Load Carriage in Military Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects PDF Download

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
Because of mission requirements or the limited transportation assets of some types of units (e.g., U.S. Army light infantry), service members must often depend on their personal mobility to move individual equipment. The carrying of loads by troops is an important aspect of military operations that can become critical in some situations. Overloading with ammunition and equipment can lead to excessive fatigue and impair the ability to fight. Military historians cite numerous examples where heavy loads directly or indirectly resulted in reduced performance, unnecessary deaths, and lost battles. The purpose of this paper is to review the historical, physiological, biomechanical, and medical aspects of load carriage. Practical suggestions are offered for reducing the stress of loads on service members and for preventing and treating common load-carriage related injuries.

Author: Joseph Knapik
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Soldiers
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Author: Joseph Knapik
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Soldiers
Languages : en
Pages : 66

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Author: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Research and Technology Organization. Human Factors and Medicine Panel. Specialists' Meeting
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789283710622
Category : Armed Forces
Languages : en
Pages :

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Many NATO nations have soldier modernization programmes that aim to equip soldiers with fully-integrated state-of-the-art technologies that will enhance the five NATO soldier capability areas: lethality, protection, mobility, sustainability, and command and control. Military load carriage systems (LCS), which include clothing and personal areas. In particular, LCS are critical to soldier mobility and sustainability, and ultimately, to soldier performance and survival on the battlefield.

Author:
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 12

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Maintenance and/or enhancement of performance during sustained operations (SUSOPS) is of vital concern to all military services, and if possible may contribute to the successful outcome of conflicts. Adding the contingency of an NBC defensive posture in hot environments during SUSOPS significantly increases logistics, tactical and medical requirements. The purpose of this work unit was to quantify Marine Corps combatant cognitive and physical performance changes as a function of sustained mental and physical work with drug (antihistamines), sleep loss and Individual Protective Ensembles (IPE) as measured by the Tri-Service Cognitive and Physiological Performance Assessment Batteries (PABs). A series of studies deliniated into five phases were conducted in either laboratory or controlled field environments. Marine Corps and highly fit civilian volunteers performed cognitive and physical tasks in simulations of sustained reconnaissance missions in which a number of complicating factors and conditions were progressively added and measured. These manipulated factors were various levels of respiratory, circadian, thermoregulatory, sleeploss, workload, fitness, drug and clothing (various MOPP levels). When appropriate either between or within group repeated measures designs were utilized. The effects were measured by established medical, psychological and physiological methods as described in Tri-service PABs that were developed by the Army's Chemical Defense Program of which this project was a part of.

Author: Joseph Knapik
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Loads currently recommended by the U.S. Army Infantry school are 33 kg for an approach march load (45% of body weight) and 22 kg for a combat load (30% of body weight). Methods of reducing loads include the use of lightweight technology, load tailoring, auxiliary transport systems, doctrinal changes, and physical training. Specific physiological factors involved in load carriage include aerobic capacity and muscle strength. The specific muscle groups involved in load carriage have been examined using correlational approaches, EMG analysis and strength changes after marching. Most of the functional muscle groups of the lower body (hip extensors, knee flexors and extensors, ankle plantar flexors), are involved in load carriage performance. It also appears that the trunk extensors may be important. A combination of jogging, interval training and resistance training will improve load carriage performance over short distances. Marching with loads in combination with other military training appears to increase VO2 max in recruits. The energy cost of load carriage is minimized if the load is placed as close to the center of mass of the body as possible. Self pacing results in a lower energy cost than a forced pace. Loads carried on the feet increase the energy cost of 0.7 to 1.0% for every additional 0.1 kg. Lower extremity injuries are those most commonly experienced in load carriage.

Author: Amit Gefen
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319330128
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 332

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This book provides a state-of-the-art update, as well as perspectives on future directions of research and clinical applications in the implementation of biomechanical and biophysical experimental, theoretical and computational models which are relevant to military medicine. Such experimental and modeling efforts are helpful, on the one hand, in understanding the aetiology, pathophysiology and dynamics of injury development and on the other hand in guiding the development of better equipment and protective gear or devices that should ultimately reduce the prevalence and incidence of injuries or lessen their hazardous effects. The book is useful for military-oriented biomedical engineers and medical physicists, as well as for military physiologists and other medical specialists who are interested in the science and technology implemented in modern investigations of military related injuries.

Author: Sara Krajewski
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Exercise
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
The load military service members carry while marching has increased throughout history, and the military routinely uses rucksacks that range in weight from 22-68 kilograms, depending on the type of mission and weather conditions (Van Dijk, 2009). Previous studies have examined the energy cost of load carriage under relatively short time frames, such as 30-45 minutes, but typical marching time greatly exceeds these limits during military operations. Few studies have examined marching times upwards of two hours with a fixed load during flat, incline, and decline conditions with trained military personnel. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the energy cost of prolonged marching under heavy load. METHODS: Eleven members of East Carolina University's ROTC completed four days of testing, including a control day when they walked without load and three load carriage days that were randomized to a flat stage, -4% decline, and 5% incline. Load mass was 30 kg, and subjects attempted to walk for two hours under each treatment condition. Metabolic data was collected during the last five minutes of every twenty minute stage. RESULTS: Of the nine participants who completed four days of testing, only two were physically able to complete all of the two hour marches. In statistical analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to measure load carriage fail time between groups (those who finished and those who did not) and by testing condition. Significance was found for VO2 between groups of those who completed versus those who did not complete the two hour tests at p=0.0098. VCO2 was found to be significant between groups at p=0.0084. Significance by test was found to be significant for VO2 during the flat phase. VE and RER were not significant. Based on thresholds, the incline proved to be the most physically challenging test, followed by the flat then the decline phases. Threshold cutoffs were clinically determined to observe if the load carriage indicators (VO2, VCO2, VE, and RER) were associated with load carriage fail time. Those who reached the incline, decline, and flat thresholds in the first 60 minutes were more likely to fail the two hour time endpoint. The trajectory of the data was relatively stable throughout and did not exponentially increase as was hypothesized during the second hour. While there was some variation, it appeared that the metabolic measures at which participants started each test did not vary tremendously over time, suggesting that if participants started around the threshold cutoffs, they were more likely to fatigue quicker. CONCLUSION: Overall, these findings suggest that the measured variables do not increase over ruck marches lasting two hours in duration. Initial metabolic values may be indicative of how long an individual may be able to exercise beyond 60 minutes until fatigue. This information can help military commanders identify soldiers at high risk of fatigue and monitor their load, pace, and fueling strategies to limit loss of manpower and injury.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309175119
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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This book examines the human factors issues associated with the development, testing, and implementation of helmet-mounted display technology in the 21st Century Land Warrior System. Because the framework of analysis is soldier performance with the system in the full range of environments and missions, the book discusses both the military context and the characteristics of the infantry soldiers who will use the system. The major issues covered include the positive and negative effects of such a display on the local and global situation awareness of the individual soldier, an analysis of the visual and psychomotor factors associated with each design feature, design considerations for auditory displays, and physical sources of stress and the implications of the display for affecting the soldier's workload. The book proposes an innovative approach to research and testing based on a three-stage strategy that begins in the laboratory, moves to controlled field studies, and culminates in operational testing.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309284538
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 256

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Book Description
The U.S. military does not believe its soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines should be engaged in combat with adversaries on a "level playing field." Our combat individuals enter engagements to win. To that end, the United States has used its technical prowess and industrial capability to develop decisive weapons that overmatch those of potential enemies. In its current engagement-what has been identified as an "era of persistent conflict"- the nation's most important weapon is the dismounted soldier operating in small units. Today's soldier must be prepared to contend with both regular and irregular adversaries. Results in Iraq and Afghanistan show that, while the U.S. soldier is a formidable fighter, the contemporary suite of equipment and support does not afford the same high degree of overmatch capability exhibited by large weapons platforms-yet it is the soldier who ultimately will play the decisive role in restoring stability. Making the Soldier Decisive on Future Battlefields establishes the technical requirements for overmatch capability for dismounted soldiers operating individually or in small units. It prescribes technological and organizational capabilities needed to make the dismounted soldier a decisive weapon in a changing, uncertain, and complex future environment and provides the Army with 15 recommendations on how to focus its efforts to enable the soldier and tactical small unit (TSU) to achieve overmatch.