Analysis of the Effects of Body Armor and Load-carrying Equipment on Soldiers' Movements. Part 3. Gait Analysis

This is one of three reports of a study on the effects of armor vests and fighting loads on soldiers' movements. Twelve male soldiers performed seven planar movements and a walking task while wearing the vests and fighting loads with either a T-shirt and shorts or the Temperate Battledress Uniform (BDU). Two measurement methods were applied to quantify the extent of the movements, one of which was a video and computer based technique. This report contains results of the analyses of self paced walking, as quantified using the video technique. Temporal and kinematic variables were measured to compare gait patterns and body postures of the soldiers wearing the BDU alone and in combination with the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) vest and the All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) fighting load. It was found that use of the armor vest and the fighting load increased left support and double support stride periods, decreased the range of trunk tilt angle, and increased the range of vertical displacement of the hip. A second report (NATICK/TR-98/002) contains comparisons of the data acquired on the planar movements using the two measurement techniques, and a third report (NATICK/TR-98/003) contains results of the effects of the vest and fighting load designs on the planar movements. ADA332750 ADA332751