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Estimating lumbar spine loading when using back-support exoskeletons in lifting tasks.

Saman Madinei1, Maury A Nussbaum1

  • 1Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 250 Durham Hall (0118), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.

Journal of Biomechanics
|January 13, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Industrial back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) can reduce spine loads during repetitive lifting tasks. However, the effectiveness of these devices in mitigating low-back pain risk factors is task-specific and depends on the exoskeleton design.

Keywords:
AnyBody™ modeling systemComputational biomechanicsLow-back painMusculoskeletal modelingWearable assistive devices

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational health
  • Biomechanics
  • Ergonomics

Background:

  • Low-back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, primarily linked to physical risk factors in manual material handling.
  • Industrial back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are emerging as a potential ergonomic intervention to mitigate these risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of two passive BSEs (BackX™ AC and Laevo™ V2.5) on lumbosacral spine compression and shear forces during repetitive lifting tasks.
  • To investigate the relationship between trunk muscle activity and spine loads when using BSEs.

Main Methods:

  • An optimization-based biomechanical model was employed to estimate spine forces.
  • Eighteen participants performed repetitive lifting in symmetric and asymmetric postures under four conditions: no BSE, BackX™ AC, and Laevo™ V2.5.
  • Measurements included lumbosacral compression and shear forces (anteroposterior and mediolateral).

Main Results:

  • Both BSEs reduced estimated peak compression and anteroposterior shear forces by approximately 8-15%.
  • Reductions were task-specific and varied by BSE design.
  • Laevo™ significantly reduced mediolateral shear forces during asymmetric lifting (by ~35%).
  • Observed reductions in trunk muscle activity did not consistently correlate with changes in estimated spine forces.

Conclusions:

  • Passive BSEs can reduce certain spine loads during repetitive lifting, but their efficacy is dependent on the specific task and device.
  • The findings suggest that relying solely on muscle activity to gauge the benefits of BSEs may be insufficient.
  • Guidance is provided for selecting and applying BSEs in industrial settings, with a call for further research into biomechanical modeling for BSE assessment.