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

> **NIH AHRQ R03** · CLEMSON UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $47,375

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10575935
- **Project number:** 1R03HS029247-01
- **Recipient organization:** CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jackie Cha
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** AHRQ
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $47,375
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-30 → 2024-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10575935

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10575935, Investigating the Use of Exoskeletons for Reducing Musculoskeletal Injuries in Surgical Care Tasks (1R03HS029247-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10575935. Licensed CC0.

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