Evaluation of a Passive Back-Support Exoskeleton in Bed-to-Chair Patient Handling Tasks

Details

• Personal Author:
  Alluri CSV ; Hawke AL ; Hwang J ; Zheng L
• Description:
  This study assessed the impact of a passive back-support exoskeleton (Laevo V2.5; Laevo, Netherlands) on trunk and hip postures, lower back muscle activity and heart rate during four common patient handling tasks: task 1, lying to sitting; task 2, sitting to standing; task 3, standing to sitting; task 4, bed-to-wheelchair transfer. Eight participants performed these tasks with and without the exoskeleton. Significant reductions (19%; p < 0.05) in erector spinae muscle activity were observed during tasks 2 and 4. Moreover, peak bilateral hip flexion angles decreased by up to 29 degrees across tasks, with a notable decrease in median hip flexion angles in three tasks, except for task 3. These findings suggest that the exoskeleton may offer benefits in reducing lower back muscular strain during certain patient transfer tasks, indicating its potential utility in healthcare settings. Further research is needed to fully assess its effectiveness and practicality in improving patient-handling techniques. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular System Ergonomics Health Personnel Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Back-support Exoskeleton Back Pain Exoskeletons Health Care Workers Heart Rate Hip Posture MSD Muscle Activity Muscle Function Musculoskeletal Disorders Patient Handling Patient Transfer

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• ISSN:
  1080-3548
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region [OSHA] ; Illinois ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA] ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070509
• Citation:
  Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2025 Feb; :[Epub ahead of print]
• Contact Point Address:
  Jaejin Hwang, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Northern Illinois University, USA
• Email:
  jhwang3@niu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:89d55f4e4e29af0b2ccfd1cb6d043c633b50e2c27a7afec3a5e65818178b6a4a09deb7f7592a44775a8bf13c8b73b52d6e8592c4e5a01d5756e04ad8f02e5019
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208707/cdc_208707_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.20 MB ]