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Jeong H, Haghighat P, Kantharaju P, Jacobson M, Jeong H, Kim M. Muscle coordination and recruitment during squat assistance using a robotic ankle-foot exoskeleton. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1363. [PMID: 36693935 PMCID: PMC9873637 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28229-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Squatting is an intensive activity routinely performed in the workplace to lift and lower loads. The effort to perform a squat can decrease using an exoskeleton that considers individual worker's differences and assists them with a customized solution, namely, personalized assistance. Designing such an exoskeleton could be improved by understanding how the user's muscle activity changes when assistance is provided. This study investigated the change in the muscle recruitment and activation pattern when personalized assistance was provided. The personalized assistance was provided by an ankle-foot exoskeleton during squatting and we compared its effect with that of the no-device and unpowered exoskeleton conditions using previously collected data. We identified four main muscle recruitment strategies across ten participants. One of the strategies mainly used quadriceps muscles, and the activation level corresponding to the strategy was reduced under exoskeleton assistance compared to the no-device and unpowered conditions. These quadriceps dominant synergy and rectus femoris activations showed reasonable correlations (r = 0.65, 0.59) to the metabolic cost of squatting. These results indicate that the assistance helped reduce quadriceps activation, and thus, the metabolic cost of squatting. These outcomes suggest that the muscle recruitment and activation patterns could be used to design an exoskeleton and training methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeongkeun Jeong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Parian Haghighat
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Prakyath Kantharaju
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Michael Jacobson
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Heejin Jeong
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.,Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Arizona, Mesa, AZ, 85212, USA
| | - Myunghee Kim
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
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Lee H, Hong JH. Comparison of trunk muscle activities in lifting and lowering tasks at various heights. J Phys Ther Sci 2016; 28:585-8. [PMID: 27065548 PMCID: PMC4793015 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.28.585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] Biomechanical data for manual material handling are important for appropriate
engineering design. The goal of this study was to investigate differences in trunk muscle
activity in lifting and lowering tasks at various heights. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty
healthy, young adult subjects performed 6 asymmetrical lifting and lowering tasks at
various heights. Trunk muscle activity of the abdominal external oblique muscle (EO),
rectus abdominis muscle (RA), and lumbar erector spinae muscles (ES) were recorded using
surface electromyography (EMG). [Results] The EMG activities of the bilateral ES differed
significantly among heights. The left EO activity in the ankle to knee lifting task was
significantly increased compared with that of the knee to ankle lowering task. However,
there were no significant differences in the right EO, bilateral ES, or RA between lifting
and lowering tasks. [Conclusion] The results show that the optimal range for manual
material handling was at trunk height, not only for lifting but also for lowering
tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Lee
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Moon University, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Heon Hong
- Department of Physical Therapy, Sun Moon University, Republic of Korea
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Hayashi S, Katsuhira J, Matsudaira K, Maruyama H. Effect of pelvic forward tilt on low back compressive and shear forces during a manual lifting task. J Phys Ther Sci 2016; 28:802-6. [PMID: 27134361 PMCID: PMC4842442 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.28.802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
[Purpose] To examine the effect of an instruction to increase pelvic forward tilt on low back load during a manual lifting task in the squat and stoop postures. [Subjects] Ten healthy males who provided informed consent were the subjects. [Methods] Kinetic and kinematic data were captured using a 3-dimensional motion analysis system and force plates. Low back compressive and shear forces were chosen as indicators of low back load. The subjects lifted an object that weighed 11.3 kg, under the following 4 conditions: squat posture, stoop posture, and these lifting postures along with an instruction to increase pelvic forward tilt. [Results] In the squat posture, the instruction to increase pelvic forward tilt reduced the low back compression and shear forces. [Conclusion] The present results suggest that a manual lifting task in the squat posture in combination with an instruction to increase pelvic forward tilt can decrease low back compression and shear forces, and therefore, might be an effective preventive method for low back pain in work settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Hayashi
- Rehabilitation Center, Saiseikai Kanagawaken Hospital, Japan; Graduate School of International University of Health and Welfare, Japan
| | - Junji Katsuhira
- Graduate School of International University of Health and Welfare, Japan; Department of Medical Research and Management for Musculoskeletal Pain 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan
| | - Ko Matsudaira
- Department of Medical Research and Management for Musculoskeletal Pain 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Maruyama
- Graduate School of International University of Health and Welfare, Japan
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Schoenfeld BJ. Squatting Kinematics and Kinetics and Their Application to Exercise Performance. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24:3497-506. [DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181bac2d7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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