Effect of a soft exoskeleton on lower body muscle activity during forward skating

A prototype lower body soft exoskeleton suit (comprised of varied hip passive elastic bands) was designed to enhance forward skating start performance of hockey players [1]. To better understand the interaction between the suit and athlete, this further study analysed lower body muscle activity (surface EMG) during skate starts with and without the exoskeleton. Findings revealed that band conditions had no significant effect on muscle activity during the acceleration task indicating the need for further investigation into the mechanisms behind the suit’s time performance benefits.