Abstract
Purpose
Overhead works (OHW) are identified as a major risk factor for shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. The use of upper-limb exoskeletons (EXOUL) is emerging to address these challenges. This research tested the influence of EXOUL design and load on the upper-limb and postural muscles activity, and on the balance control, during OHW.
Methods
This study compared two passive EXOUL, notably differing by the level of assistive torque delivered. Both EXOUL was examined in two load conditions (2 vs. 8 kg). Twenty-nine volunteers performed a static OHW for each condition.
Results
Both EXOUL led to similar reductions in shoulder flexor muscle activity (12.3 ± 7.8% of RMSREF), compared to without equipment (29.0 ± 14.2% RMSREF). Both EXOUL resulted in a reduction in the activity of shoulder (3.6 ± 3.2% RMSREF) and wrist (2.4 ± 1.7% RMSREF) extensor muscles (4.9 ± 3.9 and 5.9 ± 6.1% RMSREF, respectively). The use of EXOUL led to reductions in back muscle activity, depending on the exoskeleton design (in % RMSREF, 12.9 ± 9.4 for EXO1, 22.8 ± 12.6 for EXO2 and 32.0 ± 18.4 without equipment). Wearing EXOUL induced changes in balance regulation, depending on both exoskeleton design and load condition.
Conclusion
The increase of assistive torque was not associated with an increase in EXOUL performance. However, the exoskeleton design (mass, balance, and assistive torque) has to be suitable for the load handled during static OHW to optimize the effects of using an EXOUL on the postural muscles.
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Availability of data and material
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author.
Code availability
Not applicable.
Abbreviations
- AD:
-
Anterior deltoid muscle
- BB:
-
Biceps brachii muscle
- CoP:
-
Center of pressure
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- ES:
-
Erector spinae muscle
- EXOUL :
-
Upper limb exoskeleton
- EXO1:
-
EXHAUSS Stronger® exoskeleton (EXHAUSS, France)
- EXO2:
-
SKEL-EX V1 exoskeleton (SKEL-EX, Netherlands)
- FC:
-
Flexor carpi radialis muscle
- FREE:
-
Without equipment
- MSD:
-
Musculoskeletal disorders
- OHW:
-
Overhead works
- RMS:
-
Root mean square
- RMSREF :
-
RMS value used as the reference value
- TA:
-
Tibialis anterior muscle
- TB:
-
Triceps brachii muscle
- TS:
-
Trapezius muscle (superior head)
- EC:
-
Extensor carpi radialis muscle
- UL:
-
Upper limb
- VL:
-
Vastus lateralis muscle
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Acknowledgements
We thank O. Morel, O. Remy, and G. Reno for their technical support, and C. Gaudez for providing medical assistance.
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Desbrosses, K., Schwartz, M. & Theurel, J. Evaluation of two upper-limb exoskeletons during overhead work: influence of exoskeleton design and load on muscular adaptations and balance regulation. Eur J Appl Physiol 121, 2811–2823 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04747-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04747-9