Purpose The present study defined an exercise to produce a muscular response corresponding to a kinesthetic sense following force perturbation (target force) from a robotic device as a "Kinetic-Equilibrating (K-E)" task. First, an experiment was performed to determine what parameters would be appropriate to evaluate differences in kinesthetic and motor functions during the K-E task. Furthermore, it was investigated whether the result of the K-E task included kinesthetic and motor functions that had been evaluated by traditional force and joint angle reproduction. Methods Healthy young adults participated in this study. The subjects took K-E task examination and reproduction examination before and after the repetitive K-E task exercise. Mainly the knee joint extension was included in each examination. As a parameter for evaluating kinesthetic and motor function as a result of K-E task examination, position alteration of the human-machine interface portion (foot rest) was measured. Integrated values of the position differential value (PosKeAE) as absolute error, standard deviation of PosKeAE values from those repeatedly measured (PosKeVE) variable error, and standard deviation of position differential value (PosKeFL) as fluctuation were calculated. In the reproduction examinations, the differences between targeted force level or joint angle and executed force level or joint angle were measured as error scores (Force; FrcReAE, Joint angle; PosReAE). The standard deviation of the error score measured during each reproduction examination was calculated as a variable error score (Force; FrcReVE, joint angle; PosReVE). As the score of fluctuation, the standard deviation of force and joint angle curve within the representative period, as determined by self-declaration signals, was calculated (Force; FrcResFL, Joint angle; PosReFL). The examinations were repeated 5 times, and the averaged value of each parameter was adopted as the individual representative value. Results All three parameters of the K-E task examination improved after K-E repetitive exercise. Four combinations of parameters of the K-E task examination and parameters of force and joint angle reproduction indicated significant correlation. Conclusions The result of K-E task suggests that the three parameters adopted in this study are related to functional differences induced by repetitive exercise. Relationship between parameters of the K-E task and reproduction examination indicates that the results from the K-E task examination were not fully independent, but also may have related to some kinesthetic and motor functions evaluated in the reproduction examination.
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