Neuromuscular and cardiovascular responses of Royal Marine recruits to load carriage in the field

Fallowfield, Joanne L.; Blacker, Sam D.; Willems, Mark E. T.; Davey, T. F.; Layden, Joseph D.

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2012.04.003

Cited by 36 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Another load carriage study (19.3 km distance, 4.2 km·h −1 speed, and 31 kg load) at an average ambient temperature of 13.4°C induced average HR of 147 ± 10 beats·min −1 (Fallowfield et al 2012).…”

Section: Militarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards

Cheung

Lee

Oksa

2016

Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab.

109

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Many physically demanding occupations in both developed and developing economies involve exposure to extreme thermal environments that can affect work capacity and ultimately health. Thermal extremes may be present in either an outdoor or an indoor work environment, and can be due to a combination of the natural or artificial ambient environment, the rate of metabolic heat generation from physical work, processes specific to the workplace (e.g., steel manufacturing), or through the requirement for protective clothing impairing heat dissipation. Together, thermal exposure can elicit acute impairment of work capacity and also chronic effects on health, greatly contributing to worker health risk and reduced productivity. Surprisingly, in most occupations even in developed economies, there are rarely any standards regarding enforced heat or cold safety for workers. Furthermore, specific physical employment standards or accommodations for thermal stressors are rare, with workers commonly tested under near-perfect conditions. This review surveys the major occupational impact of thermal extremes and existing employment standards, proposing guidelines for improvement and areas for future research.Key words: Heat stress, cold stress, occupational physiology, testing, work.Résumé : Plusieurs emplois physiquement exigeants dans les économies développées et en émergence s'exercent dans des milieux thermiques extrêmes qui peuvent affecter la capacité de travail et, en fin de compte, la santé. Ces milieux de condition thermique extrême se retrouvent dans des environnements de travail intérieur ou extérieur et peuvent découler d'une combinaison d'un milieu ambiant naturel ou artificiel, de la production de chaleur métabolique due au travail physique, des procédés spécifiques au milieu de travail (p. ex. fabrication de l'acier) ou du port obligatoire d'un équipement de protection s'opposant à la dissipation de la chaleur. Globalement, l'exposition à la chaleur peut diminuer ponctuellement la capacité de travail et générer des effets chroniques sur la santé, augmentant ainsi le risque de maladie chez le travailleur et la diminution de la productivité. Étonnamment, dans la plupart des emplois même dans les économies développées, il y a rarement, à propos du froid et de la chaleur, des normes de sécurité ou des règlements en vigueur à l'intention des travailleurs. De plus, rares sont les normes spécifiques aux tâches physiques ou les accommodations aux agents de stress thermique et les travailleurs sont généralement évalués dans des conditions presque parfaites. Cette analyse documentaire sonde les effets principaux des agents thermiques extrêmes sur les tâches physiques, fait le bilan des normes en vigueur en matière d'emploi, suggère des lignes directrices et des pistes pour des études ultérieures. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : stress thermique, stress dû au froid, physiologie du travail, évaluation, travail.

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Section: Militarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards

Cheung

Lee

Oksa

2016

Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab.

109

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“…Consequently, there is some risk that inferences of readiness for duty drawn from such unloaded tests may be incorrect. Several topics not included here (e.g., muscle strain and ageing) are covered either in the accompanying communications or within the literature (e.g., Fallowfield et al 2012;Hadid et al 2012;Roy et al 2012).…”

Section: Physiological Impact Of Load Carriagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The heart is also subject to increased mechanical work during ambulatory load carriage, with the magnitude of the chronotropic contribution to the elevated cardiac output being inversely related to body mass during long-duration work (Fallowfield et al 2012). This narrows the cardiac reserve and limits maximal work , again emphasising the need for employee screening to replicate working conditions.…”

Section: Cardiopulmonary Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Load carriage, human performance, and employment standards

Taylor

Peoples

Petersen

2016

Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab.

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Abstract:The focus of this review is on the physiological considerations necessary for developing employment standards within occupations that have a heavy reliance on load carriage. Employees within military, fire fighting, law enforcement, and search and rescue occupations regularly work with heavy loads. For example, soldiers often carry loads >50 kg, whilst structural firefighters wear 20-25 kg of protective clothing and equipment, in addition to carrying external loads. It has long been known that heavy loads modify gait, mobility, metabolic rate, and efficiency, while concurrently elevating the risk of muscle fatigue and injury. In addition, load carriage often occurs within environmentally stressful conditions, with protective ensembles adding to the thermal burden of the workplace. Indeed, physiological strain relates not just to the mass and dimensions of carried objects, but to how those loads are positioned on and around the body. Yet heavy loads must be borne by men and women of varying body size, and with the expectation that operational capability will not be impinged. This presents a recruitment conundrum. How do employers identify capable and injury-resistant individuals while simultaneously avoiding discriminatory selection practices? In this communication, the relevant metabolic, cardiopulmonary, and thermoregulatory consequences of loaded work are reviewed, along with concomitant impediments to physical endurance and mobility. Also emphasised is the importance of including occupation-specific clothing, protective equipment, and loads during work-performance testing. Finally, recommendations are presented for how to address these issues when evaluating readiness for duty.Key words: backpacks, firefighter, load carriage, oxygen cost, military, employment standards, ventilation, work of breathing.Résumé : Cette analyse documentaire traite principalement des aspects physiologiques essentiels à l'élaboration de normes d'emploi pour des postes dont la fonction majeure est le transport de charges. Les employés dans l'armée, les pompiers, la police, les membres de recherche et sauvetage travaillent régulièrement avec de lourdes charges. Par exemple, les soldats transportent souvent des charges de >50 kg et les pompiers de bâtiments portent un vêtement de protection pesant de 20 à 25 kg et déplacent aussi des charges externes. On sait depuis longtemps que le port de charges lourdes modifie la démarche, la mobilité, le taux métabolique et le rendement tout en augmentant le risque de fatigue musculaire et de blessure. De plus, le déplacement des charges est effectué fréquemment dans des conditions environnementales stressantes et les vêtements de protection accroissent la charge thermique dans cet endroit. En outre, la contrainte physiologique ne dépend pas seulement de la masse et des dimensions des objets à déplacer, mais aussi de leur positionnement sur et autour du corps. Pourtant, il faut que ces charges soient déplacées par des hommes et des femmes de gabarit divers dont les capacités opérationnell...

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“…The total course covered 281.3 m horizontally and 29.01 m vertically, including 8 flights of stairs. Overall, obstacle course performance decreased by 27% while wearing PPE with males experiencing a slightly smaller decrement of 23% is logical as literature on load carriage has demonstrated that smaller individuals are at a greater disadvantage(18,38,76,78,104). Studies have shown that heavier individuals (more absolute weight) negatively impacts performance as they are already carrying more weight.…”

mentioning

confidence: 89%

“…While overall metabolic cost of activity is increased with load carriage, the cost is dependent on several factors including intensity of activity, body-size of the individual and body location of the load carriage, as well as fitness levels of the individual (52,78,104). The performance decrement and cardiovascular strain due to load carriage are exacerbated in smaller, less fit individuals (38,76,78,104).…”

Section: The Role Of Load Carriagementioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Personal Protective Equipment on Firefighter Occupational Performance

Lesniak

Bergstrom²,

Clasey³

et al. 2019

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Firefighting is a strenuous occupation that requires high-intensity work, resulting in prolonged periods of stress and physical exertion. The physical demand of performing firefighting tasks is augmented by the weight of personal protective equipment (PPE) worn (i.e., load carriage: LC) and the use of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). These factors have been shown to increase metabolic demand at submaximal workloads and decrease maximal aerobic capacity in laboratory settings. However, there is limited research evaluating the effects of these factors on occupational performance. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to quantify the detrimental effect of LC only and LC+SCBA on firefighter occupational performance. In addition, it is important to identify fitness characteristics and physiological outcomes that are correlated to the decrement in performance produced by the PPE. This information will guide practitioners in selecting appropriate training strategies to effectively prepare firefighters to perform occupational tasks in gear. Thus, a secondary aim was to evaluate the relationships between fitness and pulmonary outcomes versus the decrement in occupational performance produced by the PPE. Twenty-one male firefighter recruits (Age: 28.6 ± 4.3 yr; Height: 178.6 ± 7.2 cm; Mass: 94.1 ± 15.4; Body Fat: 17.8 ± 8.4%) participated in this study. Occupational physical ability was assessed by time to complete a simulated fire ground test (SFGT). The SFGT was composed of the following tasks: stair climb, charged hose drag, equipment carry, ladder raise, forcible entry, search, and victim rescue. The recruits participated in six testing sessions. First, two SFGT familiarization trials were performed on separate days. During the next three testing sessions, the firefighter recruits performed the following SFGT conditions in a randomized order: control condition (PT clothes), LC only condition, and PPE+SCBA (SCBA) condition. Baseline and post-SFGT pulmonary and physiological data were collected. To describe within group differences between SFGT conditions, relative difference scores were calculated as follows: % difference = (([experimental trial outcome-PT trial outcome] / PT trial outcome) x 100). Statistical differences between the SFGT conditions were assessed with repeated measures ANOVA. To evaluate the relationship between fitness outcomes versus the decrement in SFGT performance, fitness testing data were obtained from the recruit academy and included: 1.5 mile run time, maximal push-ups, maximal situps, maximal pull-ups, and prone plank time. In addition, the recruits completed a battery of fitness tests in their sixth testing session. The absolute difference in time to complete the SFGT between conditions was calculated as: experimental SFGT time-PT time. Bivariate correlations were used to assess the relationship between the absolute difference in SFGT time versus fitness outcomes. The LC+SCBA trial took 44.5 ± 15.5% longer (345.9 ± 43.7 s; p < .001) and the LC only trial took 38.3 ± 12....

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Neuromuscular and cardiovascular responses of Royal Marine recruits to load carriage in the field

Cited by 36 publications

References 31 publications

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards

Load carriage, human performance, and employment standards

The Effect of Personal Protective Equipment on Firefighter Occupational Performance

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