Exoskeletons ‘inconsistent’ in cutting construction shoulder strain: Study

Exoskeletons, an increasingly common technology used in manual labor to help reduce the lifting mechanisms that can cause musculoskeletal injuries, provide “minimal and inconsistent benefits” in reducing shoulder muscle strain during simulated construction tasks, according to a study.

The study, reported in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s October newsletter and conducted by researchers at Texas Tech University and the University of Florida, also found that “balance decreased while wearing the exoskeletons, thereby increasing the risk of falls, particularly when working on unstable surfaces and at heights.”

Researchers measured muscle activity and balance during simulated construction tasks in a laboratory setting, which included lifting a 35-pound cinder block onto a table at different heights while standing “on an unstable surface designed to simulate an elevated construction platform.” The participants, seven men ages 21 to 50, performed the lifting tasks while wearing three different exoskeleton models.