Abstract
This study investigated the impact of weight and weight distribution of body armor and load carriage on static body balance and leg muscle function. A series of human performance tests were conducted with seven male, healthy, right-handed military students in seven garment conditions with varying weight and weight distributions. Static body balance was assessed by analyzing the trajectory of center of plantar pressure and symmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Leg muscle functions were assessed by analyzing the peak electromyography amplitude of four selected leg muscles during walking. Results of this study showed that uneven weight distribution of garment and load beyond an additional 9. kg impaired static body balance as evidenced by increased sway of center of plantar pressure and asymmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Added weight on non-dominant side of the body created greater impediment to static balance. Increased garment weight also elevated peak EMG amplitude in the rectus femoris to maintain body balance and in the medial gastrocnemius to increase propulsive force. Negative impacts on balance and leg muscle function with increased carrying loads, particularly with an uneven weight distribution, should be stressed to soldiers, designers, and sports enthusiasts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 430-435 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Gait and Posture |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Jan 2014 |
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Keywords
- Balance
- Body armor
- Load
- Weight distribution
Cite this
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Effect of armor and carrying load on body balance and leg muscle function. / Park, Huiju; Branson, Donna; Kim, Seonyoung; Warren, Aric; Jacobson, Bert; Petrova, Adriana; Peksoz, Semra; Kamenidis, Panagiotis.
In: Gait and Posture, Vol. 39, No. 1, 01.01.2014, p. 430-435.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of armor and carrying load on body balance and leg muscle function
AU - Park, Huiju
AU - Branson, Donna
AU - Kim, Seonyoung
AU - Warren, Aric
AU - Jacobson, Bert
AU - Petrova, Adriana
AU - Peksoz, Semra
AU - Kamenidis, Panagiotis
PY - 2014/1/1
Y1 - 2014/1/1
N2 - This study investigated the impact of weight and weight distribution of body armor and load carriage on static body balance and leg muscle function. A series of human performance tests were conducted with seven male, healthy, right-handed military students in seven garment conditions with varying weight and weight distributions. Static body balance was assessed by analyzing the trajectory of center of plantar pressure and symmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Leg muscle functions were assessed by analyzing the peak electromyography amplitude of four selected leg muscles during walking. Results of this study showed that uneven weight distribution of garment and load beyond an additional 9. kg impaired static body balance as evidenced by increased sway of center of plantar pressure and asymmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Added weight on non-dominant side of the body created greater impediment to static balance. Increased garment weight also elevated peak EMG amplitude in the rectus femoris to maintain body balance and in the medial gastrocnemius to increase propulsive force. Negative impacts on balance and leg muscle function with increased carrying loads, particularly with an uneven weight distribution, should be stressed to soldiers, designers, and sports enthusiasts.
AB - This study investigated the impact of weight and weight distribution of body armor and load carriage on static body balance and leg muscle function. A series of human performance tests were conducted with seven male, healthy, right-handed military students in seven garment conditions with varying weight and weight distributions. Static body balance was assessed by analyzing the trajectory of center of plantar pressure and symmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Leg muscle functions were assessed by analyzing the peak electromyography amplitude of four selected leg muscles during walking. Results of this study showed that uneven weight distribution of garment and load beyond an additional 9. kg impaired static body balance as evidenced by increased sway of center of plantar pressure and asymmetry of weight bearing in the feet. Added weight on non-dominant side of the body created greater impediment to static balance. Increased garment weight also elevated peak EMG amplitude in the rectus femoris to maintain body balance and in the medial gastrocnemius to increase propulsive force. Negative impacts on balance and leg muscle function with increased carrying loads, particularly with an uneven weight distribution, should be stressed to soldiers, designers, and sports enthusiasts.
KW - Balance
KW - Body armor
KW - Load
KW - Weight distribution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84888288744&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.08.018
DO - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.08.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 24021525
AN - SCOPUS:84888288744
VL - 39
SP - 430
EP - 435
JO - Gait and Posture
JF - Gait and Posture
SN - 0966-6362
IS - 1
ER -