Impact of ballistic body armour and load carriage on walking patterns and perceived comfort

This study investigated the impact of weight magnitude and distribution of body armour and carrying loads on military personnel's walking patterns and comfort perceptions. Spatio-temporal parameters of walking, plantar pressure and contact area were measured while seven healthy male right-hande...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ergonomics 2013-07, Vol.56 (7), p.1167-1179
Main Authors: Park, Huiju, Branson, Donna, Petrova, Adriana, Peksoz, Semra, Jacobson, Bert, Warren, Aric, Goad, Carla, Kamenidis, Panagiotis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Biomechanical Phenomena
biomechanics
body armour
Ergonomics. Workplace layout
Ergonomics. Workplace layout. Occupational psychology
Foot - physiology
gait
Gait - physiology
Humans
Lifting
load carriage
Male
Medical sciences
Military Personnel
Mobility
Occupational medicine
Perceptions
Pressure
Protective Clothing
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Strain
United States
Walking
Walking - physiology
Weight
Weight-Bearing - physiology
Young Adult
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Summary:This study investigated the impact of weight magnitude and distribution of body armour and carrying loads on military personnel's walking patterns and comfort perceptions. Spatio-temporal parameters of walking, plantar pressure and contact area were measured while seven healthy male right-handed military students wore seven different garments of varying weight (0.06, 9, 18 and 27 kg) and load distribution (balanced and unbalanced, on the front and back torso). Higher weight increased the foot contact time with the floor. In particular, weight placement on the non-dominant side of the front torso resulted in the greatest stance phase and double support. Increased plantar pressure and contact area observed during heavier loads entail increased impact forces, which can cause overuse injuries and foot blisters. Participants reported increasingly disagreeable pressure and strain in the shoulder, neck and lower back during heavier weight conditions and unnatural walking while wearing unbalanced weight distributed loads. This study shows the potentially synergistic impact of wearing body armour vest with differential loads on body movement and comfort perception. Practitioner Summary: This study found that soldiers should balance loads, avoiding load placement on the non-dominant side front torso, thus minimising mobility restriction and potential injury risk. Implications for armour vest design modifications can also be found in the results.
ISSN:0014-0139
1366-5847
DOI:10.1080/00140139.2013.791377