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Improvement and Manufacture of The Wearable Assistive Device to Support Spine in Static Holding Tasks

Heydari, Hadi | 2010

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 40620 (08)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Mechanical Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Parnianpour, Mohammad; Hoviattalab, Maryam
  7. Abstract:
  8. One of the most common diseases associated with musculo-skeletal ailment is low back pain which is epidemic among general public so that billions of dollars is spent annually to treat this disease. There are back pain prevention strategies include training on correct lifting, ergonomic tool design, and industrial automation amongst others. In recent years, assistive devices have also been used to prevent back pain. There are assistive devices that can be installed on the body and significantly have reduced forces required for Erector Spinae muscle and Lumbar moments. In this research, at first the anatomy of the spine and muscles and method of processing Electromyography (EMG) of muscles have been studied and then the cause of back pain has explained. The existing assistive devices which reduce load on lumbar spine have been reviewed. Consequently we chose the assistive device made by Abdoli and modified the construction of a Wearable Assistive Device (WAD). By using simulation software Adams (for analysis of moments on the back) and use the software Anybody (for analysis of muscle activity) it was shown that forces predicted for Erector Spinae muscles and external moments on the lumbar spine significantly decreased by using the WAD. We also used Electromyography of Erector Spinae muscles for validation purpose. Statistical analysis of Processed EMG showed that the use of assistive device led to reduction of muscle activities. Anybody model results showed that, compressive and shear forces on average, decreased respectively by 24% and 29% and moments on lumbar decreased from 14-23 % at the level of L4/L5, by using the assistive device. Electromyography results also showed that the level of muscle activity of Erector Spinae muscle decreased from 20-25%.

  9. Keywords:
  10. Modeling ; Electromyography ; Lumbar Moment ; Wearable Assistive Device ; Erector Spinae Muscle ; Muscle Activity

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