The Effect of a Passive Shoulder Exoskeleton and Muscle Fatigue on Occupational Work Performance

Status

UNKNOWN

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT05389384

Enrollment

Registered

2022-05-25

Start date

2021-08-20

Completion date

2023-12-31

Last updated

2022-05-25

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Fatigue, Muscle Strain, Physical Stress

Keywords

peripheral fatigue, overhead work, task performance, ergonomics, effort

Brief summary

In this investigation, participants perform simulated occupational work during which the task performance will be logged. This research investigates the effect of peripheral fatigue and a passive shoulder exoskeleton on the task performance.

Interventions

DEVICEPassive shoulder exoskeleton

Participants complete overhead working task with support of exo

BEHAVIORALFatigue protocol

Participants complete a fatiguing protocol

DEVICENo exoskeleton support

Exoskeleton is worn, but no support provided

BEHAVIORALNo peripheral fatiguing protocol

Participants complete no fatiguing protocol

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE (Subject)

Masking description

The support of the exoskeleton is concealed. The support will be 'no support' or 'support'.

Intervention model description

counterbalanced randomized cross-over study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

MALE

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* healthy (based on ParQ questionnaire) * right handed

Exclusion criteria

* current musculoskeletal disorder * history of recurrent musculoskeletal discorder

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Work accuracy	During 2 minutes overhead work	The number of errors is tracked
Work pace	During 2 minutes overhead work	Time to completion is tracked

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Surface electromyography	During 2 minutes overhead work	Cometa (Mini Wave) sensors with Ambu (BlueSensor) electrodes will be used to collect electromyographic data conform the SENIAM guidelines. The muscles that will be monitored are: deltoideus anterior, deltoideus medialis, deltoideus posterior, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, brachioradialis, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, trapezius descendens, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, flexor carpi radialis, serratus anterior on the right side of the body. The locations of the sensors will be prepared by shaving, abrasion with sandpaper and cleaning with alcohol. To allow relative expression of muscle activity, maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of each muscle that is being monitored will be collected. The average of the maximal activity out of the best two out of three contractions will serve as the MVC value. The outcomes will be the activities of the muscles (as a percentage of the MVC) monitored during the tests.
Kinematic smoothness of movement	During 2 minutes overhead work	Inetrial Measurement Units will be used to track how smoothly the overhead work is completed. Smoothness is determined by the Spectral Arc method.
Workload	After 2 minutes of overhead work	NASA TLX questionnaire for workload

Other

Measure	Time frame	Description
Force output	before and after 4 minute during fatigue inducing protocol	measure output force during elevation of the arms in a 45° flexed shoulder angle

Countries

Belgium

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026