Exosuits have the potential to assist locomotion in both healthy and pathological populations, but the effect of exosuit assistance on the underlying muscle-tendon tissue loading is not yet understood. In this study, we used shear wave tensiometers to characterize the modulation of Achilles tendon force with load carriage and exosuit assistance at the ankle. When walking (1.25 m/s) unassisted on a treadmill with load carriage weights of 15 and 30% of body weight, peak Achilles tendon force increased by 11 and 23%, respectively. Ankle exosuit assistance significantly reduced peak Achilles tendon force relative to unassisted, although the magnitude of change was variable across participants. Peak Achilles tendon force was significantly correlated with peak ankle torque for unassisted walking across load carriage conditions. However, when ankle plantarflexor assistance was applied, the relationship between peak tendon force and peak biological ankle torque was no longer significant. An outdoor pilot study was conducted in which a wearable shear wave tensiometer was used to measure Achilles tendon wave speed and compare across an array of assistance loading profiles. Reductions in tendon loading varied depending on the profile, highlighting the importance of in vivo measurements of muscle and tendon forces when studying and optimizing exoskeletons and exosuits.

中文翻译：

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通过负载承载和外服辅助调节跟腱力

外服有可能帮助健康和病态人群的运动，但外服辅助对潜在肌肉肌腱组织负荷的影响尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们使用剪切波张力计来表征脚踝负载承载和外装辅助对跟腱力的调制。当在承载重量分别为体重的 15% 和 30% 的跑步机上行走（1.25 m/s）时，跟腱峰值力分别增加了 11% 和 23%。与无辅助相比，踝关节外装辅助显着降低了跟腱峰值力，尽管参与者的变化幅度不同。峰值跟腱力与在负载承载条件下无人辅助行走时的峰值踝关节扭矩显着相关。然而，当应用踝跖屈肌辅助时，峰值肌腱力和峰值生物踝扭矩之间的关系不再显着。进行了一项户外试点研究，其中使用可穿戴剪切波张力计来测量跟腱波速度并比较一系列辅助加载曲线。肌腱负荷的减少因轮廓而异，突出了在研究和优化外骨骼和外装时体内测量肌肉和肌腱力的重要性。