Showing posts with label Contonx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contonx. Show all posts

Monday, January 27, 2020

Bicycle: Propel Adaptive Cycling Pedal

Propel Adaptive Cycling Pedal

I have multiple sclerosis. The disease inflicts neurological trauma and causes nerve-muscule fatigue. An MS attack will limit nerve conduction and in turn, limit muscle to-from engagement.  Nerve fiber conduction has the same four conduction conditions, normal, resistive, open, and shorts as wired circuits.  Open and shorted nerve fibers can exhibit a permanent disability. However, the brian's neuroplasticity can develop adaptive circuits. The Propel pedal began as an adaptive device as a workaround for my MS disability challenges to pedal the trike.  However, the research and development to make the adaptive pedal discovered a new pedaling performance and methodology for all cyclists. 

I am a USMC veteran, 68-71.  When an MS release prevented me from doing an upright bike mount, I petitioned the VA's Adaptive Sports Program for a recumbent trike. Before the VA would approve the trike purchase, I had to prove I could ride the trike. A bicycle pedal is the only device that makes a bicycle a bicycle. A rider may have may many challenges, but without a pedal, no rider could prove an ability to ride the trike. 

After years of upright riding using clip-in and platform pedals, I was a little surprised to learn recumbent bikes used the same pedals, clip-in and platform, as upright riders.  Clip-in shoes worked both ways, but platforms took a lot more energy to keep the shoe connected to the pedal 

The probran allowed for 8 test rides to select the recumbent and  prove  I could ride. In the test rides for acquiring a recumbent trike, I tried many different pedal styles. All failed designs for valid reasons. Safety was the most common. As a result of the tests, a new pedal design emerged. With the help of many people, the ideas became the Propel Adaptive Deck Pedal.

While the initial concept came from my desire to ride the trike, during my 31 years with MS, many mobility machines, exercise devices, and therapy equipment use cage-like variations of footrests. The cage can be a safety hazard. Propel's user safety model has three dimensions, mount, travel, and dismount. Within each dimension are multiple design extents. And each extent addresses one or more problems.

The drawing shows the Propel's general design concepts. When traveling, the locomotion power transfer to the trike is by the foot pushing the pedal's axle. During the pedal stroke cycle, several factors affect the efficiency of power transfer. Throughout the pedal stroke cycle, the fulcrum for the body's power transfer is the axle. As the stroke rotates, the foot's position over the axle changes leverage, therefore the leverage change affects power transfer. The two main factors affecting leverage is the position of the foot over the axle and the foot's movement on the axle. 

Traditional bicycle pedals place the forefoot (the ball) over the axle. Propel riders use centric foot placement where the foots' arch is centered over the axle. The foot's movement on the axle is similar to an airplane's pitch, yaw, and role. Airplane power is either acceleration or drift. The five factors, pitch, yaw, roll, acceleration, and drift combine as trim to indicate the efficient use of power. Propel's design assists the rider with keeping the foot and pedal in trim for the entire pedal cycle. Forefoot pedaling is like an airplane's center of gravity being in the cockpit with the pilot, whereas centric pedaling is like the plane's center of gravity near the wings. Propels centric pedaling allows the stroke trim to occur as if the axle's position is similar to an airplane's rotation around its wings.






Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Contonix: Fitness Model Primary Elements

Fitness Model Primary Elements


The Fitness Model shows the body's connection relationship of physical, neurological and cognitive. If are sitting in a chair and you want to walk out the door across the room, three activities must happen.
  •    Must have the physical prowess to move.
  •    Must have neurological coordination of movements
  •    Must have cognitive plans to direct movement.
Movement activity requires millions of body system's connections. Movement performance requires different systems to work in harmony with each other. Tone exists wherever the connections among the different movement elements perform in harmony. 

When connection tone 
  • does not exist - a new skill
  • or are weak - not used 
  • or broken - due to trauma like an accident, illness or diseases like multiple sclerosis
then connection toning (contonix) training uses the connection relationship to remodel the connections. Mind-It is the training technique means to remodel. The Mind-It goal is to create or restore vigor.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Contonx: Everyday Connections

Everyday Connections

Connection toning training begins with learning to be aware of the body's connections to produce activity for movement.

Suppose you are in a room sitting in a chair, and you look out a door and see a bright day inviting you outdoors. You stand up, walk across the room to the door, and all of sudden the wind slams the door shut. 
The normal body movement requires three movement elements for action.  

  • Begin with physical prowess to stand. 
  • Neurological coordination to walk 
  • Cognitive planning orchestrates navigation to the door. 
  • Startle reflex combines the movements into a simultaneous action. The door slamming causes a startle reflex that slams the thee elements into a near-simultaneous event.

Connections in MS

In MS, the immune system attacks the insulating tissue myelin around the axons causing 3 possible electrical conditions.


  •  A circuit open happens when the axon is cut causing axon loss
  •  Resistance increases due to insulation loss 
  •  Shorts, crosstalk, happen due to the demyelinated axons touching. 


All three exhibit fatigue conditions sometimes called nerve fiber fatigue.

In a way, the MS fatigue experience is like fainting, but unlike a faint where the person fainting has no conscious awareness, the MS fatigue attack is more like watching from being stuck in a bowl of clear gelatin unable to move.

In my youth, I had mononucleosis. While mono has several symptoms, the main symptom I remember is the extreme fatigue. I was so weak my mother had to spoon-feed me.  In my adult life, I can recall 4 times when the MS fatigue reminded me of being in bed with mono.  The other symptom I remember learning to walk again because my legs had no strength. Some say mono and MS may be related biologically. But, I do know fatigue symptoms are comparable.

Remodel Connections

All body positions require tone.  Muscles, nerves, bones, blood, and mind work together to maintain tone. The most restful posture requires tone. Movement requires millions of changes in tone. Each change requires connections to transfer from tone to tone. The connection itself is a tone.

Trauma disrupts connection tones. Connection tone training is a process for remodeling the damage in body systems to rebuild or remake or construct new connection tones. 


                

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Contonx: Contonix Exertion Scales

The Contonix Exertion Scales is a self-assessment grading method on the effectiveness of Mind-It Training (MIT) exercises. Tone is an active event that occurs when forces act together to maintain balance. If a person extends an arm and holds is stead, all biological systems act together to hold tone. As soon as the moves, the biological systems continue to act together to sustain continue change in tone. The means to change from one tone state to another is connection toning.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Psyc: Fear Threat Reactions


Fear Threat Reactions




When faced with a perceived threat, humans and animals exhibit a range of fear-threat reactions. These reactions are physiological and behavioral responses that help individuals cope with the perceived danger and protect themselves from harm. The most well-known fear threat reactions are the "fight-or-flight" responses, but there are other adaptations that organisms may employ in the face of fear.

Fight-or-flight response

The fight-or-flight response is a common physiological and behavioral reaction to perceived threats. This response is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers a cascade of physiological changes that prepare the body for action. These changes include:

  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure: This provides the body with the necessary oxygen and nutrients to fight or flee.

  • Muscle tension: This allows for rapid movement and defense.

  • Dilated pupils: This enhances vision in low-light conditions, which may be necessary for escape or defense.

  • Release of hormones: Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol prepare the body for action and increase alertness.

The fight-or-flight response is characterized by two primary behavioral options:

  • Fight: This involves confronting the threat directly, either verbally or physically.

  • Flight: This involves fleeing from the threat to a safe location.

The choice of whether to fight or flight depends on various factors, such as the perceived severity of the threat, the individual's assessment of their own capabilities, and the availability of escape routes.


ReactionDescription
Fawn
Hide - make oneself invisible, the threat still exists. 
Fight
Attack - self-defense by disarming the threat
Flight
Run - move away as fast as possible.
Freeze
Stop - cannot move, moving an make the threat worse
Finesse
Wade - Facing the threat and preserve anyhow.
Forget
Ignore - The cause for fear is not a threat. 
Fold
Surrender - Give up, accept the fact the threat is beyond one's control.
Fade
Backup - Disassociated from the threat.


Neurological Reactions

The neurological reactions, also known as the "four Fs," involve specific neurological pathways and activations. These reactions are:

  1. Fawn: The fawn response is associated with the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and conservation of energy. This response is mediated by the release of neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine.

  2. Fight: The fight response is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers a surge of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for physical action by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

  3. Flight: The flight response, like the fight response, is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. Adrenaline and cortisol play a key role in this response, preparing the body for rapid movement and escape.

  4. Freeze: The freeze response is associated with the activation of the dorsal vagal complex, a part of the nervous system that regulates freeze behavior. This response is mediated by the release of neuropeptides such as opioid peptides, which promote stillness and reduce pain perception.

Neurocognitive Reactions

The neurocognitive reactions, also known as the "four Fs," involve cognitive processes and emotional regulation mechanisms. These reactions are:

  1. Fade: The fade response involves suppressing or diminishing the emotional intensity of the fear response. This is achieved through cognitive reappraisal, which involves changing the way one interprets the threatening situation.

  2. Fold: The fold response involves avoiding or withdrawing from the perceived threat. This may involve physical avoidance or mental disengagement from the situation.

  3. Forget: The forget response involves suppressing or erasing memories of the fear-inducing event. This is thought to be mediated by the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory formation and consolidation.

  4. Finesse: The finesse response involves managing or controlling the expression of fear, often through coping strategies such as deep breathing or relaxation techniques. This response is mediated by the prefrontal cortex, a brain region involved in executive function and decision-making.

Phases of a Fear Threat Reaction

The four shock phases of a fear threat reaction are:

  1. Trigger: This is the initial phase, where the individual perceives a threat and the fear response is activated.

  2. Action: This is the phase where the individual reacts to the threat through either neurological or neurocognitive reactions.

  3. Recovery: This is the aware phase, where the individual's physiological and emotional state returns to baseline.

  4. Reaction: This is the safety phase, where the individual makes cognitive plans to change risks associated with the trigger.

The body's means to execute these reactions involve a complex interplay of hormonal, neurotransmitter, and cognitive processes. These mechanisms allow individuals to cope with perceived threats and protect themselves from harm.

While the threat reaction has a physical-behavioral transition response, the transition seems seamless in life practice.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Contonx: Four Square Fitness


Four Square Fitness

 
S.A.F.E Conditioning

                  S - Strength
                  A - Agility
                  F - Flexibility
                  E - Endurance
In the Art of Contonx, strength, agility, flexibility, and endurance are the finite elements of tone. Everything in the body's anatomy elements moves, cells, organs, fluids, nerves, bones, muscles, etc. A SAFE condition defines the relationship between the elements.



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A collection of Joseph Flanigan's drawings

  A collection of Joseph Flanigan's drawings.

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