Estonian scientists have created a unique medical device called Myoton (pictured) which doctors, research institutes and top athletes use to measure the health status of muscles – tone, elasticity and stiffness that characterize muscular performance, rehabilitation and blood supply. Olympic teams from a number of countries, among others, have already taken advantage of Myoton.

Supported by money from the European Union, Müomeetria – the company that markets the device – will now launch the development of a version of the device meant for everyday use; this version is also planned to be introduced in the world market.

Andrus Oks, manager of Müomeetria, says that Myoton LITE, the relevant device for an everyday user, will in its size be comparable to a cell phone and will also be more affordable. A task like this incorporates a number of fascinating technological challenges – thus Jyväskylä Central Hospital’s department of clinical trials in Finland, an Italian company Diagnostic Support and the University of Tartu in Estonia will be involved in the development work as partners, and PDD Innovations in England as a consultant.    

“We believe Myoton LITE will be as common of a training companion in the future as for example Polar or Suunto sports watches today. When one of the main assets of sports watches is to measure your pulse while  exercising, Myoton LITE enables you to monitor how the exercise is affecting your muscles,” Oks explains.

With the help of the device, a Myoton LITE user can easily assess their muscular state without any prior medical training. Measurement results are shown on the device’s screen and a wireless connection enables the transmission of data to a computer so as to conduct diagrams and analysis.

The device will develop into a new standard for exercise efficiency control and reduction of over exercising and injuries. In the case of injury, the device will help monitor muscular healing and assist in planning a restart of exercise.

Müomeetria and its partners are hoping this training program, optimized for layman use, will affect people’s health behavior, motivating them to be physically more active. People’s motivation for exercise will be higher when they can see their effort represented in numerical results.

Currently, a number of studies and tests related to Myoton are underway in world level research institutes such as Jyväskylä Sports Medicine Center, Sydney University of Technology, Inserm in Paris, the University of Tartu etc. The newest cooperation partner is the Beijing Sports University that invested 150 000 USD in setting up a Myoton lab. The relevant Chinese scientists have launched a series of studies so as to monitor the training of athletes; within the framework of these studies, Myoton has already been used to measure the muscles of Chinese kick boxers, divers and gymnasts.

The patented technology based device has, with the help of international distributors, been sold to tens of countries around the world.