Motorised exoskeletons offer a new approach to back pain relief
HEALTH & SAFETY SUPPORTING BRITAIN ’ S BACK PAIN
EMS
Motorised exoskeletons offer a new approach to back pain relief
In 2023 , 8 million sick days were taken across the UK for back pain . Medical experts have attributed this to changing working patterns , an ageing workforce , NHS backlogs and ineffective traditional treatments . Could motorised exoskeletons be the answer to reducing occupational back pain ? Here , Dave Walsha , sales manager at drive system supplier EMS , explains .
Finding a treatment for chronic back pain can take years of trial and error . Standard treatments — typically massages , physiotherapy and yoga — can reduce back pain , but not in all cases , and can also be hard to access with NHS backlogs and time-financial barriers . More radical treatments , such as Ketamine Infusion Therapy , are being actively researched . However , due to risk , it ’ s unlikely that these treatments will ever become mainstream .
With standard treatments offering varied relief and alternative treatments too risky , could motorised exoskeletons provide a viable and efficient treatment for Britain ’ s back pain problem ?
Motorised exoskeletons : a new frontier for pain relief
Motorised exoskeletons are wearable augmentative technologies that use a motor , lead screw and a spring to provide musculoskeletal support . The wearer activates the motor when they move , turning the screw and transferring power to the spring . This removes pressure from the user ’ s spine relieve back pain and support with heavy lifting tasks .
Unlike traditional solutions , motorised exoskeletons provide relief while the wearer works and can prevent pain developing . The 2019 EU-based project , SPEXOR , found that motorised exoskeletons could be used as a long-term solution , strengthening the wearer ’ s muscles and predicting potential physiological issues . SPEXOR further found that introducing motorised exoskeletons to the workplace could save Europe 4 billion euros annually .
However , industry questions surrounding motorised exoskeletons ’ practicality remain . The 2022 EXSKALLERATE project , aimed to increase the adoption of motorised exoskeletons by the manufacturing and building industry in the North Sea Region , noted that they needed design improvement . Motorised exoskeletons ’ unreliability , rigidity , heaviness and noise has limited their widespread use . But choosing the correct motor could eliminate these issues .
Micromotors : enhancing motorised exoskeleton performance
Brushed DC motors are often seen in motorised exoskeletons due to their simple drive design , lower cost compared to their brushless counterpart and ease of control . However , care needs to be taken when selecting a brushed motor to ensure the commutation system , which will wear over the life of the motor , can deliver the longevity expected from the product .
56 PECM Issue 71