Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
PLoS One. 2023 Jun 23;18(6):e0287588. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287588. eCollection 2023.
The goal of this study was to compare erector spinae muscle fatigue, upper limb muscle activity, body areas discomfort, and heart rate during a 10-min carrying task with and without a passive upper-body exoskeleton (CarrySuitⓇ) while considering sex influences.
Passive exoskeletons are commercially available to assist lifting or carrying task. However, evidence of their impact on muscle activity, fatigue, heart rate and discomfort are scarce and/or do not concur during carrying tasks.
Thirty participants (16 females and 14 male) performed a 10-min, 15kg load-carrying task with and without the exoskeleton in two non-consecutive days. Heart rate, and erector spinae, deltoid, biceps and brachioradialis muscle activity were recorded during the carrying tasks. In addition, erector spinae electromyography during an isometric hold test and discomfort ratings were measured before and after the task.
While without the exoskeleton upper limb muscle activity increased or remained constant during the carrying task and showing high peak activation for both males and females, a significant activity reduction was observed with the exoskeleton. Low back peak activation, heart rate and discomfort were lower with than without the exoskeleton. In males muscle activation was significantly asymmetric without the exoskeleton and more symmetric with the exoskeleton.
The tested passive exoskeleton appears to alleviate the physical workload and impact of carrying heavy loads on the upper limbs and lower back for both males and females.
本研究旨在比较在 10 分钟携带任务中使用和不使用被动式上体外骨骼（CarrySuit Ⓡ）时竖脊肌疲劳、上肢肌肉活动、身体不适区域和心率的变化，并考虑性别影响。
市面上有一些被动式外骨骼可用于协助举升或搬运任务。然而，关于它们对肌肉活动、疲劳、心率和不适的影响的证据很少，而且在搬运任务中并不一致。
30 名参与者（16 名女性和 14 名男性）在两天内非连续进行了 10 分钟、15 公斤的负重携带任务，使用和不使用外骨骼。在携带任务期间记录了心率和竖脊肌、三角肌、肱二头肌和肱桡肌的肌肉活动。此外，在任务前后测量了竖脊肌在等长保持测试中的肌电图和不适评分。
在没有外骨骼的情况下，上肢肌肉活动在携带任务中增加或保持不变，并且男女的峰值激活都很高，而使用外骨骼时则观察到显著的活动减少。与没有外骨骼相比，下背部峰值激活、心率和不适都更低。在男性中，没有外骨骼时肌肉激活明显不对称，而使用外骨骼时则更对称。
所测试的被动式外骨骼似乎可以减轻男性和女性搬运重物对上肢和下背部的身体负荷和影响。
