Back muscle strain and fatigue reductions have been validated in studies from multiple universities and backed up by worker-reported data from companies using the Apex in the field.
Back muscle strain reduction has been proven repeatedly in peer-reviewed academic experiments and industry case studies.
Vanderbilt University studies measured back muscle activity reductions of 14-43% and muscle fatigue reductions of 29-47% when wearing an exosuit during different bending and lifting tasks (Lamers 2018, 2020). Similar, corroborating evidence of the Apex reducing back strain was found in numerous independent validation studies, such as from Iowa State University (Kang 2023a; Kang 2023b; Kim 2024), Georgia Tech (Nuesslein 2023), Clemson University (Raghuraman 2024), and the University of Wyoming (Gorsic 2021; Song 2024). Furthermore, one of the Iowa State University studies found that the back assistance and offloading benefits from the Apex were similar during both symmetrical and asymmetrical bending tasks (Kang 2023b). Muscle activity reductions have also been confirmed in field studies with logistics and retail companies whose workers wore exosuits (Yandell 2020).
Industry-led trials have further solidified the scientific evidence of back strain relief. For instance, SAIF, an Oregon-based insurance company, independently conducted trials with several of its policyholders and after multiple weeks of use reported a 73% reduction in back discomfort at work when wearing the Apex (SAIF 2021). Numerous other companies have also reported reductions in worker-reported back discomfort when using an Apex on the job. See the Exosuit Injury Reduction Case Study and Exosuit Productivity Case Study for more data on how exosuits impact workers.Collectively, the back-relieving benefits of the Apex have been conclusively proven through objective and subjective measures across thousands of users.
Note: The ability to biomechanically and substantially reduce back muscle strain during bending and lifting is one of the main differentiators of exosuits versus traditional back belts, which have not proven to be effective. To learn more about the science of how human augmentation exosuits like the Apex differ from back belts, check out the Knowledge Base on the HeroWear website.
