Evaluation of Trunk Assistance Exoskeleton

Choosing a Trunk Assistance Exoskeleton: Issues of Cumulative Lumbar Loading, Muscle Fatigue, and Discomfort During Repetitive Lifting Tasks

The goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the effect of three different designs of trunk assistance exoskeletons on cumulative lumbar load, trunk extensors' muscular fatigue and comfort in healthy volunteers. The main questions it aims to answer is: will exoskeletons reduce muscle fatigue and cumulative lumbar load. Participants will :

• get each exoskeletons adjusted and then practice the lifting task and measurement sequence in a first session
• perform a lifting task for 4 blocks of 20 minutes on different sessions for each exoskeleton, another session is performed without assistance.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being able to communicate in french

Exclusion Criteria:

• Back pain in the last year
• Back pain for more than a week in the years prior
• Musculoskeletal injury in the last year
• Trunk musculoskeletal system surgery in the last year
• Scoliosis diagnostic
• Systemic illness, degenerative disease or syndrome related to the trunk musculoskeletal or nervous system
• Body mass index over 35 kg/m^2
• History of neurological damage
• Any contraindication to the practice of physical activity
• Incapacity to perform the lifting task at the specified rythm
• Medication with a negative impact on balance