Soldier Performance and Mood States Following a Strenuous Road March

Abstract

Eighty-nine soldiers performed a maximal effort 20-km road march, carrying a total load of 46 kg. Compared to pre-march values, post-march marksmanship accuracy decreased 26% for number of target hits and 33% for distance from the centroid of the target. Maximal grenade throw distance decreased 9%, but there was no change in maximal vertical jump height. The Profile of Mood States questionnaire revealed an 82% increase in self-reported fatigue and 38% decrease in vigor. Significant decrements in some aspects of military performance occur when soldiers march rapidly with heavy loads over long distances.

Lack of Effect of Choline Supplement on Inflammation, Muscle Endurance and Injury Indices, and Shooting Accuracy Following Simulated Army Ranger Operation

“…In line with the current findings, knapik et al showed that fatigue did not induce any significant effect on shooting performance in prone position, because the rifle is supported by the ground rather than muscles of the arms, shoulders, and back (32). It has been also reported that 90 hours of sleep deprivation does not induce any reduction in shooting accuracy when soldiers fire at stationary target without a time constraint (33).…”

Negative mood endures after completion of high-altitude military training

“…For example, in one study, mood in army soldiers, as measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS), was assessed shortly after beginning and immediately after completing a maximal effort 20-km road march while carrying a 40-kg load. The soldiers reported an 82% increase in fatigue and a 38% decrease in vigor between these two time points (2). Another study, examining mood in Navy Special Forces personnel engaged in basic training, showed increases in POMS anger and fatigue, and a decrease in POMS tension pre-to posttraining for those who completed training (7).…”

“…Several studies have documented negative mood in military and quasi-military populations undergoing stressful experiences involving rigorous training and challenging environments (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). For example, in one study, mood in army soldiers, as measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS), was assessed shortly after beginning and immediately after completing a maximal effort 20-km road march while carrying a 40-kg load.…”

“…In some studies, negative mood has been associated with increases in physical symptoms (1)(2)(3)9,12), thus having potential implications for readiness for duty. For example, one study reported that POMS tension and fatigue were positively associated with a number of physical health symptoms in Navy personnel engaged in Persian Gulf operations (6).…”

A Comparison of Work Health and Safety Incidents and Injuries in Part-Time and Full-Time Australian Army Personnel

“…Furthermore, the reduced exposure alone may result in an increased injury risk to Army Reserve personnel when restarting these combat tasks. 27 In our study, Army Reserve personnel reported a higher percentage of injuries associated with manual-handling activities than did regular Army personnel (8.5% versus 4.7%, respectively). Military personnel are often required to manually handle heavy materials.…”