Our NephroMed center on Sovetsky Prospekt in Kemerovo, headed by Sergey Vladimirovich Kirilenko, has received a patent from the Federal Service for Intellectual Property for a utility model — a mounting device for an exercise bike.
“There is a medical university in our city with a Department of Therapy, where one of the staff members is conducting research as part of a PhD project. The study focuses on preventing sarcopenia in people with chronic kidney disease. The aim is to see whether regular physical activity can help prevent the loss of muscle mass,” explains Sergey Kirilenko.
People with chronic kidney disease can experience a rapid loss of muscle mass, particularly when they lead a sedentary lifestyle. The aim of the research is to find out how physical activity affects muscle mass in these patients.
Sergey Kirilenko explains that, as part of a research grant, the department purchased imported exercise bikes, the supply of which to Russia was discontinued.
“These exercise bikes are not designed to be used with dialysis chairs. To find a way to attach them to the chairs, our engineer came up with a custom device made, essentially, from plastic pipes. It is a platform that secures the exercise bike to the chair.”
The engineer built a working prototype himself.
“The device is attached to the upper part of the chair, behind the backrest. This gives the patient a stable point of support, making it comfortable to pedal. This useful device was subsequently patented. We are now actively using the invention,” says Sergey Kirilenko, Head of the center.
Going forward, the team plans to monitor changes in patients’ muscle mass and compare the results with and without regular exercise.
