The Metabolic Cost of Walking with a Passive Lower Limb Assistive Device

摘要

Lower limb assistive devices capable of augmenting metabolic performance have typically targeted the ankle joint during push off. Here, a lower limb passive assistive device was evaluated that instead helps the user by performing negative work about the knee joint at the end of swing. A pilot study (n = 8), where subjects walked overground at a self-selected speed, revealed that the device is capable of reducing metabolic energy expenditure equal to the amount of additional energy required to carry the weight of the device. The cost of transport (COT) walking with the assistive device (COT = 2.55 ± 0.36 J/kg) showed no significant difference to normal walking (COT = 2.56 ± 0.33 J/kg) without the device.