Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38990910›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Effects of a passive upper-body exoskeleton on whole-body kinematics, leg muscle activity, and discomfort during a carrying task.

Gabriela Garcia, Paul Gonzalo Arauz, Isabel Alvarez, Nicolas Encalada, Shirley Vega, Marco Baldo, Bernard J Martin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Gabriela GarciaDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.ORCID 0000-0002-5666-2156
Paul Gonzalo ArauzDepartment of Orthopaedics, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, New York, NY, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0002-8724-7035
Isabel AlvarezDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
Nicolas EncaladaDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
Shirley VegaDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
Marco BaldoDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Colegio de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador.
Bernard J MartinDepartment of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-5033-1607

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare whole-body kinematics, leg muscle activity, and discomfort while performing a 10-min carrying task with and without a passive upper-body exoskeleton (CarrySuitⓇ), for both males and females.

backgroundDiverse commercial passive exoskeletons have appeared on the market claiming to assist lifting or carrying task. However, evidence of their impact on kinematics, muscle activity, and discomfort while performing these tasks are necessary to determine their benefits and/or limitations.

methodSixteen females and fourteen males carried a 15kg load with and without a passive exoskeleton during 10-min over a round trip route, in two non-consecutive days. Whole-body kinematics and leg muscle activity were evaluated for each condition. In addition, leg discomfort ratings were quantified before and immediately after the task.

resultsThe gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis muscle activity remained constant over the task with the exoskeleton. Without the exoskeleton a small decrease of gastrocnemius median activation was observed regardless of sex, and a small increase in static vastus lateralis activation was observed only for females. Several differences in sagittal, frontal, and transverse movements' ranges of motion were found between conditions and over the task. With the exoskeleton, ROM in the sagittal plane increased over time for the right ankle and pelvis for both sexes, and knees for males only. Thorax ROMs in the three planes were higher for females only when using the exoskeleton. Leg discomfort was lower with the exoskeleton than without.

conclusionThe results revealed a positive impact on range of motion, leg muscle activity, and discomfort of the tested exoskeleton.

Indexed as

Exoskeleton DeviceLegMuscle, SkeletalAdultBiomechanical PhenomenaElectromyographyFemaleHumansMaleRange of Motion, ArticularWeight-BearingYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID38990910
PMCPMC11238980

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.