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Training-Induced Muscle Fatigue with a Powered Lower-Limb Exoskeleton: A Preliminary Study on Healthy Subjects
Renato Baptista1,2, Francesco Salvaggio1,3, Caterina Cavallo1,2
1Department of Research and Development, LUNEX International University of Health, Exercise and Sports, Avenue du Parc des Sports, 50, 4671 Differdange, Luxembourg.
Medical Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 24, 2022
Summary
Powered lower-limb exoskeletons aid mobility but can cause fatigue. Treadmill and overground walking tasks induced significant knee flexor fatigue, unlike standing and sitting.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Powered lower-limb exoskeletons offer mobility support for individuals with paralysis.
- Exoskeleton use may mitigate muscular fatigue, a spasticity risk factor.
- Quantifying exoskeleton-induced fatigue is crucial for technology development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure muscular fatigue following exoskeleton-assisted motor tasks in healthy subjects.
- To compare fatigue levels across different exoskeleton training protocols.
- To inform the optimization of exoskeleton-based rehabilitation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Thirty healthy participants completed 60-minute exoskeleton training sessions.
- Three motor tasks were assessed: overground walking (WO), treadmill walking (WT), and sit-to-stand (STS).
- Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of knee and ankle muscles was measured pre- and post-training.
Main Results:
- Overall MVIC forces decreased post-training, except for ankle dorsiflexion.
- Significant knee flexor fatigue was induced by WO and WT tasks.
- No significant interaction between time and training session was observed, except for knee flexion.
Conclusions:
- Exoskeleton training induces varying levels of muscular fatigue depending on the motor task.
- The sit-to-stand (STS) task resulted in minimal muscular fatigue, particularly for knee flexors.
- Findings provide a basis for refining exoskeleton training protocols to manage fatigue effectively.
