Effectiveness of a Passive Neck Support Mechanism for Overhead Occupational Tasks

Abstract

Overhead working tasks are usually associated with a higher incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) at the level of the shoulder and neck. Shoulder exoskeletons effectively reduce shoulder muscle activity during overhead work. Neck support's development and validation, on the other hand, has not equally advanced yet. Also, a limited amount of occupational neck support devices, which yield similar characteristics and limitations, are commercially available. Hence, a new neck support that possesses the characteristic to be fully adjustable and compatible with a previously developed shoulder exoskeleton has been designed and characterized. Preliminary results of a pilot study, conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the neck support during the execution of an overhead handling task, indicate that the novel neck support can reduce neck muscle activity up to 81%. Moreover, the combination of a neck support with a shoulder exoskeleton during overhead work may elicit a synergistic effect between the devices in terms of reduction of shoulder muscle activity.