Redesign and Subjective Evaluation of a Wearable Neck Support Device for Overhead Work

Overhead work, which requires sustained upward arm and head postures, imposes significant strain on the neck and shoulders. To address this issue, the objective of this study is to develop a neck support device designed to assist upward-facing postures during overhead work. This paper presents the design of a wearable support system adapted for actual working environments, with a focus on weight reduction. Furthermore, the proposed system was worn by 11 participants performing realistic overhead work, and the degree of neck fatigue was evaluated through subjective assessment using the Borg CR-10 Scale. Experimental results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in neck fatigue when using the proposed system compared to the natural condition without support, with a reduction of 2.5 points in the Borg CR-10 score, confirming its effectiveness in reducing neck fatigue during overhead work.