Effect of low-profile, spring-powered exosuit on back muscle fatigue during leaning

We tested six subjects leaning with vs. without assistance from a spring-powered exosuit. We quantified the effect on back muscle fatigue rate. We found that five of the six subjects showed significant reductions in fatigue rate (ranging from 19-85%) for a subset of lumbar muscles (ranging from one to all six recorded muscles) when receiving assistance from the exosuit. These findings suggest that the exosuit may reduce fatigue and improve endurance for individuals who perform extended bouts of leaning (e.g., nurses, material handlers, construction workers).