Assessing the Effects of a Soft Passive Low-Back Exoskeleton for Emergency Medical Services

This study examines the effectiveness of passive soft low back exoskeletons (LBEs) in mitigating low back injuries among emergency medical technicians and paramedics (EMT-Ps). To evaluate the dynamic interaction between users (EMT-Ps) and the ergonomic intervention (LBEs), perceptions of physical and mental exertion, muscle activity of the shoulder, lower back and lower limbs and range of motion (ROM) were investigated. The study involved a controlled field study with 20 EMT-Ps performing a modified physical agility test with and without the assistance of the LBE. The physical test circuital included tasks such as cardiac pulmonary resuscitation, stretcher pull-push, stair chair carry, etc., which are commonly performed by EMT-Ps in their occupation. EMT-Ps perceived lower physical demands associated with the circuital task when using the LBE, whereas no differences were observed with perceived mental demands. Physiological results show a reduction in muscular stress in the lower-back muscles for some tasks and comparable ROM for all tasks. Collectively, the study findings indicate that the LBEs are effective in some, but not all, emergency medical service tasks while not hindering naturalistic movements and work performance.