Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies
Date Submitted: Apr 27, 2026
Date Accepted: Sep 14, 2026
Concurrent Validity of Isokinetic Hip and Knee Strength Measurements Using the UGO Exoskeleton in Healthy Young Adults：A Cross-Sectional Validation Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The UGO lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot is designed for patients with lower limb motor dysfunction resulting. It can be used to assess peak torque of hip and knee flexors and extensors.
Objective:
The primary aim of this study was to establish validity of peak isokinetic torque using the UGO exoskeleton and HUMAC NORM dynamometers in healthy young adults.
Methods:
Twenty healthy young adults were enrolled in this study. All participants underwent isokinetic muscle strength tests using both UGO exoskeleton and HUMAC NORM dynamometers. Peak torque (Nm) in hip and knee flexors and extensors was collected. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to determine concurrent validity.
Results:
In the knee, peak torque values for both extensors measured by the UGO exoskeleton exhibited strong correlations with those assessed by HUMAC NORM dynamometers (right: r=0.662, p=0.001; left: r=0.768, p<0.001); for the flexors, the right side showed a moderate correlation (r=0.547, p=0.01), whereas the left side yielded only a weak correlation. At the hip, peak torque values of dynamometers, measured by the UGO exoskeleton displayed a strong correlation on the right side (r=0.615, p=0.003) and a moderate correlation on the left side (r=0.443, p=0.044) respectively with those assessed by HUMAC NORM dynamometers; in contrast, bilateral extensor torques correlated weakly.
Conclusions:
The UGO exoskeleton might be a novel torque measurement device for knee and hip flexors and extensors in healthy young adults.
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