New Exoskeleton System Said to Reduce Back and Strain Injuries by Almost Two-Thirds

An exoskeleton system developed initially by Vanderbilt University researchers decreased strain, sprain and lifting injuries by as much as 62% over months of study, signaling a way to reduce some of the most common workers’ compensation claims.

The HeroWear company, based in Nashville, said trials over eight to 23 months show that workers at distribution centers who wore the Apex 2 exosuit had a significantly lower injury rate. Strain and sprain injuries dropped from about 10.2% per 100 workers per year to 3.8%.

The system works like an extra set of back muscles to limit strain, fatigue and discomfort, the company said in a statement this week. The suit did not shift injuries to other body parts, overcoming a longstanding concern about exoskeleton systems.

The suit was tested at five distribution centers, including food and beverage, retail, manufacturing and warehouse sites for more than 311,000 work hours. That’s equivalent to 155 full-time employees working for more than a year, the company said.

Back injuries and strains and sprains have produced some of the most-often seen workers’ compensation claims, accounting for about 23% to 30% of all U.S. claims, according to Work Health Solutions and the National Safety Council.

Photo: HeroWear