Department of Health Sciences and Biostatistics, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia.
Department of Engineering Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia.
Sensors (Basel). 2024 Aug 5;24(15):5067. doi: 10.3390/s24155067.
Low back pain (LBP) is a major contributor to lifting-related disabilities. To minimize the risk of back pain, emerging technologies known as lifting exoskeletons were designed to optimize lifting movements. However, it is currently unknown whether a minimally supportive exoskeleton can alter the lifting movement in people without LBP. This study aims to investigate if wearing a novel lightweight exoskeleton that minimally supports the back, hip, and knee can alter the lifting range of motion and movement variations in people without LBP. This study also aims to investigate if wearing this novel exoskeleton can result in a reliable between-day lifting movement. In two separate sessions (each one week apart), fourteen participants lifted a box (that weighed 10% of their body weight) ten times, once while wearing an exoskeleton and once while not wearing an exoskeleton. Wearing the novel exoskeleton during lifting produced moderate-high, test-retest reliability (Trunk: ICC = 0.89, 95% CI [0.67, 0.96], SEM = 9.34°; Hip: ICC = 0.63, 95% CI [0.22, 0.88], SEM = 2.57°; Knee: ICC = 0.61, 95% CI [0.23, 0.87], SEM = 2.50°). Wearing an exoskeleton significantly decreased the range of motion of the knee (F = 4.83, = 0.031, ηp = 0.06). Additionally, wearing an exoskeleton significantly decreased hip (diff = 8.38, = 0.045) and knee (diff = -8.57, = 0.038) movement variability; however, wearing an exoskeleton did not decrease the movement variability of the body's trunk (diff = 0.60, = 1.00). Therefore, minimally supported lifting through the use of exoskeletons can modify movement in people without LBP and produce reliable lifting movements. Wearing the novel exoskeleton is also desirable for monitoring lifting movements. Future studies should investigate the use of sensors and IMU to monitor lifting movement at work with the least amount of intrusion on an individual's movement.
下背痛（LBP）是导致与举重相关残疾的主要原因。为了最大限度地降低背痛风险，新兴的举重外骨骼技术旨在优化举重动作。然而，目前尚不清楚轻度支撑的外骨骼是否可以改变没有 LBP 的人的举重动作。本研究旨在调查佩戴一种新型轻便外骨骼是否可以改变没有 LBP 的人的举重运动范围和运动变化，这种外骨骼仅轻度支撑背部、臀部和膝盖。本研究还旨在调查佩戴这种新型外骨骼是否可以产生可靠的日常举重运动。在两个单独的测试中（每个测试相隔一周），十四名参与者举起一个重量为其体重 10%的盒子十次，一次佩戴外骨骼，一次不佩戴外骨骼。在举重过程中佩戴新型外骨骼可产生中高度的测试-重测可靠性（躯干：ICC = 0.89，95%CI [0.67, 0.96]，SEM = 9.34°；臀部：ICC = 0.63，95%CI [0.22, 0.88]，SEM = 2.57°；膝盖：ICC = 0.61，95%CI [0.23, 0.87]，SEM = 2.50°）。佩戴外骨骼可显著降低膝关节运动范围（F = 4.83， = 0.031，ηp = 0.06）。此外，佩戴外骨骼可显著降低臀部（差异 = 8.38， = 0.045）和膝盖（差异 = -8.57， = 0.038）运动的可变性；然而，佩戴外骨骼并没有降低身体躯干运动的可变性（差异 = 0.60， = 1.00）。因此，使用外骨骼进行轻度支撑的举重可以改变没有 LBP 的人的运动，并产生可靠的举重运动。佩戴新型外骨骼也有利于监测举重运动。未来的研究应该调查使用传感器和 IMU 以最小的侵入性监测工作中的举重运动。
