Optimization of Hip-exoskeleton Weight Attributes

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy; Gait, Frontal

Treatments: Other: Weight belt

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05120115

R01HD100416 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

STUDY00001245

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators are examining how weight distribution affects the way people walk, in terms of joint kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity. The investigators are measuring these quantities while people walk while wearing a weighted belt. The investigators distribute the weights and walk for specified periods. They hypothesize that greater weight will have a greater effect on walking.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to examine how the amount and distribution of weight on the pelvis affects how people walk. The investigators two factors, weight and placement. They are examining how these factors affect muscle activation, joint motions and foot forces. The investigators plan to recruit 40 healthy adult individuals. Each of the 20 experimental conditions (3x3 factorial and one control condition with no weight) will be recorded immediately in a single session. The investigators hypothesize that weight amount, gait speed and weight distribution will all affect how people walk, which will lead towards optimized design of hip exoskeletons.

Enrollment: 21 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Willing to commit to the full experimental session

Exclusion criteria

• Functionally relevant lower limb musculoskeletal injury

  • Functionally relevant osteoarthritis and weight bearing restrictions
  • Severe respiratory problems that restrict the wearer from using a metabolic rate apparatus

• Patients with cardiac issues may be included, but the cardiac issue will be noted in the health history questionnaire

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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21 participants in 1 patient group

Weight distribution and placement

Experimental group

Description:

Changing where weight is distributed on belt around pelvis, specifically, bilaterally, 4th lumbar area, unilaterally on the left side. Also changing amount of weight at 0, 4, 6 and 8 kg.

Treatment:

Other: Weight belt