NeoSomaTech
Which back exoskeleton for working crouching or kneeling?
The answer in detail
Working close to the ground, as tilers, plumbers or some farm trades do, combines deep flexion and prolonged holding, two factors that strain the lower back heavily. Yet many back exoskeletons are designed for a single scenario: trunk bending in a standing position, where the spring tightens and releases with each straightening.
The Hapo SD is presented by its manufacturer as multi-position: it supports the back bent, kneeling or crouching, including in confined spaces. It is passive, with no motor or battery, in stretch textile with leaf springs.
What the pages say
| Criterion | Hapo SD |
|---|---|
| Price | 2,158.80 euros |
| Weight | 0.950 kg |
| Principle | passive, leaf springs, no battery |
| Stated positions | bent, kneeling, crouching |
| Marking and warranty | CE 2006/42/EC, made in France, 2 years |
By comparison, the Hapo HD (1,282.80 euros) targets repeated bending in a standing position, and the Hapo BR (3,595.20 euros) lumbar decompression. The SD is 180 grams lighter than the HD, but 875 euros more expensive: the price difference is mostly justified if the job regularly alternates low positions.
How to choose
- Note the dominant position: standing bent, kneeling, crouching, or alternating.
- For alternating low postures, look at the SD rather than a standing model.
- For standing flexion only, the HD is enough and costs less.
- Try the model in the workstation's real positions, in a space as tight as on the site.
- Have the choice validated by the occupational physician before purchase, and note their recommendations.
Limits and precautions
- INRS recalls that an exoskeleton is not personal protective equipment.
- It replaces neither knee pads nor tools that avoid working on the ground.
- It can shift constraints to other areas: test on the real workstation.
- This is not medical advice: if you have back pain, consult a health professional.
For context, read our question on the construction site by trade and our question on choosing in the back Hapo range.
Key takeaways
To work crouching or kneeling, the Hapo SD is the catalog's back model designed for low positions: 0.950 kg, 2,158.80 euros, passive with no battery. Other back models often target standing bending. Try it in real positions, with the occupational physician, and remember that no exoskeleton replaces protective equipment. Also keep the return and warranty conditions in writing, since a model tested in a workshop does not always behave the same on a site.