit displays marks on the at least one display screen in a first manner indicating movement of the person in a first lateral direction and displays marks on the at least one display screen in a second manner indicating movement of the person in a second, generally opposite, lateral direction.  
   
   
       23 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one display screen displays percentage of body weight on each foot and a center of gravity track so that both can be analyzed together.  
   
   
       24 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one display screen displays at least one arrow indicating the direction of shear force produced by a foot of a person.  
   
   
       25 . The body movement assessment device of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one display screen indicates the amount of shear force produced by the foot of a person.  
   
   
       26 . A method of analyzing balance and consistency of a person performing an athletic movement, comprising: 
 positioning a person in proximity with at least one body movement sensor for determining a position of a center of gravity of the person relative to at least one body movement sensor;    determining the occurrence of a recordable event using at least one recordable event sensor;    measuring the center of gravity of the person at a plurality of time intervals before and after a recordable event using the at least one body movement sensor;    recording the measurements taken of the center of gravity of the person at time intervals in at least one central processing unit;    displaying on at least one display screen the center of gravity of a person taken at the plurality of time intervals before and after the recordable event as marks enabling a movement tempo of the person to be analyzed.