Short answer

Design wearable assistive devices with a strong emphasis on user comfort, natural movement, and robust performance across diverse real-world conditions, acknowledging that individualized responses may require adaptive features.

Field: Human Factors
Source: Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (2025)
Method: Experimental study with prototype testing
Evidence: Moderate effect

A novel ankle exosuit design demonstrates high user acceptance and functional performance for runners, reducing Achilles tendon load without compromising natural gait mechanics. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Biomechanical Engineering. Using Experimental study with prototype testing, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Design wearable assistive devices with a strong emphasis on user comfort, natural movement, and robust performance across diverse real-world conditions, acknowledging that individualized responses may require adaptive features.

Study

Human FactorsNew This WeekModerate effect

Ankle Exosuit Design: 80% Runner Acceptance Achieved Through Comfort and Unimpeded Swing Phase

A novel ankle exosuit design demonstrates high user acceptance and functional performance for runners, reducing Achilles tendon load without compromising natural gait mechanics.

Journal of Biomechanical Engineering · 2025

Key Findings

01The exosuit reliably assisted 95-99% of running steps.
02Over 80% of runners found the exosuit acceptable in terms of comfort and feel.
03The exosuit did not impede natural ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase for 86% of runners.
04Peak Achilles tendon loads were reduced, but the reduction varied significantly (0-12%) based on participant, running condition, and measurement metric.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing wearable assistive devices, conduct user trials in realistic environments to assess comfort, perceived effort, and functional impact on natural movement, alongside objective performance metrics.

Project actions

01When designing assistive devices, consider how users will interact with the product in their everyday environment.
02Gather feedback on comfort and ease of use alongside performance data.

Method & Evidence

AimCan an unpowered ankle exosuit effectively reduce Achilles tendon loading during running while maintaining high user acceptability and not impeding natural ankle motion?

MethodExperimental study with prototype testing

ProcedureA 500-gram unpowered ankle exosuit prototype was fabricated and attached to running shoes. Participants tested the device during both treadmill and outdoor running. Evaluations included reliability of assistance, user acceptability (comfort and feel), impact on ankle dorsiflexion during swing phase, and the degree of Achilles tendon offloading.

ContextRunning biomechanics and injury prevention

Variables

IV["Presence/absence of exosuit","Running speed","Running slope"]

DV["Achilles tendon load","User acceptability (comfort, feel)","Reliability of assistance (% steps)","Ankle dorsiflexion during swing phase"]

CV["Participant characteristics (e.g., running experience, injury history)","Type of running shoe","Treadmill settings (if applicable)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Evaluated in both lab (treadmill) and real-world (outdoor) running conditions.
+Assessed multiple aspects of performance and user experience.

Limitations

The variability in Achilles tendon load reduction suggests that the current exosuit design might not be universally effective for all runners or all running conditions.

Reliability & validity

Reliability was assessed by the consistency of assistance across running steps (95-99%). Validity is supported by the evaluation of multiple biomechanical and user experience factors in realistic running scenarios.

Think critically

How can the variability in Achilles tendon load reduction be addressed in future iterations of the exosuit design to ensure more consistent benefits for all users?

Design Principles

"Assistive device design must optimize functional benefit while minimizing disruption to natural human biomechanics and maximizing user acceptance."

This research highlights the critical balance between providing biomechanical assistance and ensuring user comfort and natural movement. For designers, it underscores the need to integrate user feedback and real-world testing early in the development of wearable assistive devices to achieve practical efficacy.

What This Means for Your Design

This study shows that a new type of ankle brace for runners can help reduce strain on their Achilles tendon and is comfortable enough for most people to wear while running, without making their running feel awkward.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify the importance of user testing and comfort analysis in your own design project, especially if developing a wearable product.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the critical need for user-centered design in wearable assistive technologies. The study found that while the novel ankle exosuit effectively reduced Achilles tendon load for runners, the degree of benefit varied significantly. Crucially, the design achieved high user acceptance (over 80% comfort) and did not impede natural gait (86% unimpeded dorsiflexion), demonstrating that functional assistance can be balanced with user experience and natural biomechanics.

Source

Journal of Biomechanical Engineering

Evaluating the Biomechanical Effects and Real-World Usability of a Novel Ankle Exo for Runners

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about ankle exosuit design: 80% runner acceptance achieved through comfort and unimpeded swing phase?: Design wearable assistive devices with a strong emphasis on user comfort, natural movement, and robust performance across diverse real-world conditions, acknowledging that individualized responses may require adaptive features. Evidence: Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (2025).
Why does "Ankle Exosuit Design: 80% Runner Acceptance Achieved Through Comfort and Unimpeded Swing Phase" matter for design?: This research highlights the critical balance between providing biomechanical assistance and ensuring user comfort and natural movement. For designers, it underscores the need to integrate user feedback and real-world testing early in the development of wearable assistive devices to achieve practical efficacy.
How can designers apply this research?: Design wearable assistive devices with a strong emphasis on user comfort, natural movement, and robust performance across diverse real-world conditions, acknowledging that individualized responses may require adaptive features.
What were the main findings?: The exosuit reliably assisted 95-99% of running steps.. Over 80% of runners found the exosuit acceptable in terms of comfort and feel.. The exosuit did not impede natural ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase for 86% of runners.. Peak Achilles tendon loads were reduced, but the reduction varied significantly (0-12%) based on participant, running condition, and measurement metric.
What research method was used?: Experimental study with prototype testing.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing wearable assistive devices, conduct user trials in realistic environments to assess comfort, perceived effort, and functional impact on natural movement, alongside objective performance metrics.
What are the limitations?: The degree of Achilles tendon load reduction varied considerably among participants and conditions, suggesting that the current design may not offer uniform benefits.