Ambivalent acceptance of active exoskeletons in long-term care: between perceived task-specific support and practical constraints

Background

Lower back pain (LBP) is prevalent among nursing staff in long-term care facilities. This condition has been linked to repetitive resident handling, sustained non-neutral postures, and cumulative physical workloads. Despite growing interest in exoskeletons as ergonomic and digital assistive technologies (DAT), evidence regarding the implementation of active exoskeletons in real-world nursing practice remains limited.

Objective

The objective of this exploratory mixed-methods feasibility study was to evaluate the implementation of the HAL® Lumbar Type active exoskeleton in long-term care settings. Specifically, this study explored feasibility, usability, nurses' acceptance, and descriptive pain-related outcomes under real-world conditions.

Methods