Muscle Oxygen Monitoring
Moxy uses Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure oxygen levels in
muscle. Hemoglobin is the molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen; it
changes color depending on whether it is carrying oxygen or not. Near-Infrared
light generated by the Sensor travels from the emitter through the skin to
interact with the muscle, after which the light is scattered back to the detectors
in the Sensor. The Moxy Algorithm uses the information from the light striking
the detectors to determine the Muscle Oxygen Saturation.
The terms Muscle Oxygen Saturation, Muscle Oxygenation, and Muscle Oxygen
are the abbreviation, SmO
2
are used interchangeably. SmO
2
is the percentage
of hemoglobin in the capillaries of the muscle that is carrying Oxygen. The
number can be from 0 to 100%. Total hemoglobin, THb, is a relative measure
of the amount of hemoglobin in the optical path of the sensor
Muscle Oxygenation is a localized measurement. Even muscles that are close
to each other, such as the Rectus Femoris and the Vastus Lateralis in the
Quadriceps group, can have different values. Contralateral muscles may also
have different readings.
Muscle Oxygen Monitoring can be used to determine optimal training zones, to
monitor training intensity, and to set an optimal race pace. Refer to the Moxy
website at
www.moxymonitor.com
for more information.
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