Commercial Dungeness crab fishing involves repetitive and physically demanding tasks that place fishermen at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), particularly in the low back. This study evaluated the effects of three commercially available passive back-support exoskeletons (BSEs) during simulated crab sorting and crab pot handling tasks. Twenty healthy male participants performed both tasks under four BSE conditions (two rigid, one soft, and no BSE) in a laboratory experiment. During the tasks, joint kinematics, muscle activity, and perceived exertion were measured. The rigid BSEs significantly reduced median erector spinae (ES) muscle activity during crab sorting by 15–23% relative to the no-BSE condition and also lowered low back perceived exertion. Similarly, the rigid devices reduced peak ES muscle activity by 6-17% during crab pot handling. The soft BSE produced small, non-significant effects on ES muscle activity during both tasks. In addition, BSE use also resulted in task- and device-specific changes in joint kinematics and the activation of some secondary muscles (e.g., leg and abdominal muscles). These findings suggest that passive BSEs, particularly rigid ones, can reduce low back demands during commercial crabbing tasks; however, their benefits vary across tasks and devices. Moreover, the potential biomechanical trade-offs in non-target body regions warrant further investigation.
Salehi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.