Effects of a Passive Neck Support Exoskeleton on Neck-Shoulder Muscle Fatigue and Motion During Live Veterinary Surgeries

Details

• Journal Article:
  Applied Ergonomics
• Personal Author:
  Zheng, Bowen ; Fan, Xuelong ; Kim, Sun Young ; Yu, Denny
• Description:
  ... Exoskeletons offer a promising alternative to traditional ergonomic interventions by providing adjustable, portable, and adaptable support suitable for diverse surgical environments. Prior research has demonstrated their biomechanical potential to reduce muscle activation and fatigue during surgical tasks in the arm and shoulder regions in human surgery. In live surgical settings, a passive arm-support exoskeleton has been shown to reduce elevated-arm exposure and peak muscle activity in the trapezius and deltoid muscles while maintaining usability (Cha et al., 2024). In simulated vascular surgery tasks, Tetteh et al. (2022) demonstrated that neck, arm, and trunk exoskeletons differentially reduced muscle-activation demands, with the trunk device significantly decreasing EMG fatigue rates, indicating the biomechanical potential of passive supports under controlled conditions. A recent study also found that exoskeletons can help reduce surgeons' neck discomfort and improve neck and torso postures while operating on human patients (Kim et al., 2025). However, the effects of neck support exoskeletons on muscle activation and fatigue in surgeons during surgical procedures involving either human or animal patients have not been quantified. Comprehensive evaluations that integrate subjective responses, muscular, and postural factors are needed as they can provide a more robust assessment in real-world surgical settings. Furthermore, no studies have assessed the impact in actual veterinary workplaces, where musculoskeletal injury risks may be further enhanced due to the unique tasks and environmental constraints when operating on animal patients. Overall, exoskeletons show great promise thanks to their adaptability and biomechanical advantages, as they may reduce muscle activity levels, minimize fatigue, and potentially improve posture. However, important research gaps persist. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a passive exoskeleton in providing neck support. We hypothesized that (1) using a passive neck-support exoskeleton would reduce self-reported discomfort, as well as muscle activation and fatigue in the neck-shoulder region, without restricting the neck joint range of motion; (2) the exoskeleton does not increase the muscle activity in the lower back. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Ergonomics
  • Exoskeletal Devices
  • General Surgery
  • Musculoskeletal Diseases
  • Musculoskeletal System
  • Occupational Health
  • Safety
• Keywords:
  • Surgery; Veterinarians; Veterinary medicine; Exoskeletons; Ergonomics; Biomechanics; Intervention effectiveness; Neck injuries; Fatigue; Musculoskeletal disorders; MSD
• Source:
  Appl Ergon 2026 Jul; 134:104745
• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region OSHA ; Indiana ; Ohio
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  11 pdf pages
• Volume:
  134
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071666
• Contact Point Address:
  Denny Yu, Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47906, USA
• Email:
  dennyyu@purdue.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2026
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• End Date:
  20260630
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/259439/cdc_259439_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.35 MB]
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1401fae2eb382f61267ba567572489d978d9d1a941b9e643343cdf5f1b7400068025b9e6b644a9ab8e769f2b53eaceda5220fedc052947dba0badc67537fe278