Investigating the Use of Exoskeletons for Reducing Musculoskeletal Injuries in Surgical Care Tasks

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PROJECT SUMMARY Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) due to overexertion continue to be among the top causes of occupational injuries, especially among surgical team members. Manual lifting and transferring of patients or heavy equipment often require high force applications by nurses, surgeons, or surgical assistants and are performed in extreme/non-neutral postures, which can lead to consequent pains, injuries, and days away from work. This contributes to reduced staffing and to poor patient care and outcomes. There is a need for new solutions to address WMSD risks and injuries among surgical team members. Passive exoskeleton technology can be an intervention, but there is a need to i) understand the feasibility of integrating novel technology into current surgical workflows, and ii) evaluate the efficacy of the technology for the surgical care team. Outcomes from this proposed research will provide guidelines for best practices of exoskeleton adoption for surgical teams and provide evidence of using exoskeletons to minimize WMSDs among the care team to facilitate patient care and safety.