Effect of walking with an active ankle exoskeleton on the biomechanical responses of the lumbar spine.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Musculoskeletal injuries pose a health threat to U.S. Service members. In particular, the physical demands of walking and running with load carriage contribute to a high incidence of musculoskeletal injuries of the lower back. Active ankle exoskeleton devices are promising technologies that may help mitigate the impact of load carriage on the incidence of these injuries. However, the safe extended use of these devices requires an understanding of their beneficial or detrimental effects on the lumbar spine. In this pilot study, we investigated the impact of walking with an ankle exoskeleton device on lumbar biomechanical responses.

Methods

We collected motion-capture data and computed tomography images for five young, healthy men walking with a 22.7 kg (50-lb) load

SUBMITTER: Rubio JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12507844 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature