Presentation
Comparison of Musculoskeletal Model Estimates of Exoskeleton Effects on Spine Loads During Lifting Using OpenSim vs. the AnyBody Modeling System
DescriptionBack-support exoskeletons (BSEs) are designed to reduce physical stress during lifting by supplying assistive torques, however influences on spinal loading remains unclear. We used two widely applied musculoskeletal modeling platforms—OpenSim and the AnyBody Modeling System (AMS)—to estimate intervertebral joint forces (IJFs) during symmetric and asymmetric lifting tasks performed with and without BSEs. We analyzed data from 18 participants who completed repetitive lifting/lowering across three task conditions and four intervention conditions (three BSEs and a control without a BSE). Simulations were conducted using both platforms to estimate axial compression and anteroposterior shear forces at the L4/L5 level, with peak values (95th percentile) extracted for comparison. OpenSim produced consistently higher estimates of both axial and shear forces compared to AMS. While both models indicated that BSE use reduced spine loading, the magnitude of reduction varied, with OpenSim generally showing larger effects. Axial compression estimates were strongly correlated between models (r > 0.95), but shear force estimates showed weaker and sometimes negative correlations, particularly during asymmetric tasks. These discrepancies likely stem from differences in modeling assumptions and the treatment of passive structures. Future work should incorporate refined interaction models and validate IJF estimates with in vivo data such as electromyography.
Contributors
Event Type
Lecture
TimeThursday, October 16th3pm - 3:20pm CDT
LocationGrand Hall K
Occupational Ergonomics
Similar Presentations