The Effect of a Passive Hip Exoskeleton on Daily-life Fatigue in Older Adults

Sponsor
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Study ID
NCT07359573
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

  • Fatigue
  • Older Adults (65 Years and Older)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
65 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Performance test — OTHER
    The participant will be asked to execute a protocol in the movement lab that induces progressive feelings of fatigue. This protocol includes a sequence of relevant functional activities, such as stair walking, slope walking, crouching, walking different path shapes. During this execution the Ratings of Perceived Exertion will be questioned, and simultaneously physiological and movement data will be collected.
  • Exoband — DEVICE
    The participant will wear the Exoband (Moveo), which is a lightweight, soft wearable exoskeleton designed to assist walking by providing elastic support to the hip during gait. It uses passive elastic elements to store and release energy in sync with the user's movement, reducing muscular effort without motors or batteries. The system is unobtrusive and aims to support mobility while preserving natural movement patterns.

Study Details

This crossover study investigates whether a passive lower-limb exoskeleton (Exoband) can reduce perceived exertion during everyday mobility tasks in older adults. Participants complete the fatigue protocol- a structured sequence of daily challenging tasks (e.g., overground walking, stair and slope walking, obstacle avoidance)-once with the Exoband and once without it, in randomized order and separated by a one-week washout period. During each session, distance covered until fatigue, rate of perceived exertion, physiological and gait parameters are recorded. The aim is to determine whether exoskeleton assistance enhances mobility performance and reduces functional fatigue across older adults.

Key Dates

First listed
Jan 22, 2026
Start date
Dec 11, 2025
Status verified
Jan 2026
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2026
Completion
Jun 30, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
15 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Arms

  • Active Comparator: Exoband ON
    The participants execute the fatigue protocol while wearing the passive hip exoskeletons (Exoband).
  • Placebo Comparator: Exoband OFF
    The participants execute the fatigue protocol without wearing the passive hip exoskeletons (Exoband).

Primary Outcome Measure

Changes in the Ratings of Perceived Exertion throughout the protocol execution [ Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1-2 weeks. ]

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