Upper Limb Muscle Activation during Vertical Farming Activities in Adults with Paraplegia and the Development of Assistive Tools

Background and objective: Agro-healing activities often present accessibility challenges for people with physical disabilities (PWPs) and vertical farms may provide a potential solution. However, there are limited empirical data regarding PWPs’ activities in vertical farms. This study, which comprised two studies, investigated upper limb muscle activation using electromyography (1) during vertical farming activities and (2) during these activities using universal assistive tools.Methods: Surface electromyographic activity of the left and right anterior deltoid, biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris was recorded in 22 adults with paraplegia during five vertical farming tasks: sowing seeds, transplanting seedlings, transplanting developed plants (mature seedlings), harvesting, and selecting and packaging. (2) In a separate study, the same muscles were measured in 27 adults with paraplegia while performing three tasks—soaking seeding plates, sowing, and transplanting developed plants —using both traditional methods and task-specific assistive tools.Results: In all activities, activation of the left and right anterior deltoid was significantly higher than that of all other muscles (p < .05). During harvesting, activation of the left and right flexor carpi ulnaris was significantly higher compared to other activities (p < .05). (2) The use of assistive tools led to significantly higher activation of the right biceps brachii during soaking seeding plates, the left biceps brachii during sowing, and the right flexor carpi ulnaris during transplanting mature seedlings, compared to traditional methods (p < .05).Conclusion: Vertical farming activities predominantly involve movements that require ‘lifting’ objects, which caused the use of the anterior deltoid muscles. The use of the developed assistive tools can promote engagement of a broader range of upper limb muscles, potentially preventing fatigue and promoting the physical and vocational rehabilitation of people with paraplegia in the context of vertical smart farming.