Apparently exoskeletons (frame sort of things with an electric motor that one wears to augment muscle power) are becoming more and more popular in the fitness culture. The New York Post reports:
E-bikes gave cyclists a major boost. Now, a wearable robot wants to do the same for your legs.Meet the exoskeleton, a battery-powered gadget that straps onto your body and promises to make running, hiking and everyday movement feel like less — or more — of a workout.
Robotic exoskeletons have been used in medical rehabilitation for decades, helping people practice walking following illness or injury.
Now, companies are bringing lighter-weight versions to the consumer fitness market, with ambitions that go beyond restoring mobility: They’re helping healthy, active people move farther, faster and with less effort.
There's more at the link, including closer examination of various models.
I think it's a given by now that exoskeletons help recovery from injury, allowing one's muscles to get back into training without over-exerting themselves. However, what about someone like me with ongoing, permanent pain issues?
A particular problem for me is that if I start walking, I'm already at a baseline level of pain. The further I walk, the greater the pain becomes, forcing me to walk ever more slowly until eventually I have to stop - and, if possible, sit down - until the pain reduces to a manageable level. At that point I can start walking again, but inevitably the pain comes back, and the cycle repeats. I can't walk for more than 5-10 minutes before I have to stop. I doubt I could cover half a mile, even including frequent breaks, without having to quit, or use a mobility scooter or wheelchair.
Does any reader with a "pain problem" like that use an exoskeleton to help? Could they extend the period one can walk until the pain increases to an unbearable level? I've been looking for feedback on that, but so far haven't found any. If you, dear reader, can provide information from your own experience, or know where to find it, I'd love to hear from you in Comments.
Thanks in advance.
Peter
15 comments:
Shades of "Starship Troopers", how long til we see the "Murauder suits" become a Reality?
Part of the problem that most people in your age range (I'll get there in thirty years) is that arthritis alone (facet joint degeneration) tends to compress The last two moveable vertebrae in the lower spine, L4 and L5 (the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae), which sit directly above the fused bones of the sacrum and coccyx the nerves that run through those bones are then pinched when you stand or when your spine is straight, causing inflamation and pain that you don't feel when you're seated as profoundly. I don't know that the cyborg solution would fix that beyond taking some of the weight off. But even thin people experience that sort of lower back pain.
I cannot answer with any certainty, because I haven't worked with assist devices, but I would be skeptical regarding efficacy for decreasing pain. I don't know your medical history, but it seems likely that your pain is related to nerve compression, which is likely more positional than exercise related. Only my hunch, and clearly, could be completely wrong. Lots of unknowns.
1. I wonder if these would aid in the day-to-day experiences of those living with Myasthenia gravis
2. I wonder if this would aid someone like me who apppears to have lost his gyroscope; not dizzy, it's more like having had six drinks (no problem driving officer, just can't walk a straight line)
If well people are using these for regular conditioning, that seems counter effective. At some point, they could just send the exo out by itself.
I am right there with you on pain and walking, My problem is my knee but I have bigger problems. CAT Scan scheduled.
Talk to some of the vendors. They might be interested in a trial. If it helps you, it would probably help other people and would open a whole new market for them.
This may sound crazy, but have you tried a DMSO cream, rubbed on the areas where the pain originates. It works well on my knees, wrists, and feet.
Oy! Visions of dozens of people-less exoskeletons running around jogging tracks all over the place . . .
Won't work for many problems (including mine) originating in spinal injury and radiating down the limbs. DMSO can't get through the spine or other major structures. I've tried.
You have hit the nail on the head. I've watched Wallace and Grommit's "The Wrong Trousers" and want NOTHING to do with that sort of technology! >};o)
https://archive.org/details/wallace-gromit-s-01-e-02-the-wrong-trousers
Phil B
The issue is instead of being used to help people return to normal independent function, as the technology progresses it will supplant and replace normal function and eventually make humans incapable of functioning without the technology. Mark my words. Like virtually ALL technology the negative uses will be embraced while positive ones are ignored.
First, we'll know this tech is really effective when sports organizations begin banning it.
Second, AFAIK it provides "muscle assists" and does little or nothing for the underlying structure - as LL (above) points out the arthritis-enduced L4-L5 compression issue is a BIG thing, as is hip/knee/ankle degradation.
I can see this as a benefit for - obviously - sports addicts as well as repetitive "heavy muscle" tasks - the leg/back/shoulder stressors that induce severe fatigue. I'd think, however, that "helping muscles do more" will cause more, and faster, skeletal wear and tear that eventually cripples, or severely restricts, a great many of us because it ain't just the muscles, it's the entire freaking system and technologically assisting the overwork of one part of the system will affect the entire system. (Maybe this is a harbinger of future high returns in the wheelchair / crutch / orthotics industries.)
I should have included this link, where he claims it can help spinal injuries.
https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/dmso-is-a-miraculous-therapy-for-657
Peter, I read the above comments and agree that most of the issue is compression of the vertebrae. I have had several back surgeries, three different Stem Cell treatments, DMSO treatments, Red light therapies and other stuff . It still hurts if I walk over a 100 yds and if I push it...it hurts worse. Sure looking forward to my glorified body. However, in the meantime, if you find any evidence that an exoskeleton has value, please write another blog about it. Thank you.
Post a Comment